FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-18-08
Men’s Basketball: Clayton State 61, AASU 55
Women’s Basketball: AASU 67, Clayton State 63
SAVANNAH, Ga. (February 13) – Senior Jasmine Herron’s three-pointer with 31 seconds remaining snapped a 63-all tie and gave the Armstrong Atlantic State women’s basketball team a 67-63 Peach Belt Conference victory over visiting Clayton State on Monday evening at Alumni Arena. The Clayton State men earned a split of the doubleheader with a 61-55 victory over the AASU men.
The Lady Pirates (15-9, 9-8 PBC) watched Clayton State erase a 14-point second-half lead, tying the game on Marie St. Fort’s three-pointer from the corner with 61 seconds left in the contest. With the shot clock winding down, Herron dribbled around a ball screen and banked in the three – her third three-pointer of the night – to put the Pirates up by three. The Lakers (15-8, 10-6 PBC) missed four shots in the final 30 seconds as the Lady Pirates ended a nine-game losing streak to Clayton State that stretched all the way back to the 2003-04 season.
Junior Lacey Willis led all scorers for the Lady Pirates with a career high-tying 22 points on 6-of-12 from the floor and 10-of-15 from the free throw line. Herron finished the night with 13 points, while senior Kaneetha Gordon notched nine points and nine rebounds. Her nine points moved Gordon into second place on the AASU all-time scoring chart with 1,278 points. St. Fort led Clayton State with 21 points, while Shantel Ragin added a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Defense was the name of the game in the men’s contest as Clayton State (12-11, 8-8 PBC) forced a season-high 23 turnovers by the Pirates in the six-point win. The Lakers led by one, 33-32, at halftime and stretched built a six-point lead, 52-46, with 3:41 left in the second half. Senior Corey Johnson scored on back-to-back possessions, hitting a driving layup and then a three-pointer to cut the lead to just one, 52-51, with 3:04 left. On the next possession, Clayton State’s Ricky Garrett drilled a three-pointer, pushing the lead back to four and the Lakers would hold on for the win.
Johnson finished the night with 15 points to lead all scorers, while T.T. Hall added 12 points and Jamaal Galloway came off the bench for 10 points for the Pirates. Clayton State placed four players in double figures, led by Michael Sloan’s 13 points and Tracy Williams’ 11 points. Hinesville native and former AASU player Will Lewis collected 11 points in his return to Alumni Arena as well.
The Pirates and Lady Pirates return to action on Thursday, February 21, as AASU hosts Columbus State for a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
- Pirates -