FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12-16-05

Day One Wrapup: 2005 Chatham Orthopedics Basketball Classic

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Jamaal Galloway’s career-high 24 points off the bench sparked an Armstrong Atlantic State men’s basketball comeback, capping action in day one of the 2005 Chatham Orthopedics Basketball Classic on Friday with the Pirates’ 66-55 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. The AASU women also used a big comeback to defeat Tusculum 86-84, in overtime, while the top-ranked Montevallo men survived an upset bid by No. 24-ranked Presbyterian, winning 59-52. The No. 15-ranked Carson-Newman women were not so lucky as they succumbed to Fayetteville state, 65-58, in the day’s first action.

Lenoir-Rhyne (3-5) jumped out to a huge 15-point lead in the first half against the host Pirate men (5-2), leading 21-6 at the 13:15 mark of the first half. AASU whittled away at the lead, closing to within three at halftime, 33-30, behind 10 first-half points from Galloway. The sophomore from Inverness, Fla., hit his first three treys of the second half as the Pirates opened the second half on a 20-9 run to come away with the victory, the third in a row for AASU in the series between the two schools. Galloway finished the night by hitting 7-of-11 shots from the floor, including 6-of-10 three-pointers, while Lenoir-Rhyne was led by reggie Bratton’s 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 5-of-6 free throws.

The Lady Pirates (3-4) snapped a four-game slide against Tusculum (8-2) but had to go to an extra frame to do it. Shantae Shank made one of two free throws with two seconds remaining for Tusculum to force overtime. In the extra frame, Tana Griffiths hit a free throw to snap an 83-all tie with 35 seconds left, then Alicia Durham nailed two free throws with 20 seconds left to put AASU up by three. Tusculum had two shots at a bucket at the end, but Amber Redding’s three was short as time expired and the Lady Pirates came away with the win. Durham did it all for the host Lady Pirates, scoring 20 points, tying a career high with eight steals and registering six assists and six rebounds. Kaneeth Gordon chipped in 18 points for AASU, while Tusculum was led by Ashli Oliver’s 20 points – all in the first half.

The first men’s game of the day saw top-ranked Montevallo remain unbeaten on the season with a 59-52 victory over No. 24 Presbyterian. The Falcons (9-0) forced 20 turnovers by the Blue Hose (10-2) and held Presbyterian to just 34 percent shooting from the floor in the victory. Greg Brown tallied 19 points to lead a quartet of Falcons in double figures, while Presbyterian was led by Tray Ballenger’s 17 points.

The biggest upset of the day came in the day’s first contest as Fayetteville State (4-5) knocked off No. 15-ranked Carson-Newman’s women, 66-58. The Broncos forced 33 turnovers and took advantage at the free throw line, hitting 26-of-37 foul shots in the victory, their third in a row. Carson-Newman (7-2) was led by Amanda Ray’s 21 points and 17 rebounds, while the Broncos got 13 points apiece from Chelsea Jeter and Dominique Williams.

Action in the Classic concludes on Saturday with four games. Fayetteville State takes on Tusculum in women’s action at 1 p.m., then Lenoir-Rhyne faces the top-ranked Montevallo men at 3 p.m. AASU’s women hosts No. 15 Carson-Newman at 6 p.m., and the Pirate men close out action with an 8 p.m.. matchup against No. 24 Presbyterian.

-Pirates-