Brown Helps Logan Men Rally Past SIC; Ridings’ 24 Not Enough for Lady Vols
JALC sophomore center Alex Brown goes up for two of his 14 points in second half game action Wednesday night at Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg. The Vols won the game 74-66. (Logan Media Services photo)
Logan Media Services
Sophomore center Alex Brown scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked six shots Wednesday to help lead John A. Logan College to a 74-66 road win over Southeastern Illinois College.
It was the third straight win for the Volunteers who improve to 4-4 in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference and are now 11-7 overall. The Falcons fall to 2-6 in the league and 7-11 overall.
Logan trailed 35-30 at the intermission and fell behind by as many as 10 points in the second half before getting back in the game.
A stickback bucket by Brown tied the game at 52 all. A 15-footer in the lane from the 6-foot-11 Herrin High grad gave the Vols the lead by two at 54-52 and a conventional three-point play by Brown extended the lead to five at 57-52.
The Falcons hung tough and tied the game on a triple by Robert Calmese (61-61) and then again at 63 all on a field goal from Dominique Hagans. That would be the last time, however, the Falcons would stay even.
A slam dunk by Anthony Shoemaker (team-high 18 points) off an SIC turnover was followed by a layin basket by freshman post player Robert Arnold and stickback by DeShawn Clay for a 69-63 lead. Two free throws by sophomore Xavier Jones put the game out of reach at 71-63.
In addition to Shoemaker and Brown, three other Vols reached double figures. Jones checked in with 14, including 10 in the second half. QuaShawn Carpenter tallied 12 and Clay chipped in 11.
Vols head coach Mark Imhoff was disappointed with his team’s play in the first half.
“I thought our energy was awful in the first half,” he said. “I do think it improved in the second half. We did a better job on the glass and forced some turnovers, which allowed us to get into transition.”
Vols’s sophomore guard Austyn Ridings knocks down two of her game-high 24 points Wednesday, but Logan still came up four points short on the road at Southeastern Illinois. (Logan Media Services photo)
In the early game, the Lady Falcons overcame a four-point halftime deficit (36-32) to defeat the Logan squad, 77-73.
Kenyatta Drake and Jassherica Barkley each knocked down 16 for Southeastern. Ashley Morehead followed with 14 and Porsha Saunders collected 13.
The Vols, now 2-6 in the GRAC and 6-11 overall, were led by sophomore Austyn Ridings’ 24 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman forward Kyra Navarette added 19 points and sophomore guard Tiki Johnson had 14. Sophomore Brittany Wood accounted for seven points as did freshman Jasmine Jordan. Je’Michia Cottrell added two points.
Vols head coach Marty Hawkins was frustrated with the loss.
“We made some big turnovers (24 in all) down the stretch,” he said. “We get so impatient in our halfcourt offense. Everybody wants to make the big play and we end up trying to do too much and turn the ball over. We’re simply not getting enough shots because we’re turning the ball over too much.”
Hawkins also credited the Falcons for hitting some big shots late in the game to help seal the win.
“We kept it at a one- or two-possession game, but we had to foul and they made their free throws.”
Both Logan teams return to action Saturday afternoon at Kaskaskia College in Centralia. The women’s game begins at 1.
Posted: February 2nd, 2012 under Athletics, General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball.