Jets, Lady Jets open Holiday Classics with impressive victories
The South Georgia Technical College Jets and Lady Jets both came up with impressive victories in the opening rounds of the three-day South Georgia Technical College Jet and Lady Jets Holiday Classics in the Hangar on the Americus campus. Nationally ranked teams from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina participated in the National Junior College Athletic Association match-ups.
The Jets came up with a 90 – 84 win over the Wake Tech Eagles from Raleigh, NC on Friday after the Wallace State Community College Lions took a narrow 69 – 68 win over the St. Petersburg Titans from St. Petersburg, FL in the opening game.
Then in the game of the day the NJCAA second ranked Shelton State Lady Buccaneers upset the defending national champion and top-ranked Gulf Coast Lady Commodores 62 – 54. Both teams were undefeated prior to this head-to-head match-up.
The Georgia Highlands Lady Chargers coached by former South Georgia Tech Lady Jets head basketball coach Brandon Harrell dropped a tough 75 – 71 decision in over-time to the Eastern Florida State Lady Titans. The two teams were tied at 62-62 at the end of the regulation play. Eastern Florida State is not in the NJCAA top 25 national rankings but they are one of the top 30 teams in the nation.
In the final game of the night, the NJCAA seventh ranked Lady Jets from South Georgia Technical College came up with a 68 – 61 win over the Cape Fear Lady Sea Devils from Wilmington, NC. This put the Lady Jets at 14 – 1 on the season. They will now face the former top-ranked Gulf Coast Lady Commodores at 8 p.m. Saturday.
The South Georgia Technical College Jets moved to 7 – 6 overall and remained in first place in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association Division I standings after defeating he Wake Tech Eagles Friday. The Jets face St. Petersburg at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Sophomore forward Marquel Wiggins from Macon County led the Jets to the victory with 18 points, 13 rebounds, three blocked shots, and one steal. He was two of two from the three-point line and five of 12 from the two-point range. He was also two of three from the foul line.
Four other Jets were in double-figures in that contest. Emeshaun Oxford tossed in 14 points, Dawan Bass added 12 points, Durand Green came off the bench to score 11 points and then red-shirt sophomore guard Rico Simmons accounted for 10 points to close out the double-figure scoring for the Jets. Adonis Green came up with eight points, Malik Wilson made seven points and then Da’monte Green and Sam Matice both closed out the scoring with five points each.
The Jets struggled early and were up 46 – 38 at the end of the first half. They pulled ahead by as many as 24 points in the second half before allowing Wake Tech to close the gap to 90 – 84 at the final buzzer.
The Lady Jets improved their overall record to 14 – 1 and kept their number seven national ranking in tact after overpowering the Cape Fear Sea Devils in the opening night of the tournament. The Lady Jets stretched the lead to as many as 15 points but wound up with a 68 – 61 victory.
Sophomore forward Houlfat Mahouchiza and freshman forward Bigue Sarr were tied for top scoring honors with 12 point each and they were the only two Lady Jets to finish in double-figures. Houlfat Mahouchiza also had five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot while Sarr came up with six rebounds and one blocked shot.
Alyssa Nieves was three of nine from the three-point line and came up with a total of nine points, Ricka Jackson added seven points, Fatou Pouye and Aubry Maulden both added six points while Dakata Toney, Sceret Tehridge, and Esther Adenike all came up with five points each. Cedeja James closed out the scoring with one point and four assists.
In Saturday’s games, the Wake Tech men face Wallace State at 12 noon. The SGTC Jets take on St. Petersburg at 2 p.m. and then the women’s tournament will follow with Cape Fear and Georgia Highlands playing at 4 p.m., Eastern Florida and Shelton State facing off at 6 p.m. and the SGTC Lady Jets taking on the defending national champion Gulf Coast Commodores at 8 p.m.
Marquel Wiggins (34) led the Jets in scoring with 18 points in the win over Wake Tech in the Jets Holiday Classic.