VALDOSTA, GA. (vstateblazers.com) — Shooting 30 of 59 from the field (50.8%) and 12 of 23 (52.2%) from outside the arc, the Valdosta State men's basketball team recorded a 79-53 win over the Montevallo Falcons Saturday evening inside the Complex. The Blazers improved to 6-5 on the year and 2-2 in the Gulf South Conference, while Montevallo fell to 5-7 on the season and 3-1 in the GSC.
Junior guard Jacolbey Owens recorded 13 points in the first half and started the scoring effort for the Blazers with a solo jumper in the first 20 seconds. Owens finished the game with 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds, shot five of ten from the field and sunk three three-pointers.
The Blazers put up a 23-8 lead from a three-pointer made by redshirt junior Cam Hamilton from Owens with 8:12 left to play in the first half. Hamilton led the Blazers' offense with 18 points and picked up three steals and assists, four rebounds and went seven of 11 from the field in 36 minutes.
The Blazers ended the first half shooting 12 of 26 (46.15%) from the field and six of 13 from outside the arc and led the Falcons 35-27.
Coming out of the locker room, freshman guard Ricky Brown sunk a three-pointer courtesy of Hamilton to give the Blazers an 11-point lead, 38-27. Brown ended the game with seven points, four rebounds, and two assists.
The Blazers went on a 12-point scoring run, sparked by Owens with a three-pointer, assisted by Brown with 11:34 to play, to put the Blazers up 55-39.
VSU built its biggest lead of the game, 76-48, with 4:29 left in the game from a made three-pointer by junior forward Mohamed Fofana, assisted by sophomore guard Cam Selders. Fofana ended the evening recording his first double-double of the season, picking up 15 points, ten rebounds, two assists and one steal. Selders finished the game recording three points, two assists and two rebounds in 20 minutes of action.
Sophomore guard DJ Mitchell put an exclamation on the night from a solo dunk with 1:38 left to play to bring the final scoreline to 79-53 in favor of the Blazers. Mitchell ended the game with eight points, three steals, three assists and five rebounds.
Braxton Bertolette led the Falcons with 15 points, shooting 50% from the field and picking up two steals, four rebounds, and one assist. Aaris-Monte Bonds led Montevallo in rebounds with seven and also picked up seven points, and a pair of steals and blocks each. The Falcons shot 20 of 57 from the field, seven of 29 from outside the arc and recorded 14 points off of turnovers.
The Blazers had 22 points off turnovers, put up ten second-chance shots- and recorded 27 points off the bench. Head Coach Mike Helfer and the Blazers return to action on Monday, hosting Auburn Montgomery at 8 p.m. inside the Complex for the final match of 2021.
