By Brackin Lambert
uscbathletics.com
BLUFFTON — USCB men’s basketball put the Peach Belt Conference on notice last week, as the Sand Sharks pulled off a thrilling 114-112 victory over the Augusta Jaguars on Wednesday in the Cove.
The Sand Sharks had five players score in double-figures led by Larry Bulluck’s best outing of the year with 26 points, while Sand Shark big man Marcus Overstreet fell just one rebound short of his fifth double-double of the season with 21 points and nine rebounds despite playing less than four minutes in the first half due to foul trouble.
Shea Champine made his first start of the season, collecting 17 points while dishing out three assists, Kevaughn Price continued his strong season with 14 points, and Qurahn Anderson added 10 off the bench.
“An incredible feeling tonight,” USCB coach Ron Fudala said. “We said, ‘Don’t blink. They’re going to make a run, we’re going make a run. We’ve got to play our game for 40 minutes.’ It was a complete team effort from everyone on the court, all of the fans, it was tremendous.”
Beaufort started off red hot, opening the game on a 9-2 run before the first line change. Augusta trimmed the lead to four but Kobe Shewry drilled a triple from the wing to make it an eight-point game. Dylan Lewis’s layup gave the Sand Sharks a 10-point advantage through the game’s first five minutes.
Midway through the period the Jags cut the lead to single digits, but Champine sunk a three-ball and was fouled on the play, then converted the free throw to put USCB up 11. Bulluck followed with back-to-back triples as the Sand Shark extended the lead, but Augusta battled back to within 61-55 going into the break.
The high-scoring affair continued throughout the second half. The Jaguars brought the score within two points multiple times before finally tying it up at 84 after a Ja’Queze Kirby dunk. Zyere Edwards put AU on top for the first time at 92-91 with just over eight minutes to play.
The lead grew as large as four for the Jaguars, but it was short-lived. Bulluck’s 3-pointer with seven minutes to play made it 99-98 Jaguars, and Overstreet put USCB over the century mark with a layup before Bulluck drained a step back triple to make it 105-101. With just two minutes to play, Augusta made it 111-109 after David Viti connected for three, but Kenney Gaines knocked down one from the charity stripe and intercepted the final full-court heave from the Jaguars as the Sand Sharks went on to win, 114-112.
“We’re becoming a family, that’s what is most important to me,” Fudala said. “The wins or losses, the baskets or dunks, it’s just about becoming a family.”
Lakers snap Sand Sharks’ streak
Kevaughn Price dropped a season-best 27 points along with seven boards, but USCB fell to Clayton State 98-86 in the Sand Sharks’ first PBC road game Saturday.
“Tough one against a good Lakers team, but its easy to be happy when you’re winning,” Fudala said. “But winning can make you let up a little bit. We’ll get back to it on Monday and prepare for Lander.”
The Sand Sharks started off in unfamiliar territory to open the game, falling behind early. USCB fell behind by as many as eight, but Price made a basket through traffic to make it a two-point Lakers advantage. It was a track meet for the most of the first half as both teams continued to run and down the floor.
Clayton State kept its lead close to double figures with over two minutes to play in the half, but Kyle Polce drained a triple from the wing to make it a three-point game. CSU picked up the pace in the final minute, forcing a number of turnovers and errant shots, and went into the break with the score 43-35.
USCB opened the second half on a 5-0 run through the first two-plus minutes and made it a one point game after Kenney Gaines picked off an inbound pass and passed it along to Price, who made the bucket forcing a Lakers timeout. Qurahn Anderson tied it at 54 with a layup and Nolan Paladugu gave the Sand Shark its first lead of the game with a 3-pointer from the top of key with under 12 to play.
The lead was exchanged or tied four different times throughout the period’s first 12 minutes, but the Lakers retook the lead, 66-64, and extended it back out to six with 7:41 to play. Clayton State pushed the lead into double-digits and finished with a 98-86 victory.
USCB has two home games on tap this week, welcoming Lander to The Cove on Wednesday and hosting Georgia Southwestern on Saturday.
