Gardner leads AU men past Columbus State; Phillips paces Jag women to victory
By Justin Gray | Sports editor
The Augusta University men avenged an early-season loss to Columbus State by flipping the script and taking the Cougars down, 70-62, in Christenberry Fieldhouse on Feb. 3.
“That was the first time I’ve had to get onto them after a win,” said Jaguar Coach Dip Metress. “I got onto them because we didn’t play well.”
Early on, it felt like the Jaguars were playing great basketball, as they led 21-11 through 10 minutes of play.
Columbus State then used second-chance points to get back in the game and eventually get the lead before half, 35-34.
To open the half, it was like AU had shot out of a cannon, going on a 15-4 run. The Jaguars kept this pace throughout the second half controlling the game.
Columbus State wasn’t going down without a fight as the Cougars cut the lead to 57-52. Then, as he always does, Demitri Gardner took over.
He led the Jaguars down the stretch as they secured their fourth PBC victory of the season.
Gardner paced the Jaguars, and he and the team shot 50 percent from the field. Garnder totaled 20 points on the day. In the midst of the scoring clinic, he grabbed eight rebounds, his career-high.
In two games against CSU this season, Gardner has totalled 47 points. Safe to say he’s been the thorn in their side.
“The team locking in on the defensive is what’s leading to the offense,” said the sophomore guard. “I feel like I am just getting started on my best basketball, and I feel like I’m at my best when we're locked in together playing off each other.”
John St. Germain III bounced back from an off night on Wednesday, scoring 14 points in the win. Ja’Queze Kirby followed with 12 points and Max Amadasun with 10.
Amadasun led Augusta on the glass with nine rebounds.
“I feel like we are picking up momentum at the right time,” said the 6-foot-10 center. “That all comes down to us finding our identity and sticking to it while we play for each other.”
The Jaguars improved to 11-9 overall with a 4-6 record in the PBC. The Jaguars are getting hot at the right time and can be a team no one wants to play down the stretch.
They will take the trip to Morrow (Ga.), to play Clayton State on Wednesday, Feb. 7. Clayton State has picked some big victories lately, including taking down No. 16 USC Aiken last week.
The AU women continued their success with a win over scorching hot Columbus State, 65-51.
It was a slow start to the game for the Jaguar women, and that led to them being down 16-13 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter didn’t get any better as the Jaguars didn’t score a point until there was 3:32 remaining in the half. They picked up a few needed points, cutting the deficit to 26-20.
Whatever AU Coach Celeste Stewart did at halftime worked to perfection as the Jaguars came out and dominated the third quarter.
Kennedi Manning went on an 8-0 scoring run by herself to cut the Cougar lead to one.
Autumn Phillips got hot as well and the game was tied at 40 going into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was the Tomiyah Alford show as she took over, and the Jaguars outscored Columbus State 25-11 to win the game.
Phillips led AU with 21 points, followed closely by Alford with 20. Manning led the Jaguars in rebounds with eight.
Augusta (8-2, 14-6) scored 28 points off of turnovers to CSU’s 10, and that was the difference in the game.
The Jaguar women will open Wednesday night’s doubleheader at Clayton State at 5:30.
Contact Justin Gray at jusgray@augusta.edu.
AU’s Demitri Gardner (2) knocks down a 3-pointer on an afternoon when he had 20 points to lead the Jaguars to a Peach Belt win over Columbus State. At the top of the page, the Jags’ David Viti looks for an open teammate in the win over the Cougars. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
