Gardner leads Jaguars to seventh straight win
Staff report
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Demitri Gardner had 26 points to lead the Augusta University men to an 89-81 win over Converse University in a non-conference basketball game on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 21.
Gardner’s sharpshooting and a double-double by center Max Amadasun at the Weisiger Center propelled the Jaguars to their seventh straight win. Amadasun added 16 points and 10 rebounds for AU.
Augusta point guard John St. Germain III added 18 points and five boards. Teammate Evan Joyner chipped in 12 points.
The Jaguars led 48-38 at halftime and led 72-58 on a layup by Luis Nonfon with 9:46 left to play, but the Valkyries (3-6) mounted a comeback down the stretch. They cut the lead to 82-79 on two free throws by Leonardo Da Campo with 2:23 left, but the Jaguars outscored Converse 7-3 in the closing two minutes.
St. Germain started that last spurt with a driving layup from the right side of the lane. After a Valkyrie miss, Gardner scored for 86-79. St. Germain would make 3 of 4 from the line to complete AU’s scoring.
Augusta shot 54 percent from the field and 50 from behind the arc. The Jags held Converse to a 46-percent shooting day.
Jay Mitchell led the Valkyries with 24 points, and Edo Buffo added 17 points. Converse was coming off a 92-69 win over Francis Marion on Dec. 17.
The Jaguars, who opened conference play with a 105-96 win over USC Beaufort on Dec. 18, now take their winter break, returning home to see their families. Augusta will next play on Jan. 4, when they host Columbus State at 3:30 p.m. in a Peach Belt Conference game at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Max Amadasun (17) totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds to help AU to an 89-81 win over Converse. At the top of the page, Demitri Gardner (2) scored 26 points to lead all scorers. (photos by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
