Howard women win while holding GC to a single 3rd-quarter field goal
McHenry, MD – The Lakers’ game plan last Thursday night against two-time defending Region 20 champion Howard Community College centered around slowing down Myles McDuffie and Sincere Barfield. GC accomplished that goal – holding the pair to a combined 25 points – but the deep Dragons still rolled to a 76-47 men’s basketball victory.
McDuffie was held to 14 points and Barfield had just 11, but reserve Evin Thompson scored 12 as the Howard bench outscored GC’s reserves, 41-7.
“Their role players stepped up and made plays,” said GC head coach Matt McCullough, noting the Dragons have multiple ways they can win games.
“They’re kind of the gold standard in our league right now,” McCullough said. “You know it’s going to be a tough game every time you play them.”
The Lakers, meanwhile, shot just 37 percent from the field and were 2-for-17 from the 3-point line.
“We couldn’t put the ball in the basket for long stretches of the game,” said McCullough.
The Lakers started strong, building a 17-13 advantage, but Howard responded with a 12-0 run to take the lead for good. Howard, which had a 39-24 halftime advantage, withstood a 7-0 Laker run at the start of the second half to claim the win.
Kanye McMahon had nine points and Cedric Harville contributed eight points in a balanced attack for the Dragons. Jake Tillman (seven points) came off the bench to hand out a game-high six assists for Howard.
Keyonta Johnson had game highs in points (15) and rebounds (eight) for GC. Lenny Smith added 13 points, and Nehemiah Johnson scored 12 for the Lakers.
Howard is 8-6 overall and 4-2 in NJCAA Division II Region 20 play. Garrett fell to 5-6, 1-2.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Howard 54, Garrett 41
Jolie Hamilton (game-high 11 rebounds) and London Galbraith combined for 15 third-quarter points last Thursday night as the visiting Dragons (8-6, 4-2) used a 19-3 third quarter to wipe out a 30-23 halftime deficit.
“They [the Dragons] packed it in more with their 2-3 defense,” said GC head coach JT Lewis of Howard’s second-half defensive philosophy. “That forced us to stay outside and we just weren’t hitting our 3-point shots.”
Galbraith scored a game-high 19 points while Hamilton finished with 13. Savannah Price had 12 of her 15 points in the second half for Howard.
Carly Wilt, who had GC’s only third-quarter basket, provided a team-high 15 points. Miangel Thompson was the only other Lady Laker in double figures, finished with 11 points.
Garrett dropped to 4-4 overall, 1-2 in the region, with its second straight loss.
