College
Augusta Moves Up to #16 After a Hot Start Despite Limited Play
Even with limited opportunities to take the floor and show off its high-powered lineup, the Jaguars are seizing each moment.



Published
2 years agoon


To state the obvious, this is not a normal season in college basketball. Usually by this time, Augusta would have played 9 or 10 games and be into Peach Belt Conference play. Because of cancellations the last two Wednesdays and another this Sunday, the Jaguars might enter January sporting an undefeated record, but after only playing two games. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that even with limited opportunities to take the floor and show off its high powered lineup, the Jaguars are seizing each moment. Augusta’s two wins, both at home, have been double digit victories against stiff competition. Last Saturday’s 97-83 triumph came against an Emmanuel squad that was chosen by the Conference Carolinas coaches to win its league in their preseason poll. And Lander, who Augusta topped 87-72 on December 2, won the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship last season after finishing third in the regular-season standings (Augusta finished second in the regular season with a 16-4 league record.)
Augusta Moves Up in the National Rankings
The voters for the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) NCAA Division II top 25 poll have taken notice by ranking Augusta #16 in the nation in the week-two installment, seven spots higher than in the week-one edition. Like the college basketball schedule, the NABC rankings are anything but normal. Ten of the top 25 ranked teams have yet to play a game, making it easy to understand why Augusta is moving up the ladder quickly with its pair of impressive wins.
Augusta Men's Basketball Ranked #16 Nationally https://t.co/hCow7Vtn9Q
— AugustaJags (@AugustaJags) December 16, 2020
Arnold, Crawford and Lucas-White Look Sharp Early
During Augusta’s two victories, the veteran heavy squad has looked to be in mid season form, whether it be their shooting from the field, or their dominance in the paint. Three players in particular have produced eye popping statistics in the small sampling of action so far:
Miguel Arnold
The 5-11 junior guard has scored 41 points in two games while shooting 55% from the field, making 7 of 14 three point attempts and dishing out 9 assists.
Augusta’s Miguel Arnold scored 41 points combined in Augusta’s first two wins. Arnold talked after the game Saturday about who taught him to shoot (his father), and who instructed him to elevate on his shot (Len Carlson), which is pretty uncommon for a three point shooter. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/3q7Od58vk9
— AugBball (@AugBball) December 15, 2020
Tyshaun Crawford
The 7-1 junior, who was voted preseason first team all conference by the Peach Belt coaches, has scored 39 points while making 15 of 19 field goals. Crawford also grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked 6 shots combined in the two games. He has also made 9 of 13 free throws, a marked improvement over last season.
Crawford’s fast start was noted in the NCAA’s recent account of its “all stats team”:
We're dunking the latest #D2MBB all-stats starting five this morning: https://t.co/Ep6MtmENnp ‼️ pic.twitter.com/NfAvoMpW1Z
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 16, 2020
Darren Lucas-White
Lucas-White has stuffed the stat sheet from every angle during Augusta’s first two games, logging 40 points (73% FG), 13 rebounds, 8 steals and 6 assists. But Lucas White’s most exciting action might have been the one shown in the first clip of this video, which didn’t show up in the stat sheet. Watch below to see Darren hit the floor twice in one defensive possession during a second half stretch against Lander in which he completely changed the game with an exceptional display of effort and will:
In the post game interview below, recorded after Augusta’s latest win, head coach Dip Metress talked extensively about Augusta’s hot shooting and about Arnold, Crawford, and Lucas-White, as well as other impact making Jaguars. The video also includes a post game interview with Arnold and several clips from the win over Emmanuel:
From Augusta’s December 2 win over Lander, in which the Jaguars outscored the Bearcats 59-29 in the second half to turn a 15-point halftime deficit into a 15-point victory, below is the game’s video summary:
College
Augusta Falls Short Against Flagler Despite a Valiant Effort Under Difficult Circumstances
Playing with 8 men and down two starters, Augusta failed to hold off a late push by Flagler.



Published
1 year agoon
January 14, 2021

Darren Lucas-White (Augusta) and Jazeic Lottie (Flagler)
Playing its second consecutive game with an eight man roster that didn’t include starters Miguel Arnold and Troy Cracknell, Augusta failed to hold off a late game push by Flagler, and the Saints topped the #10 ranked Jaguars 70-64 in St. Augustine Wednesday. Senior Jazeic Lottie, a transfer from Arkansas Little Rock who leads the Peach Belt Conference in scoring, posted 30 points in the win, including 9 straight during a 17-2 game closing run that spanned the final 5:14.
The outburst by Lottie made for the third time this season the 6-2 guard scored 30 or more points for Flagler (4-2, 2-1), which tallied two wins against Division I opponents in the pre-conference portion of its schedule to go along with its two PBC wins to date. Augusta (3-1, 1-1) was led by sophomore Lee Flenor, who scored 17 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and almost singlehandedly delivered a road win for the Jaguars with a 15 point, 10 rebound, second-half performance.


Darren Lucas-White (Augusta) – Photos via Flagler Athletics
Junior guard Darren Lucas-White added 15 points to go along with 4 steals, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in 38 minutes of action while simultaneously attempting to guard Lottie, who has already emerged as the conference’s best player, on the other end of the floor. That task proved too difficult during the second half when Lottie scored 21 of his 30 points.


Jazeic Lottie (Flagler)
Three specific plays by the talented newcomer give a good visual for what Augusta was up against during the second half, when Lottie found his rhythm. The explosive guard gave the Saints their first lead since early in the first half when he drove through the middle of the paint, moving from left to right, and converted an inside-hand layup on the right side of the basket with his left hand, right under the outstretched hand of Flenor, who had extended his arm to block what he thought would be a right-handed attempt by Lottie. That bucket gave Flagler a 36-35 lead with 17:00 remaining.
Fast forward to the deciding stretch, and you’ll see Lottie scoring a layup over Augusta’s 7-1 center Tyshaun Crawford to cut Augusta’s lead to 62-59 with 3:35 remaining before nailing a step back three pointer to tie the game at 62 with 2:00 left. Lottie would then make four consecutive free throws to finish his 9 point scoring stretch that gave Flagler its lead for good.
Until or unless Augusta’s roster is reinforced by the return of the likes of Arnold and Cracknell, the road ahead for the Jaguars will be difficult. But the team proved by defeating Georgia College in its conference opener, and by establishing a 62-53 lead with 5:39 remaining against Flagler Wednesday, that the will and the potential exists for this Jaguar squad to compete at a championship level, despite the obvious obstacles.
“Our effort was great,” Augusta head coach Dip Metress said after the game during the bus ride home. We were up 5 (with 4 minutes remaining) on the road, and we didn’t close it out. We’ll learn from it and get ready for the next one.”


Lee Flenor (3) and Darren Lucas-White
Lucas-White continued his transition from being the team’s defensive stopper and sixth man during his freshman and sophomore seasons to an All Peach Belt Conference caliber performer during the first four games of this pandemic influenced year. Along with Flenor, the junior figured prominently in Augusta’s second half spurt that saw the Jaguars erase a 47-41 Flagler advantage. Lucas-White nailed a mid range jumper with the shot clock ticking to zero that gave Augusta a 58-53 lead with 7:57 remaining, and 53 seconds later he followed up with a pull up jumper in transition to give Augusta a 7 point lead. Flenor then expanded the lead to 9 with a short floater on a feed from Tyree Myers before Lottie’s late game heroics stole the show.
In the first half it was freshman John Whitehead who combined with Lucas-White to score 16 of Augusta’s 18 points during an 8 minute long stretch that saw the Jaguars expand a 13-12 lead into a 31-20 advantage after Whitehead punctuated the run by knocking down two consecutive three pointers.
Metress agreed with me the morning after the game when I said that Lucas-White, Flenor and Whitehead are all showing signs of transforming themselves as players while being forced to shoulder a heavy responsibility that might not have been envisioned for them when the season began. Along with Myers, the team’s starting junior point guard and consistent leader who has quarterbacked the Jaguars to a 52-15 record since taking the keys to Augusta’s offense, and Crawford, the 7-1 preseason first-team all-conference center, Augusta’s five starters all logged more than 30 minutes of play Wednesday.


John Whitehead – Augusta
The Jaguars will need to rest fast because Saturday and Monday will bring two more road games before Augusta returns for a Wednesday/Saturday home stand next week. This Saturday’s opponent, Georgia Southwestern, which is currently allowing spectators at its home games, topped Georgia College 79-66 Wednesday to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play. Monday’s nemesis, Columbus State (1-1), also won last night, topping Clayton State 89-66.
College
Gators Throw Away Playoffs with Bonehead Penalty for the Ages
Costing his team a chance at the CFP, Gators defensive back commits what may go down as one of the dumbest penalties in sports history.


Published
2 years agoon
December 13, 2020By
Terell BakerOn Saturday, Florida Gators cornerback Marco Wilson, a third-year legacy player who’s widely regarded as the Gators’ best defensive back, committed what may go down as one of the dumbest penalties in sports history.
On 3rd and 10 with exactly 2:00 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Gators defense stuffed LSU TE Kole Taylor short of the line to gain. After setting up a punt to their offense, led by Heisman-trophy front runner Kyle Trask, the Gators’ celebration was cut short as Wilson inexplicably ripped off the LSU player’s cleat and threw it downfield.
After a momentary pause by the referees, who probably had to do double-takes in the dense Gainesville fog, the penalty flags rained down like so many alligator tears. The unsportsmanlike play gave LSU a first down, and set up a 57-yard field goal by Cade York with 23 seconds left in the game. Although Trask and the Gators would put together a few chunk plays on the subsequent drive to set up their own 50+ yard field goal attempt to tie the game, Evan McPherson’s kick skirted outside the left upright, ending the game, and probably Florida’s shot at the College Football Playoff.
THE KICKER WITH THE WINNING SHOE pic.twitter.com/riJPrN3Qco
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 13, 2020
Social media reactions were merciless with many bringing up Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore’s infamous “dog-pee” celebration from the 2019 Egg Bowl. In that game, Moore’s unsportsmanlike penalty after a last-second touchdown resulted in the extra-point being moved back 15 yards. In a mystical display of instant karma, the Rebels would miss the kick and lose the game by one point. Fun fact: Wilson and Moore hail from the same hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Even former Gator greats were beside themselves as they joined the social media pile on:
No discipline
— BrandonSpikes55 (@brandonspikes55) December 13, 2020
Best cover guy? Man this wild lol
— ahmad black (@ahmadblack35) December 13, 2020
????? (This doesn’t explain how pissed I am right now) @GatorsFB
— Alex James Brown (@alexbrown96) December 13, 2020
The year started with Marco Wilson announcing his return to Gainesville for a third season. After starting as a true freshman and suffering an ACL tear early in his sophomore year, Wilson had contemplated joining the NFL draft. The decision to return for a chance at a championship looked like a great gamble for most of the year. But after being beaten repeatedly by LSU receivers on Saturday and then committing the horrible penalty that may cost his team a playoff berth, Wilson’s decision may turn out to be more ironic than heroic.
The Gators now turn their attention to next weekend’s SEC Championship Game against Alabama. It’s hard to imagine the Gators bringing the same energy into that game knowing that a win will likely still leave them short of the ultimate prize, a chance at the school’s fourth national championship.
Everybody watching the end of Florida/LSU pic.twitter.com/VGEs6JfM7l
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 13, 2020
Meanwhile at the LSU Florida game. #MarcoWilson pic.twitter.com/Fd3ITPOapm
— Aundra Hawkins (@aundrahawkins) December 13, 2020
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) December 13, 2020
The cleat that kept the @LSUfootball game-winning drive alive. #LSU pic.twitter.com/NGADSVUiqw
— Michael Bonnette (@LSUBonnette) December 13, 2020


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