SAN ANGELO, Texas - The Adams State Men's Basketball team fell in their first game of the Angelo State Thanksgiving Tournament Friday evening. The Grizzlies dropped a 107-99 match to the Central Baptist Mustangs.
The Grizzlies (0-4) had four players score in double figures, including a team-high 30 points from John Dewey as they shot 47.4% for the night. The Mustangs (5-0) shot 57.9% and got the help with five double-digit scorers as they secured an eight-point win.
Both teams came out trading shots in the first 10 minutes of action. Neither team never led by more than seven points in that span, which was done by Central Baptist. Adams State held a 9-5 edge with 18:03 to play thanks to a fastbreak jumper by Rickey Norris. A 7-0 run from Central Baptist gave them a 12-9 lead that they never relinquished the rest of the night.
Dewey got the Grizzlies within one, 20-19, of the Mustangs near the midway point of the first half with a pair of free throws. The Mustangs responded scoring four straight to get up 24-19. The four points was part of a 6-2 run that gave them a 26-21 advantage.
Davere Creighton hit a jumper at the 9:46 mark to keep Adams State within three, 26-23, but it did not last. A 12-0 Central Baptist run put their lead at 15, 38-23, with just over seven minutes left in the half.
The run help propel the Mustangs to a 59-41 halftime lead. They held an edge in every scoring category in the first half with the biggest coming in the paint. The Grizzlies has 26 points down low but the Mustangs nearly doubled it with 46. They also had 13 points of turnovers to go along with 14 second chance points while holding the Grizzlies nine and eight in each category, respectively.
The double-digit lead for the Mustangs held through for much of the second half. They grabbed a 20-point edge, 71-51, with 16:05 to play in the second frame. The teams traded shots through the much of the second half but the Mustangs stayed out in front the whole time.
Adams State got within nine, 88-79, at the 7:33 mark of the second half. A fast break jumper from Dewey gave the Grizzlies life as they tried to chip into the Mustangs lead.
One final effort was made by the Grizzlies in the final minute. Rickey Norris hit a layup with 65 seconds to play and drew the foul. He made the free throw to complete the three-point play and the Grizzlies were within six, 102-96. The Mustangs held them off though for the eight point victory.
Dewey's 30-point performance led the way and it is his second game scoring 30 points to go along with seven assists. Norris put up 23 points along with a team-high eights boards. Arthur Rodriguez and Creighton rounded out the double figure scoring with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
Victor Dukes and Percell Washington led the way for Central Baptist with a pair of double-double performances. Dukes was the game-high scorer with 31 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Washington added 22 points and a game-high 14 boards. Ruston Hayward (19), Demond White (13), and Tyrone Alston (12) were the other double figure scorers.
The Grizzlies will look to rebound Saturday night, Nov. 24 in game two of the tournament. They take on host Angelo State tomorrow night with the tip-off set for 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT.
