After four games of trial and error, the GRU Augusta women’s basketball team found the answer to winning its first game of the season, Dec. 3.
The Jaguars (1-4) beat crosstown rival Paine College (1-4) convincingly, 68-50, in a non-conference contest at The Heal Complex. By halftime the Jaguars built a cozy 25-point lead, 45-20, and the Lions couldn’t recover from the large deficient.
The difference maker for the Jaguars in the lopsided victory was their ability to play sound basketball.
“I thought our girls played well together,” head coach Nate Teymer said. “We didn’t really change what we did x’s and o’s wise, I just thought we executed a little better.
Offensively, the Jaguars were average at best, shooting 39.1 percent from the floor. However, the Jags ran the floor well by scoring 20 points off turnovers, and won the rebounding battle 56 to 42.
Jaguars sophomore guard Tavia Sykes scored the first basket of the game for an early lead. A three-pointer from Lions’ player Jemetria Fletcher created a one-point differential at 4-3 – the closest score of the game.
Following the Fletcher trey, the Jaguars went on a 27 to 8 run to take control of the match. By the end of the first half, Jaguars juniors forward Kariel Hutt had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Jaguars continued to smoother the Lions offense in the second half. The Lions didn’t break the 30-point mark until 12:40 remained in the second half.
A team total of 14 assist allowed four Jaguars to score in double figures. Hutt finished the evening with 14 points, Sykes dropped 13, while guards Camille Gee and Kayla Roberts recorded 11.
The Jaguars three of the last four games by 10 points or more. Before beating the rival Lions, the Jags were throttled on the road against Claflin, 77-60.
However, Teymer said he hopes the Jaguars can gain momentum from the 18-point win over the Lions.
“We got a little bit of a break, and sometimes when you get a win you want to play again right away,” he said. “This is going to an important week and a half for us with practice. Hopefully we get better.”
The Jaguars finish a four-game road stretch against Clark Atlanta Saturday, Dec. 13 in Atlanta at 3 p.m.
