Gulf Coast’s men’s team faced a daunting challenge Thursday night as they hosted the South Georgia State Hawks, who stood at #25 in the NJCAA rankings. The Commodores, however, were undoubtedly up for the challenge. The Hawks, who had scored 107 points in their only game prior, could only muster 59 points against the stifling Commodore defense. Freshman guard Turner Harris believes preparation made the difference, stating, “We scouted them, so we knew what they wanted to do, and we were able to make adjustments and make the right plays.”
The Commodores looked good from the tip off, swarming the Hawks on defense and drawing 2 first half charges, one by Harris and the other by Mi’Kis Engram. On the offensive side, Bryce Simmons woke up the home crowd with an electric move to shake off his defender and drill a deep three pointer. Mi’Kis Engram shined in the first half with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists as the Commodores went to the halftime break up 35-23.
The second half was more of the same from the Commodores defense, as the Hawks could not get anything going offensively. As the final buzzer approached, the game became much more physical, with both teams ending up in double bonus. Despite the foul trouble, Gulf Coast never relented their lead, which at one point had reached 22 points. The last few possessions for the Commodores were used as a dunk contest between forwards Tahj Johnson and Marcus Black, as their thunderous slams put a cap on Gulf Coast’s 76-59 win over South Georgia State. Jaxon Ellingworth finished with a double-double, 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Commodores move to a perfect 4-0 on the season and have to be turning heads after a statement win over a ranked opponent. They will look to remain undefeated on Saturday as they play St. Petersburg at home.
The Commodores looked good from the tip off, swarming the Hawks on defense and drawing 2 first half charges, one by Harris and the other by Mi’Kis Engram. On the offensive side, Bryce Simmons woke up the home crowd with an electric move to shake off his defender and drill a deep three pointer. Mi’Kis Engram shined in the first half with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists as the Commodores went to the halftime break up 35-23.
The second half was more of the same from the Commodores defense, as the Hawks could not get anything going offensively. As the final buzzer approached, the game became much more physical, with both teams ending up in double bonus. Despite the foul trouble, Gulf Coast never relented their lead, which at one point had reached 22 points. The last few possessions for the Commodores were used as a dunk contest between forwards Tahj Johnson and Marcus Black, as their thunderous slams put a cap on Gulf Coast’s 76-59 win over South Georgia State. Jaxon Ellingworth finished with a double-double, 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Commodores move to a perfect 4-0 on the season and have to be turning heads after a statement win over a ranked opponent. They will look to remain undefeated on Saturday as they play St. Petersburg at home.
Ben Blake
Student Writer - Fall 2023
A hopeful future sportswriter, Ben Blake is a Panama City native who specializes in his favorite sport, basketball. He has played, refereed, and even coached basketball throughout his life. Currently, Ben is writing for the Gulf Coast Commodores and their men and women’s teams.
