Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan took down the Barton Bulldogs in the final home game of 2021 in an 88-68 final score.
The Warriors shot 50.8% from the field and went 50% from beyond the arc in the fifth victory in as many games.
Ta'Jay Dunlap led the team with 32 points. Behind him were
Julian Cameron (14 points),
Hunter Davis (11 points) and
Davion Bradford (10 points). The Warriors had 21 assists with Davis leading the team with six. He was followed by both Cameron and
Tranard Ferrell with four.
Defensively, the Warriors collected 37 rebounds with
Hunter Davis leading the team with eight.
Ta'Jay Dunlap followed with seven, while both
Tranard Ferrell and
Arusha Hunter collected six. Ferrell recorded four of the five blocks of the game. Southern Wesleyan had eight steals with Dunlap posting three of them.
Game Vitals
Final: Southern Wesleyan 88, Barton 68
Records: Southern Wesleyan (7-4 / CC 5-2) Barton (4-6 / CC 2-4)
How It Happened
Barton took an early lead as Marcus Boykin and Malik Bryant each laid the ball up. However, the Warriors came within one of the Bulldogs on a three point basket by
Ta'Jay Dunlap. A foul on a good layup by
Julian Cameron allowed him to make a free throw and tie the game up 6-6. Barton was not discouraged though as back-to-back baskets by Boykin put them back on top by four. Dunlap sunk his second three of the day to put the Warriors back within one point, and then
Arusha Hunter stepped beyond the arc to give the Warriors a 12-10 point lead with just under fourteen minutes left in the half. Southern Wesleyan distanced themselves further as back-to-back three point baskets by Dunlap put them on top by eleven. The Warriors blocked the Bulldogs attacks and pushed on with their own attacks on the net including a three pointer out of the hands of
Tranard Ferrell. However, the Bulldogs fought back as Trevon Spencer stole the ball away and dunked it into the basket to put them down 26-12. With just under seven minutes left,
Davion Bradford stepped beyond the arc and put the Warriors back ahead by fifteen points. Despite a last second layup for the Bulldogs by Dwayne Anderson, the Warriors maintained a 40-26 point lead at the half.
Barton challenged early, but
Tranard Ferrell blocked their attacks to keep them from taking the first points of the half. Instead,
Ta'Jay Dunlap collected a pass from
Julian Cameron and stepped beyond the arc to fire off a three and give the Warriors the first points of the second half. Marcus Boykin laid the ball up, but a dunk by
Hunter Davis allowed the Warriors to maintain their fifteen point lead. Ferrell laid the ball up seconds later to extend Southern Wesleyan's lead to 47-30. Barton would not go down quietly as Malik Bryant put up a layup and then Donaven Hairston hit a three pointer to put the Bulldogs back within twelve. The Warriors did not step down as Dunlap stepped beyond the arc yet again and scored the Warriors' fiftieth point of the game. A three point shot and layup by
Julian Cameron pushed Southern Wesleyan's lead to twenty, but it was short lived as Boykin knocked down a three pointer to put the Bulldogs down 55-38. With just over ten minutes left in the half,
Brendan Hoban laid the ball up into the basket to extend the Warriors lead to nineteen. The Warriors would not relent as
Julian Cameron and
Hunter Davis put the ball up into the basket to put them on top 69-46. The Bulldogs continued to challenge the Warriors twenty point advantage, but each time they cut into it the Warriors would put the ball into the basket to put them back ahead by twenty. A last minute layup by
Brendan Hoban allowed the Warriors to take a 88-68 point victory over the Bulldogs.
What's Next
The Warriors will break for the Holiday season. They will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on January 4 as they host the Lees-McRae Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on January 8 as they welcome the UNC Pembroke Braves to Central, SC. They will then travel to Franklin Springs, GA to take on the Emmanuel Lions.
