Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan took down the Barton Bulldogs in a thrilling 79-76 final score on Wednesday evening.
The Warriors shot 48.4% from the field and were 42.1% from beyond the arc in the victory over the Bulldogs. Four Warriors posted double digits in the game with Jaquay Randolph leading the team with 23 points. Valdy Zephir (17), Bobby Taylor (15) and Will Little (13) also had double digits. Of the eight assist in the game, Taylor had four and Little had two.
Southern Wesleyan pulled down 31 rebounds with Jaquay Randolph earning his sixteenth double-double game of the season with 17 boards. Will Little picked up six rebounds in the game. Both Randolph and Valdy Zephir had blocks awarded to them. Southern Wesleyan stole the ball away from Barton nine times with both Zephir and Josh Parker having three steals.
Game Vitals
Final: Southern Wesleyan 79, Barton 76
Records: Southern Wesleyan (8-12 / CC 5-8) Barton (8-14 / CC 6-8)
How It Happened
Jaquay Randolph put up a mid-range to put the Warriors on the board first in the battle against the Bulldogs. Barton answered as Caleb Reams and Jaylen Faber knocked down back-to-back three pointers. With under eighteen on the clock, Valdy Zephir got up a mid-range for the Warriors. Bobby Taylor and Josh Parker hit a couple three pointers to take the lead. The Warriors pressed on as Zephir slammed the ball into the basket. Taylor knocked down another three to put the Warriors ahead 17-8. Will Little collected a pass from Taylor and stepped out beyond the arc to collect his first points of the game. Barton challenged with a layup by Christian Taylor. Trevur Smalls was fouled on a layup to earn the and-one basket. However, a layup by Randolph allowed the Warriors to regain their seventeen point lead with just under nine minutes left in the half. Josh Parker robbed the ball away from the Bulldogs on a pass and got it down the court to Bobby Taylor. Taylor quickly passed the ball out to Jamarras McCray who slammed it into the basket. Barton chipped away at the Warriors lead as Sean Quick-Streeter and Christian Taylor got up a couple of shots. With just under two minutes left in the half, Taylor kicked the ball out to Valdy Zephir. Zephir fired off a three pointer to give the Warriors a nine point lead. However, the Bulldogs continued their attacks as Quick-Streeter and Chris Nobles got the ball into the basket. A last second three pointer by Taylor allowed the Warriors to take a 42-32 point lead going into the locker room.
Barton cut Southern Wesleyan's lead back down to single digits seconds into the second half as Sean Quick-Streeter laid the ball up into the basket from in the paint. Valdy Zephir knocked down back-to-back three pointers to extend the Warriors lead back up to twelve. Trevur Smalls wove around the Warriors' defense to lay the ball up into the basket, but the Warriors answered with a layup by Will Little. Jaquay Randolph laid the ball up over the hands of the Bulldogs. With just under fourteen on the clock, Will Little stole the ball away from the Bulldogs and quickly got it up into the basket. Barton would not back down as Chris Nobles got up a layup and then Jaylen Faber knocked down a three. Bobby Taylor passed the ball under the basket to Jamarras McCray. McCray got up and laid the ball up into the basket from in the paint to put the Warriors lead at 62-49. Quick-Streeter got up a couple more shots to jump start a run for the Bulldogs. Trey Fields laid the ball up into the basket to put the Bulldogs within three. The Warriors were not done though as Jaquay Randolph got up a couple more layups. Randolph went up to the basket once again to allow the Warriors to claim a 79-76 point victory over Barton.
What's Next
The Warriors will remain at home on February 7 as they host the Chowan Hawks at 4pm. They will then welcome the Erskine Flying Fleet to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on February 10 at 7pm. Prior to the game, the Warriors will celebrate their senior class. Southern Wesleyan will travel to Pembroke, NC to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves on February 14.
