ATLANTA – Jorden Davis (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy (Roanoke)) tallied a game-high 21 points in Guilford College’s 84-67 men’s basketball win over LaGrange College Sunday in the Emory University Holiday Classic. The Quakers (9-2), ranked 21st in the current D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, had a season-high five double-figure scorers in their ninth win in 10 games.
Guilford played its first game in 22 days but shook off the rust after some sluggish opening minutes. The Panthers (5-4) took a 17-10 lead on a Julian Cameron three-pointer 11:44 before halftime. The Quakers answered with a 14-2 run over the next seven minutes that put Guilford ahead, 24-19. Joah Logan and Jaylen Gore (Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford) made consecutive three-pointers in the midst of the run, which gave the Quakers the lead for good. Quakers’ rookie Julius Burch (Greensboro, N.C./Southern Guilford) helped the first-half rally with eight of his career-high 10 points off the bench.
Guilford held a 41-34 halftime lead, but LaGrange battled back to make it a 48-44 contest on another Cameron three-pointer. The Panthers drew no closer as the Quakers rode Davis’ 16 second-half points to seal the win. Guilford limited LaGrange to 35.5 percent shooting from the floor in the second half and gradually built a 20-point lead.
Davis shot 4-of-7 from three-point land in the sophomore’s second 20-point game of the season. Liam Ward added 13 points and Gore totaled 12 points and a game-high eight assists for Guilford. Kyler Gregory (Yadkinville, N.C./Starmount) added 10 points. He and teammate Tyler Dearman (Greensboro, N.C./Southern Guilford) shared game-high honors with nine rebounds. Guilford held a 49-26 rebounding edge and outscored LaGrange in the paint, 40-28.
Kyle Brown scored 15 of his team-high 17 points in the second half for LaGrange. Cameron finished with 16 points and a game-best four three-pointers. He also topped the Panthers with five rebounds.
Coach Tom Palombo’s Quakers meet tournament host Emory Monday (12/30) at 4:00 p.m. The Eagles, who defeated Guilford in Greensboro, 89-67, are ranked second in the D3hoops.com Poll.
Courtesy of Dave Walters
Guilford College Athletics