By Chris Megginson, Sports Information (SID2Go)- Stillman
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Stillman College dominated the glass for the second-straight game to push past Blue Mountain College, 83-66, on Saturday in Birthright Alumni Hall. The win wrapped up the No. 4 seed in the Southern States Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, presented by Dreamland BBQ.
While Blue Mountain’s Luka Tejic provided 50% of the Toppers’ offense with a 33-point effort on 15-of-17 shooting, Stillman produced two 20-point scorers in Londell King and Tomias Brand.
King led Stillman with 26 points and 11 rebounds, including nine recycled opportunities on the offensive glass. He personally helped orchestrate 14 second-chance points. Brand hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points for the second-straight outing.
Though Stillman led from start to finish, the game was tight for the first 13 minutes. It was a King 3-pointer with 6:46 to play in the first half that helped create some distance. Virgil Fields followed with a jumper to make it a seven-point game, 30-23. While Blue Mountain cut it to five, a Brand 3, King dunk and layup helped push the margin to 37-27 at halftime.
Stillman’s first four shots of the second half were all 3-pointers, two apiece from Derrick Finklea and Brand, as the Tigers stretched their lead to 49-35. Finklea finished with 13 points.
BMC managed to work the margin down to six, 55-49, on a Tejic layup with 11:25 left. Stillman answered with seven-straight points and led by 10 or more the final 10 minutes.
Vatangoe Donzo and Ty Jones each scored 11 for Blue Mountain.
Virgil Fields and Daviyon Dennis were third in scoring for Stillman with eight points, while Virgil Fields had nine rebounds.
Stillman (18-5, 8-6 SSAC) will meet No. 2 Loyola in its next two games, first in New Orleans on Monday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m., and then at home Thursday, Feb. 17 for Senior Night. The regular season concludes next Saturday, Feb. 19 against William Carey at 3 p.m. on Homecoming.
