SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. — Sophomore Deandre Clark/Orange scored 16 points to lead No. 13 Richard Bland College to a 103-67 Region X Conference men’s basketball victory past Guilford Technical (N.C.) Community College on Saturday afternoon at Statesman Hall. Sophomore Jaquan Wooten/Kinston, North Carolina added 12 points, freshman Deon Joyner/North Charleston, South Carolina had 11 points and sophomore Gevon Arrington/Petersburg contributed 10 points for the host Statesmen (10-2, 4-0 Region X), who outscored GTCC 57-33 in the second half for their sixth-straight win. Tamario Rodgers scored a game-high 24 points for the visiting Titans (5-8, 1-3 Region X).
Richard Bland, ranked 13th in this week’s NJCAA Division II Top 20 Poll, led 10-8 at 14:50 following a jumper by freshman Stanley Taylor/Petersburg. Guilford Tech, however, got eight-straight points from Rodgers to lead 16-10 at 13:52. The Statesmen responded with a 23-8 run to lead 33-24 with 6:02 on the first-half clock. Clark led the outburst with four three-point field goals, while Wooten had a crowd-pleasing slam dunk during the run, as well. The Titans closed to within 38-34 at 2:01 before the hosts stretched the advantage to 46-34 at the intermission, getting another dunk from Wooten along with two baskets by Taylor and one from Arrington. Clark had 14 points at the break, while Arrington and Wooten each had eight first-half points.
Richard Bland scored the first nine points of the second half to take complete control at 55-34 with 17:13remaining, getting three points each from Wooten and freshman Tim Bing Jr./District Heights, Maryland(three-pointer). Guilford Tech was no closer than 19 points (55-36, 16:52) the rest of the way as the Statesmen continued to increase their advantage. It was 71-41 at 12:29 after a three-pointer by freshman Brandon Henry/Chester … 80-49 at 9:31 following a layup from Clark … 96-64 at 3:11 after a layup by Henry … and a layup from freshman Travius Smith/Norfolk inside of 30 seconds pushed the hosts above the century mark (101-65) toward the final score.
Clark led Richard Bland with his team-high 16 points, including 4-9 three-pointers. Wooten added 12 points, nine rebounds and a game-high three blocks for the Statesmen. Joyner finished with 11 points and five rebounds, while Arrington contributed 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Travius Smithand freshman Robert Smith/Hampton, no relation, each had nine points, Henry and sophomore Myles Markland/Petersburg, who had an impressive steal and resulting slam dunk, each added eight points, Taylor finished with seven points and sophomore Harrison Mitchell/Hampton had six points (first career three-pointer) and a game-high 10 rebounds. Freshman Ricky Hicks/Bronx, New York dished out a game-high seven assists, and Bing finished with six assists, as the hosts had 29 assists. Richard Bland shot 52% (41-79) from the field, including 35% (8-23) on three-pointers, and 50% (13-26) at the free throw line. The Statesmen took a commanding 63-27 advantage in rebounding, had a 62-28 advantage in points scored in the paint, a 56-19 margin in bench points and a 24-4 edge in fast break points.
Rodgers led Guilford Tech with his game-high 24 points, including 4-10 three-pointers. The Titans shot 37% (25-67) from the field, including 28% (8-29) on three-pointers, and 50% (9-18) at the line.
Richard Bland was playing Guilford Tech for the seventh time in the sport of men’s basketball, and the Statesmen have never lost to the Titans, now leading the series, 7-0.
Richard Bland will play two road games next week before the Christmas Holiday break, beginning at The Community College of Baltimore County (Md.) on Monday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. in Catonsville, Maryland, before a Region X game at Vance-Granville (N.C.) Community College next Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in Henderson, North Carolina.
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Greg Prouty
Director of Athletics Communications & Marketing
