Skyhawks leave Florida with 80-73 victory
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Oct. 30, 2021) – In the second game of the Florida road trip, the Point University men's basketball team picked up an 80-73 nonconference win over Johnson University (Fla.) Saturday afternoon. With Saturday's win, the Skyhawks advance to 2-1 on the season.
The Skyhawks came out strong starting the game with a 10-2 run led by junior guard Jake Smith and senior forward Corey Bowen. Smith had an explosive six points within the first four minutes of the game, and Bowen followed in close behind him with four quick points.
Johnson would fight back with a run of their own, but the Skyhawks maintained control of the game throughout the half. Over the next minutes points offense would become stagnant until another spark came off the bench for the Skyhawks in Jack Gray as his jump shot would start another run eventually gaining Point a 12-point lead.
Point was able to extend its lead out by as many as 15 points before the Suns were able to close the gap cutting the deficit to as close as nine points. The Skyhawks would go on a late surge to end the half led by Lorenzo Freeman who helped extend Points' lead to 14 points going into halftime with a score of 47-33. Point shot 72% from the field while holding Johnson to just 35% from the field.
Early in the second half the Skyhawks looked to continue their dominance as senior guard Ray Reeves scored five points to begin the scoring.. Two made free throws by Gentrell Taylor would extend Point to their highest lead of the game at 19 points. The Skyhawks would maintain this lead for the next five minutes but the Suns looked to answer back. The Suns would go on a 12-4 run in the next six minutes closing the deficit to five points. Late in the game Johnson would cut Points lead to just two points but that would be as close as they could get as the Skyhawks would go on a 7-2 run to end the game.
Three Skyhawks made it into double-digit scoring, led by Bowen with 25 points, from 11-for-15 shooting. Bowen also recorded six boards. Reeves followed with 14 points, going 6-for-9 from the field and tacking on three rebounds, two assists, and a steal to his stat line. Freeman was next with 13 points off 5-for-10 shooting and grabbing three rebounds on the day.
Following close behind was Jake Smith who nearly clinched a double-double on the day with nine points and nine assists. He also recorded six steals and three rebounds to cap off his night.
Point returns to West Point Park Gymnasium to host another nonconference foe in Freed-Hardeman University on Wednesday, Nov. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.