By Nathan Deen
Published on October 24, 2007
Going into their first game against Gadsden State in the Cici’s Tip-Off Classic, PJC had a size advantage and an experience advantage. They led almost throughout the entire game and out rebounded their opponent 61-31. Yet somehow they walked off the court heartbroken, with an 0-1 record.
In his first game as Gadsden State head coach, Todd Ginn’s Cardinal team pulled out a last minute win against the Pirates. PJC started the game ahead 2-0 and stayed ahead until 1:20 was remaining in the second half when Gadsden State took their first lead, 70-69. The Cardinals won the game 72-69.
PJC had a comfortable 10 point lead at halftime and looked as if they were going to pull away. Ginn said that PJC relaxed too much in the second half and his team was able to take advantage of that. PJC committed a total of 27 turnovers that lead to 31 points for Gadsden State.
“We were very impatient offensively,” said PJC head coach Paul Swanson. “We let them come back. We should have put them away four times and didn’t.”
Swanson said he was very disappointed with the play of his veterans. Sophomore guard Sasha Parghalava scored only three points (1/12 FG, 0/6 3Pt FG) and committed nine turnovers. Several of those turnovers were at critical points in the game. PJC had a chance to win the game on the final possession but Parghalava threw a bad pass out of bounds, leading to two free throws by Gadsden State with less than a second to play.
Sophomore forward Miles Taylor was the team’s leading scorer with 16 points and was a key player in the second half , but ran into foul trouble in a key part of the game. With 4:53 left to play, Taylor picked up his fourth personal foul and left the game. Momentum then appeared to swing toward Gadsden State.
“I really wanted to be in,” said Taylor.
Gadsden State guards Antoine Hall and Bobby Lee Smith, two of the twelve freshmen on the Cardinal roster, led the second half comeback. Hall led all scorers with 18 points and Smith scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.
“It feels good to come in and just get a win our first game out,” said Smith. “They [my team] played hard all game.”
The Cici’s Tip Off Classic continues tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. as PJC plays against Shelton State.