By Nathan Deen
Published on October 24, 2007
The PJC men’s basketball team carried over the same mistakes they made in Friday night’s disappointing loss to Gadsden State to the first half of their game against Shelton State. Shelton State started the game with a 12-1 run and PJC failed to score a FG in the first six minutes.
PJC committed 14 turnovers in the first half, after committing 27 during Friday’s game. Shelton State rattled PJC with their aggressive full-court press defense and led at halftime 33-27.
“They came out fighting,” said PJC head coach Paul Swanson. “We were still numb from last night early on.”
PJC did not panic and quickly rallied with a 13-0 run to begin the second half. The Pirates took their first lead at the 15:00 mark and ran away with the game, winning by a final score of 79-57. I In the second half, PJC shot 57.1 percent from the field, outscored Shelton State 52-24 and committed only six turnovers.
Shelton State head coach Barry Mohun said that PJC played with more intensity and wanted it more.
Guards Miles Taylor and Sasha Parghalava both scored in double figures and made key plays that sparked the blowout. Forward Petras Balocka had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Parghalava made a field goal and immediately followed with a steal and a fastbreak lay up that led to a 13-0 run by PJC with 11:06 remaining. With 7:01 remaining, Parghalava made a three-pointer that started a 24-2 run, during which Shelton State had a field goal drought of over five minutes. Parghalava finished with 17 points while Taylor led all scorers with 20 points and was named MVP of the Cici’s Tip-Off Classic.
Taylor said that Friday’s game was a wake up call and that winning the MVP was very “rewarding.”
Swanson said that this was a good overall team win and said his bench players stepped up as much as his starters did.
“This was a good win against a good team,” said Swanson
Shelton State won the ACCC Division I Championship last year.
PJC will play Faulkner State at home on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m.