Columbia State uses balanced attack in blowout win.
By Scott Wallace
NASHVILLE, TN — The Columbia State University Chargers (4-2) used a hefty 63-27 rebound advantage to defeat the Fisk University Junior Varsity Bulldogs 78-60. Fisk 
shooting guard Matt Edwards scored nine of his team’s first 10 points to help keep the game close early. The Chargers used a stifling full court press them allowed them to go on a 32-6 run to take a commanding lead.
“We have guys that can really press and create turnovers,” said Charger head coach Winston Neal. “We want to create havoc on the defensive end. We had a size advantage, so we wanted to take advantage of that. After a tough weekend, it was good to come here and get a win.”
After scoring 45 points in the first half, the Chargers cruised in the second half using a lot of different combinations. Their balanced attack was led by freshman duo Jamari Bostic’s 14 points and Tarre’q Williams’ 11 points. Both players had 10 rebounds giving them double-doubles. Edwards was the only Bulldog in double figures with 14.
“Those guys were big and athletic,” said Fisk head coach Ty Garth. “Our tallest guy is 6’3. My team showed fight. They didn’t give up, they beat us by 47 (103-56) down there. We could have laid down but we didn’t. We outscored them 39-33 in the second half. That is one of the positives that we can take away from this.”
Columbia State will now play four straight Region 7 games starting with Jackson State University this Wednesday at home. The game in Nashville was played in front of a heavily favored Charger crowd. The Chargers have four players from Nashville on their roster.
“It felt great playing here tonight,” said former East Nashville Magnet star Jayden Lockett. “It felt like high school again playing in front of people that I am familiar with.”
For Lockett’s teammate at East Gene Holmes, it was a different. One familiar voice, their former announcer at East, Scott Wallace, is the public address announcer for Fisk.
“It was a pretty weird to hear him yelling for other players and not for Jayden and me. It was cool, playing in front of family and friends.”
Columbia State
Gene Holmes (East Magnet High School) 1-5 2-2 5, Jayden Lockett (East Magnet High School) 4-7 0-0 9, Darron Howard 2-3 0-1 5, Manuel Brown 0-2 1-1 1, Tarre’q Williams 4-5 3-4 11, Chris Nix (Hillwood High School) 4-5 0-0 8, Teahzjawon Hodge-Harper 0-7 2-2 2, Robert Abernathy Jr. 2-6 3-6 7, Antonio Sparkman 1-3 0-0 2, Darius Rozier 3-7 0-0 7, Jermaine Newsome (Stratford High School) 1-5 2-2 4, Marcus Lee Jr. 0-2 0-0 0, Jamari Bostic 6-9 0-0 14, Jonathon Bolden 1-2 1-3 3. Totals 29-68 14-21 78
Fisk JV
Matthew Hector 1-3 2-4 4, Matthew Edwards 5-17 0-1 14, Daquan Tucker 0-0 0-0 0, Malik Perry 2-5 4-5 8, Elijah Thomas 3-9 2-6 8, PJ Pointer 2-8 0-0 5, Mekhi Yant 3-12 3-5 9, Brian Carter 2-4 0-2 6, Jalon Cambridge 0-1 0-0 0, BJ Davis 2-7 1-1 6. Totals 20-66 12-24 60
SCORE BY PERIODS 1st 2nd TOTAL
Columbia State 45 33 78
Fisk JV 21 39 60
FG%: Columbia State .426, Fisk JV .303. 3-pt FG: Columbia State 6-35 (Holmes 1-4, Lockett 1-4, Howard 1-2, Brown 0-2, Nix 0-1, Hodge-Harper 0-5, Abernathy Jr. 0-4, Rozier 1-3, Newsome 0-3, Lee Jr. 0-2, Bostic 2-5), Fisk JV 8-30 (Hector 0-2, Edwards 4-13, Perry 0-1, Pointer 1-6, Yant 0-2, Carter 2-4, Davis 1-2). Rebounds: Columbia State 63 (Williams 10, Bostic 10), Fisk JV 37 (TEAM 9, Thomas 9). Fouls Columbia State 19, Fisk JV 19. Fouled out: Sparkman Thomas. Technical: none. Assists: Columbia State 18 (Holmes 5), Fisk JV 13 (Yant 6). Steals: Columbia State 10 (Howard 2, Rozier 2), Fisk JV 9 (Yant 4). Blocked shots: Columbia State 2 (Lockett 2), Fisk JV 1 (Edwards 1). Turnovers: Columbia State 25, Fisk JV 19.
