Lamar State sports information

KILGORE – Lamar State College Port Arthur has had its share of close games this season. Saturday afternoon in Kilgore, the Seahawks weren’t taking any chances on another close call.

LSCPA went on a 13-0 run that started in the first half and reached into the second half as the Seahawks distanced themselves from Kilgore College for an eventual 67-48 win on the road at Masters Gymnasium. The win is the first in conference for the Seahawks, who improve to 7-10 overall (1-6 in Region XIV South Zone).

The Hawks fell short in each of their first six conference games against the NJCAA Region XIV North Zone opponents with Kilgore looking to complete the sweep. Midway through the first half, the Rangers took a six-point lead, but the Seahawks would give Kilgore a taste of offense with an international flavor. Serbian Stefan Radosavljevic and Croatian Matej Gaspert combined for 11 of LSCPA’s final 16 points of the first half. When Gaspert dropped in a three-pointer, the Hawks went to the locker room with a 30-28 advantage, their first lead of the game.

“They showed some confidence out there. Even the guys on the bench were in the game,” LSCPA head coach Lance Madison said. “We’ve always been right there in these conference games. Sometimes we didn’t make a play late in a game, or we had a turnover and the other team capitalized. Tonight we created our own destiny.”

LSCPA came back out for the second half with the momentum well in hand, scoring another eight points on buckets by Nederland’s Jase Miguez, Port Arthur’s Tevin Baker (a Kelly graduate) and Silsbee’s Travious Grubbs. With the Seahawks out to a double-digit advantage with 16:24 left in the game, the Rangers would never really threaten again.

Grubbs scored five points in the first half but exploded for 13 more in the second half for a game-high 18 points, adding 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double performance of the year, his second in conference play. Baker hit a couple of three-pointers in the second half and finished with 11 points and three assists, while Radosavljevic added 10 points with six rebounds. Kolbe Littlefield, a freshman guard from San Antonio, added 11 points off the bench.

Kilgore’s Malachi Davidson led his team’s efforts with 14 points and four steals.

“I knew we were focused and we played well together as a group tonight,” Madison said. “It’s a great feeling to get a big win.”

The Seahawks return to conference action with a game Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Angelina College in Lufkin. The Roadrunners are 10-8 and 2-5 after a loss Saturday to Bossier Parish Community College. The Seahawks return home on Saturday, Jan. 20, with a 4 p.m. tipoff against Jacksonville College at the Carl Parker Center.