South Georgia Tech topples No. 21 Coastal Georgia

Local Sports

January 10, 2009

Jets have won seven in a row

Chris Whitaker

BRUNSWICK — Markell Smith scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead three Jets in double figures as the South Georgia Jets won their fourth road game in a row and seventh overall, this time knocking off No. 21 Coastal Georgia, 86-83.

“I’ll be the first one to say that I wasn’t too sure about this road stuff,” said coach Steven Wright. “We’ve won our first three games after Christmas on the road, but what’s interesting, at the beginning of the second half of all three games the home team made a run at us and have taken the lead early on. But we’ve withstood all three to win the games. It shows character and toughness.”

Jae Crowder scored 17 points and had 10 rebounds, and Antonio Bell chipped in with 15 points. The difference came from the free-throw line. The Jets made 25 of 38 attempts while the Mariners were 11-for-34. Coastal owned every other statistical category, including field goal percentage in which it shot 52 percent for the game.

The Jets trailed 76-71 when Crowder scored five quick points to tie the game. It went back and forth until the final minute when South Georgia Tech pulled ahead by five.

“This was certainly a test for the team,” said Wright.

Bell, Paul Mitchell and Crowder all fouled out.

Paul Finn led five in double figures with 13 points for Coastal, which lost to Albany Tech earlier in the week.

The Jets return home Wednesday to play Albany Tech. They are 10-0 at home.