LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. - In its first game of the Coca-Cola Classic, Covenant took on Bob Jones in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The Scots didn't start the game they would have liked to, but boy did they finish it strong, erasing a 26-point first-half deficit to pick up their second win of the year.
Final: Covenant 96, Bob Jones 84
Records: Covenant (2-5), Bob Jones (2-3)
FIRST HALF:
- A transition basket from Pierce Smith put the score tied at five right before the first media timeout.
- A few minutes later, Bob Jones started to get hot offensively, using a 19-0 run to go up 27-8.
- Bob Jones kept their foot on the pedal as a triple followed by a fast break layup put them ahead 38-12, for what would be their biggest lead of the night.
- Adam Deininger buried a pair of triples to cut the deficit to 42-22 with 5:38 remaining.
- With Covenant still down 20 points, Luuk Dusek scored eight points in 44 seconds to cut the lead to 50-38.
- A pair of made free throws from Reece Pride with 14 seconds left in the half put Covenant down 51-40 at the break.
SECOND HALF:
- Covenant scored the first 14 points of the half, highlighted by a transition slam from Smith as it now was in front 54-51.
- Starting at the 15:29 marker of the half, Covenant went on another scoring run, this one a 9-0 run with four different players scoring to put the score at 65-55.
- Bob Jones fought back as a pair of baskets took Covenant's lead down to five points at 71-66.
- The Scots then clamped up on defense, holding the Bruins scoreless for just under four minutes as they pushed their lead up to 13 points.
- Covenant and Bob Jones traded baskets for the final three minutes as the Scots earned the double-digit victory.
GAME NOTES:
- Covenant moves to 1-0 all-time against Bob Jones.
- Smith led Covenant with his second consecutive double-double, posting 18 points and 12 rebounds, both of which were career-highs. He also had four blocks and three steals.
- Both Patterson and Colt Donley scored 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
- Deininger scored 13 points with three made triples.
- Jake Stephens also was in double-figures with a career-high 10 points.
- Covenant shot 49.3 % (34-69) from the field and 30.8% (8-26) from behind the 3-point line while Bob Jones was 40.3% (29-72) and 28.6% (8-28) in the same categories.
- Covenant won the rebound battle 43-33.
UP NEXT: Covenant takes on Toccoa Falls tomorrow at 2 p.m. on day two of the Coca-Cola Classic.
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