Grambling State holds off Jackson State 70-62

Juan Perez-Jones, WAJ Writer

It is the battle of the Tigers, Jackson State men’s basketball was coming off a two-game

losing streak after a tough battle with Florida A&M, the Tigers are looking to turn the season around and set the pace as they take on Grambling State. Now, both teams rely heavily on the front court as they are led by floor generals that have been playing exceptionally well.  There are many players to look for in this head-to-head classic. Chase Adams and Ken Evans started strong as they led their ball club with a pair of threes and got their bigs involved.  Grambling struggled early as the Tigers forced a couple turnovers that included a shot clock violation as well, but they did not stop fighting. After Coach Donte Jackson called a timeout, the energy shifted as the Grambling Tigers cut the lead down to 5.  Heading into the first half, guard Terrance Lewis hit a huge momentum three to close the lead to a tie heading into halftime. As expected, both teams' objective was to get the ball out the paint and keep the guards off the three-point line. 

The Grambling Tigers started the second half right where they left off. Forward Jonathan Aku made his presence early with three blocks and eight rebounds. It was difficult for the Jackson State Tigers to get the offense going. The 2-3 zone managed by Coach Jackson and Grambling State, put Jackson State in a drought as they collectively shot 24.1% as their three-point percentage. The shooting efficiency decreased once Jackson State guards Chase Adams and Ken Evans couldn’t find a bucket in the first ten minutes of the second half. The enforcer and leader of the Gambling State Tigers for this game was Tra ’Michael Moton. The floor general picked his spots in the Jackson State man’s defense. Chase Adams did not make the game easy for Mr. Moton, as he managed to finish with 15 points and four assists. It was not enough for the Jackson Tigers as they lose their third straight game against Gambling State. Tra ’Michael Moton was named Player of the game combining 19 points and four rebounds.