Box Score by Kevin Buczek
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C.-Barton College shot nearly 52-percent from the field including 66.7% in the second half to blitz past Virginia State University 68-50 in the opening game of the 46th annual Mount Olive College Pickle Classic Friday at Kornegay Arena.
The Bulldogs rallied from an 11-point first half deficit as Barton (3-1) won its third straight game. Barton will conclude play in the Pickle Classic on Saturday against Brevard College at 5 p.m. Brevard lost to the host Trojans 100-78 in the second game Friday night.
Four Bulldog starters scored in double figures including a team-high 16 points from senior sharpshooter Jaren Haley (Woodbridge, Va.), who has been Barton's leading scorer in all four games.
Junior guard Gerald Boston (Burlington, N.C.) swished 14 points, dished out seven assists and made four steals. Junior Joseph Velez (Woodbridge, Va.) bucketed 11 points for a second straight contest and classmate Jarrett Jernigan (Virginia Beach, Va.) canned a season-best 10 points.
Junior 6-foot-6 forward Keith Manley (Greensboro, N.C.) was the Bulldogs fifth starter and chipped in game-highs of seven rebounds and three blocks. Manley's seven rebounds and Jernigan's four boards helped Barton win the battle of the boards for the first time this season at 31-28.
Senior Aaron Suggs (Wilson, N.C.) provided Barton with nine points and five dimes from the off the bench.
Jernigan and Velez combined for 10 points during a 12-0 run that began late in the first half and put Barton ahead to stay. Virginia State (0-3) led 26-15 with 4:36 left on the heels of two made 3-pointers and another trey at the 3:09 mark kept the Trojans ahead 29-21. Those would be VSU's final points before halftime.
Velez cashed in on a layup with five seconds to play off an acrobatic assist from Suggs to pull the Bulldogs within five 29-24 at halftime. The scoreboard initially showed Barton with a 27-26 halftime lead, but the score was corrected during intermission when referees determined that a three-pointer by the Trojans was inadvertently credited to a Barton player with the same number who did not play in the first half.
Velez and Jernigan sandwiched baskets around a Haley layup to open the second half and Jernigan followed with a three-pointer off a Haley steal to put Barton ahead 33-29 with 18:22 left to play. A Trojan jumper 14 seconds later ended Virginia State's five-minute scoreless drought, but he Trojans never got any closer. The Bulldogs lead reached double digits on a Suggs three-pointer with 7:21 left and Barton built the lead to as many as 21 points.
Barton outscored VSU 44-21 in the second half by draining two-thirds (18-of-27) of its shots. BC had its best shooting performance of the season at 51.9% and the Bulldogs defense stepped up allowing a season-best 50 points and forcing the Trojans into 23 turnovers that included 11 steals.
