Box Score by Kevin Buczek
HARTSVILLE, S.C.-Reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week junior guard Gerald Boston scored a game-high 22 points to lead the visiting Barton College men's basketball team to a 75-63 conquest of host Coker College on Thursday night in Timberlake-Lawton Gym.
The Bulldogs – who have play eight of its first 15 games on the road – returned to Wilson boasting a 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference and will have six days to prepare for the "Battle of the East II" against Mount Olive College on Wednesday, Jan. 11 in the Dog House at 7:30 p.m. The Cobras dipped to 6-5 and 0-2.
Barton was coming off a road loss to East Division favorite Queens University of Charlotte after only one player scored more than six points but bounced back for the win against Coker as five Bulldogs scored eight or more points. Boston led all players with 22; senior Jaren Haley canned 15 points, junior Jon Hart sank 11, junior Joseph Velez tossed in nine and junior Keith Manley totaled eight.
Boston had a complete performance adding a game-high six assists and chipping in four steals and four rebounds. Haley scored nine of 15 points on three trifectas.
Six rebounds by both Hart and junior Aaron Brown helped Barton to a 33-28 rebounding edge.
Junior Andrew Morris led a trio of Cobras in double digits with 18 points. Junior Austin Harper and sophomore Julian Nelson added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Barton led throughout the first half after Haley drilled a three-pointer for the game's first hoop. The Royal Blue and White jumped out to a 12-6 advantage on four 3-pointers alternating made by Haley and Boston. Barton made 11 of its first 15 shots to construct a 28-17 lead midway through the first period.
Another Boston jumper kept the Bulldogs ahead, 36-26, with 3:16 to go before Coker closed the opening frame with the final five points on a trey by Nelson and two made free throws by Morris.
The Cobras maintained the momentum after the midway intermission extending the 5-0 run before halftime into a 12-0 surge after scoring the first seven points of the second period. A quick layup by Harper followed by a three-pointer by Morris deadlocked the score at 36-36 in the first minute. A pair of made free throws by junior Sharod Williams capped the flurry to give the hosts its first lead of the evening at 38-36.
Two more made freebees by junior Marshall Cabbagestalk provided Coker with its fourth and final lead at 45-44 before Barton surged ahead with a decisive 14-2 run. Junior Jarrett Jernigan started the rally with a hoop that put the Bulldogs ahead for keeps. Hart sank a three-pointer to finish off the outburst that put Barton ahead by 11 at 58-47. The Bulldogs maintained at least an eight-point advantage for the last 12-plus minutes and a Haley three-pointer extended BC's largest lead to 15 at 71-56 before coasting to the 12 point win.
Coker kept in striking distance by shooting 53-percent compared to 46% by the Bulldogs.
Barton took 14 more shots than the Cobras as the Bulldogs defense that is ranked No. 1 nationally in steals per game made 12 thefts. BC forced Coker into 21 turnovers while protecting the ball well after a bad performance on Tuesday with a season-low seven mistakes.
