Box Score

ST. AUGUSTINE – The University of Montevallo used a 19-1 run to close out the first half and open the second to wipe out a one-point Flagler College advantage and roll to a 96-61 win in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Flagler Gymnasium.

Montevallo improved to 14-4 overall and 5-3 in the Peach Belt while Flagler extended its losing streak to 11 games and dropped to 6-12 overall and 0-11 in league play.

A pair of Justin Stokes (Jacksonville, Fla., Florida Gulf Coast U.) free throws game Flagler a 31-30 lead with 3:31 left in the first half, but Montevallo closed the half on a 5-1 run to hold a 35-32 lead at the half.

The Falcons scored the first 14 points in the second half. Montevallo made five of its first six shots. The Falcons shot 65.6% (21-32) from the field in the second half and scored 61 points.

The Saints closed to within 10 points on an Ante Gospic (Zadar, Croatia, Polk State College) fast break layup with 16:21 left, but that would be as close as Flagler could get.

D.J. Rivera scored a game-high 23 points and added five rebounds and four steals to his line. He made 8-of-19 field goal attempts and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Drico Hightower came off the bench to record a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Danny Cummins tallied 13 points in just 10 minutes of court time, all in the second half. He sank three 3-pointers. Jonas Brown chipped in with 11 points and hit three 3-pointers. Antoine Davis nearly had a triple-double as he tallied nine points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Montevallo forced 24 Flagler turnovers and converted them into 38 points. The Falcons out-rebounded the Saints 55-30 and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds which led to 17 second chance points.

Gospic led the Saints with 19 points and eight rebounds. Matt Clark (St. Augustine, Fla., St. Augustine HS) tallied 14 points while Addison Smith (West Palm Beach, Fla., College of Central Florida) chipped in with 11 points and six assists.

The Saints defense held the Falcons to 33.3% (11-33) shooting from the floor in the first half and forced 10 turnovers, however they could score just five points of those miscues.

Flagler will be off for the week and return to action on Jan. 28 at North Georgia College & State University in the annual “Battle of the Saints” at 3:30 p.m. at Dahlonega.

Montevallo vs Flagler
01/21/12 3:45 p.m. at St. Augustine, Fla. (Flagler Gym)
At St. Augustine, Fla. (Flagler Gym)

MONTEVALLO 96, FLAGLER 61

MONTEVALLO (14-4, 5-3 PBC)
DJ Rivera 8-19 7-8 23; Danny Cummins 4-9 2-2 13; Drico Hightower 5-8 3-5 13;
Jonas Brown 3-6 2-2 11; Antoine Davis 3-7 3-6 9; DeMarcus Catchings 3-3 0-2
6; Ryan May 1-3 2-3 5; Chauncey Thompson 1-1 2-5 4; Jeff Hefner 2-2 0-0 4;
Marvin Fitzgerald 1-2 2-4 4; Travis DeShazior 1-2 0-0 2; Jervan Jackson 0-3
2-2 2. Totals 32-65 25-39 96.

FLAGLER (6-12, 0-11 PBC)
Ante Gospic 7-11 5-5 19; Matt Clark 4-12 5-6 14; Addison Smith 3-10 5-8 11;
Elijah Hayes 2-3 2-4 7; Chad July 1-6 2-4 4; Justin Stokes 0-1 2-2 2;
Desmond Gibson 1-1 0-3 2; Jared Hammock 1-2 0-0 2; Jordan Warner 0-0 0-0 0;
Ryan Barnes 0-8 0-0 0. Totals 19-54 21-32 61.

Montevallo....................   35   61  -   96
Flagler.......................   32   29  -   61

3-point goals--Montevallo 7-17 (Danny Cummins 3-7; Jonas Brown 3-6; Ryan May
1-2; DJ Rivera 0-2), Flagler 2-20 (Elijah Hayes 1-2; Matt Clark 1-8; Jared
Hammock 0-1; Ryan Barnes 0-6; Addison Smith 0-2; Ante Gospic 0-1). Fouled
out--Montevallo-None, Flagler-Jordan Warner; Addison Smith; Desmond Gibson.
Rebounds--Montevallo 55 (Drico Hightower 12), Flagler 30 (Ante Gospic 8).
Assists--Montevallo 21 (Antoine Davis 8), Flagler 13 (Addison Smith 6).
Total fouls--Montevallo 24, Flagler 30. Technical fouls--Montevallo-None,
Flagler-Ante Gospic. A-395