The SFA Lumberjacks took care of business in a hard-fought battle against Northwestern State, defeating the Demons 72-68 thanks to a late go-ahead layup from Calvin Solomon with 37 seconds to go in the game. Sadaidriene Hall then made the stop on the other end and proceeded to make both of his free throws to secure the victory.
The ‘Jacks got off to a hot start, as they sparked a 14-0 run early on to take a 16-3 advantage just five minutes into the game. The Demons fought hard, however, and slowly worked their way back into the game while they reduced the Lumberjack lead to just 4 as they headed into the break.
Similar to the first half, the ‘Jacks came out of the break hot, opening up the second with a 10-0 run to extend the lead to 14. Once again, however, the Demons refused to go away, as they clawed their way back to take the lead with 7:46 remaining in the game. The rest of the game was a back-and-forth affair, but the Lumberjacks showed resilience and maturity while they pulled out the victory in the final minute.
The Lumberjacks outscored Northwestern State 36-28 in the paint, including a 20-10 advantage in the first half. They also took advantage of the Demons’ miscues, scoring 21 points off turnovers and 17 points on fast breaks.
Gavin Kensmil led the way with 16 points and 7 rebounds. The big man also played his part on the other end, coming away with 2 blocks and 2 rebounds. The ‘Jacks as a team finished the game with 10 total blocks.
Hall did not disappoint in his first start in a Lumberjack uniform, wrapping up the game with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, including the game-clinching block and free-throws. David Kachelries and Roti Ware also finished the game with 13 points.
The ‘Jacks will return home on Wednesday, December 1st, as they host Lincoln University at 6:30 p.m. inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
