GREENWOOD – Five double-figure scorers, three double-doubles, five dunks, 11 assists from their new point guard, and 27 assists on 37 baskets. That's how the Lander Bearcats opened their 2011-12 season, with an entertaining 99-80 victory over Allen University Wednesday night at Horne Arena.
Lander (1-0) got big contributions from a pair of returning players with junior David Pruett scoring a team-high 23 points, and senior Jermel Kennedy adding a double-double with 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the floor and 11 rebounds. Kennedy, who had nine defensive rebounds, posted nine double-doubles last season.
Two Bearcats had impressive school debuts with senior post player Dwight Tolbert and junior point guard Corey Wright each having double-doubles. Tolbert had 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Wright added 15 points and 11 assists, including assists on four of Lander's five dunks.
Returning player senior Darion Canty was the Bearcats' fifth double-figure scorer with 10 points and added four assists. Tolbert also contributed five assists and three blocked shots.
Allen (3-4) had a pair of stars of its own with Richard Johnson scoring 35 points, making eight of 13 from 3-point range. He scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half.
Brandon Farmer added a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets, Kristofer Riggs scored nine points, and Alex Parks added seven points and 11 rebounds for the visitors from Columbia.
Lander made 37 of 79 shots from the floor (47 percent), 17 of 24 free throws (71 percent), and eight of 22 from 3-point range (36 percent). The Bearcats committed only 11 turnovers while forcing 21 Allen turnovers.
The Yellow Jackets made 29 of 74 shots (39 percent), 10 of 13 free throws (77 percent), and 12 of 23 from behind the arc (52 percent). Allen out-rebounded Lander 48-46.
Lander used a 12-2 run to take an early 17-8 lead. Pruett's second 3-pointer of the game started the run and Tolbert played a key role on both ends of the floor to keep the streak going. On Allen's ensuing possession after Pruett's 3, Tolbert blocked a shot, changed another shot and drew a foul to force a turnover.
After Kennedy made two free throws, Tolbert converted a three-point play to give the Bearcats eight unanswered points. After an Allen basket, Carrier scored twice inside to complete the 12-2 run.
But the Yellow Jackets responded with a 15-0 run over the next five minutes, taking a 23-18 lead at the midway point of the first half. Farmer's three-point play started the run that included 3-pointers by Riggs and Johnson.
Lander scored the game's next seven points to re-take the lead at 24-23. Wright keyed the run with two free throws and a layup, then found Pruett open in the left corner for a 3-pointer to give the Bearcats the lead with 8:58 left.
There would be two ties and three lead changes before Lander would take the lead for good on Pruett's fourth 3 of the game, making it 31-29 with 4:42 to go. What followed brought the crowd to its feet. Pruett stole the ball near mid-court, starting a fast-break that Kennedy finished with an emphatic dunk off a baseline pass by Wright.
That was a sign of things to come. With 2:50 to go, Wright slammed a one-handed tomahawk dunk off another pass from Wright for a 41-33 lead.
The Bearcats continued their strong finish to the first half. Wright kept the ball for himself this time, hitting a long 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key to make it 44-35 at the 1:55 mark. Kennedy converted a steal into another drunk with 45 seconds left, and Tolbert tipped in Pruett's missed 3-point attempt to close the first half scoring.
Lander closed the first half on a 17-6 run and led 48-35 at the break.
The Bearcats opened the second half with more flair, as Tolbert made a reverse dunk off a pass from Pruett. After a Yellow Jackets air ball, Pruett converted a fast-break layup off yet another Wright assist to make it 52-35 at the 18:32 mark.
Lander kept up the scoring pace with Tolbert converting a three-point play and Wright making a 3-pointer to make it 64-47 with 14:33 to go.
But the Bearcats weren't building much on their lead because Johnson was putting on a one-man show for Allen, scoring 10 points in the first six-plus minutes of the second half including a pair of 3s.
Patrick Powell came off the bench to provide a spark for Lander, scoring inside and also making a 3-pointer for a 75-56 lead at the 10:32 mark. After Farmer scored for the Yellow Jackets, Pruett's fifth 3 gave the Bearcats their first 20-point lead of the night, 78-58, with 10:07 to go.
But Johnson kept shooting and hit three more 3-pointers during an 11-0 run that pulled Allen within single digits, 78-69, with 6:50 left.
Dennis Rumph's two free throws ended the run, restoring Lander's lead into double figures again at 80-69 with 6:32 remaining. Tolbert scored inside, Canty made a driving layup off a steal, and Wright converted a steal into a three-point play for an 87-69 lead with 5:12 to go.
After Johnson ended the Bearcats' 9-0 run with his eighth 3 of the game, Rumph collected Lander fifth dunk of the night off a long pass from Wright, and Pruett added a long jumper to push the hosts over the 90-point mark at 91-75 with 4:25 left.
Canty became Lander's fifth double-figure scorer with 3:25 to go as the Bearcats continued to pull away. Cody Waterworth hit a pair of technical free throws with 46.7 seconds left to make it 99-78, but Lander's bid at 100 points fell short in the final seconds.
