Angelina College's Roadrunners were all "Beep! Beep!" in the second half of Saturday's NJCAA men's basketball game in Lufkin, turning a two-point halftime deficit into an 81-66 win over Lamar State College Port Arthur.
The Seahawks were led in scoring by Lafayette, Louisiana, sophomore Devaughn Thomas with 17 points and Port Arthur sophomores Jamyus Jones and Darrell Jones each were credited with 16 points. It was Thomas' 25th double-figure scoring performance of the season.
The loss drops Lamar State to 7-9 in Region 14 play, 13-14 overall.
Angelina College improves to 13-2 in region, 18-8 overall.
"They showed why they're first in the South Division and second overall," Seahawks Coach Lance Madison said of the Roadrunners.
"Just because you're shot ain't falling, you can't put your head down."
Madison's team this season has struggled with its shooting accuracy. And while the Seahawks hit on 36 percent of their shots from the field – 24 of 66 – compared to Angelina's 50 percent – 29 of 58 -- the Roadrunners swept the backboards for a 49-27 rebounding advantage.
Neither the Seahawk defense forcing 21 Angelina College turnovers – the Roadrunners' most in any Region 14 game – nor a two-point, 31-29, halftime lead for LSCPA did little to slow down Angelina's booming second-half load of fireworks and anvils.
The Seahawks led 36-32 after Jamyus Jones opened the Seahawks' second-period scoring with a 3-pointer and a layup, both with assists from Thomas.
Angelina's response was a 20-1 run that took just five and a half minutes and left LSCPA trailing by the final margin of 15 points, 52-37, with 12:42 remaining.
While sophomore Travis Henson led Angelina College in scoring with 19 points and teammate Christyon Eugene yanked down 13 rebounds, J'Son Brooks added eight points to the Seahawk total and his teammates Kanntrell Burney and Darion Chatman scored five and four points, respectively.
Lamar State has an open date on Wednesday and returns to the hardwood at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, to host Lee College at the Carl Parker Center.
It is the first of three regular-season games remaining for the Seahawks, including Feb. 25 at Jacksonville College and Feb. 29 at home against Blinn College.
LSCPA probably needs to win out to claim one of the two South Zones byes for the first-round of the Region 14 tournament, which takes place March 5-9 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Blinn College is a half-game ahead of the Seahawks for second place in the South at 7-8 and Lee College is tied for third at 7-9.