Silliman rolls at home behind Sones' 19 points

Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas

The Silliman Wildcats started fast and finished fast in a 62-38 home win over Columbia last night in Clinton. The Wildcats improved to 2-6 behind 6’7” center Riley Sones who had a game high 19 points on the night.

Columbia would grab their only lead of the night on a Brooks Robinson lay-in less than two minutes into the game to go up 2-0 but Silliman fired off 12 straight points as all five starters contributed in helping to build a 12-2 lead with 2:53 remaining in the opening quarter of play.

(Above) Silliman's Riley Sones (#32) had a game high 19 points

After Columbia’s Alex Price drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to halt the Silliman run the Wildcats reeled off three consecutive baskets to end the quarter with an 18-5 cushion.

Blake Dunaway’s offensive rebound and put back got Columbia to within eleven at 18-7 to start the second quarter but that would be as close as the Cougars would get the rest of the way as Silliman exploded. Wildcat junior Peyton Moody knocked down two straight 3-pointers from the wing to push the Silliman lead to 24-7 at the 4:20 mark of the second quarter. Colt Ducote followed with a backcourt steal and lay-in and Riley Sones sank a floater in the lane to cap a 10-0 run and give Silliman a 28-7 lead with 3:44 left in the half.

(Above) Colt Ducote (#11) of Silliman goes airborne

The Wildcats finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a commanding 39-12 lead into intermission. “We did some full court pressing and trapping in an effort to create an up tempo game. This is how we played last season and we’re getting back to it,” said Silliman head coach John Varnado. “We’ve had a slow start to the season and some of that is due to our murderous schedule with the likes of road games at Trinity, Brookhaven and Presbyterian but with some injuries and other matters out of the way we feel good going forward.”

Columbia managed to outscore Silliman 14-8 in the third quarter highlighted by a 7-2 run during the last 1:56 of the period but the Cougars still faced a 47-26 deficit heading into the final quarter of play.
Silliman maintained no less than a 21 point lead the entire fourth quarter en-route to the 62-38 win.

“Early on Columbia appeared to be in a diamond and one on our big guy,” said Varnado. “We have pretty good perimeter shooters and they have to make shots when we face gimmick defenses that try and shut Riley Sones down.”

(Above) JQ Austin (#2) of Silliman powers in for a basket 

Sones led Silliman with 19 points, Austin Gayle and Peyton Moody added 9 each, Colt Ducote 7, Lance Dautel 6, JQ Austin 4, Josh DeLee 3, Wesley Hoover and Thomas Miles 2 apiece and Aaron Arnoild with 1.

Next up for Silliman is a road trip Thursday night to Woodville to take on WCCA.

Alex Price led Columbia (6-7) with 16 points, Brooks Robinson added 6, Logan Cooke, Kalin McKenzie and Blake Dunaway 4 apiece, PJ Hammond, Justin Magee and Jonah Wood each had 2.

Columbia will host Presbyterian this Saturday.