La Plata, MD – Gavin Jackson scored a team-high 17 points last Wednesday night as the Garrett College men's basketball team reached 20 wins for the first time since 2020 with an 82-66 win over host College of Southern Maryland.
The victory – combined with Frederick Community College's 72-71 upset of Chesapeake College on Saturday – vaulted the Lakers into the fourth seed in this week's NJCAA Division II Region 20 tournament. Garrett will take on fifth-seeded Potomac State College of West Virginia University (18-11 overall, 9-4 region) in Thursday's 2 p.m. quarterfinal at Howard Community College.
Garrett routed Potomac State, 86-58, at home, but had to erase an eight-point deficit in the final 2:30 to edge the Catamounts, 73-72, in Keyser while sweeping their regular-season series.
"Our region is so competitive – everybody can beat everybody else," said GC head coach Matt McCullough, who expects a down-to-the-wire game against Potomac State. "I feel like we're both playing the best basketball we've played all year."
Garrett concluded its 2024-25 regular season Sunday afternoon by thumping the Davis & Elkins College junior varsity, 90-53, as the Lakers (21-8 overall, 9-4 region) won their ninth straight.
McCullough said he had an inkling even before the season began that this year's squad could be special.
"I knew when we got everybody on campus and, after watching the first couple of weeks of preseason, that we had good athleticism, good length on the wings, and some solid returning experience," said GC's fourth-year head coach.
"My first few teams had one or two guys who were really talented," added McCullough. "We didn't have that so much this year. We had to rely on more of a team effort, both scoring and defensively.
"Everything we've done this year has been so team oriented," McCullough continued. "They play hard, have good chemistry together, and have bought into winning. We've gotten a lot better during the season."
Antonio Adams scored 11 points while Keyonta Johnson (six rebounds) and Kam Heathington (four rebounds, three assists) added 10 points each for the Lakers (20-8 overall, 9-4 Region 20). Stephen Robinson just missed double digits for GC with nine points, and Carmello Myles had 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals while scoring seven points.
Nasir Coleman (four points) registered a game-high seven assists for GC.
James Hans scored a game-high 18 points and fellow Hawk Isiah Alexander (six rebounds, two assists) added 16 points for CSM (2-27, 1-12).
Garrett had a slim, 35-32 halftime lead against the Hawks, but broke the game open with a 47-point second half.
"CSM hit some shots in the first half that were tough shots," said McCullough. "It's never easy regardless of who you're playing when you're on the road. We weren't shooting the ball well in the first half and weren't finishing plays.
"In the second half, they missed a couple more shots, and we made a couple more plays on the defensive end that led to baskets," added McCullough. "We gained control of the game about four or five minutes into the second half."
The Lakers finished with a 44-29 rebounding advantage while outshooting CSM from the field, 55.7 percent to 33.8 percent.
GC has qualified for the NJCAA Division II Region 20 tournament for the third time in McCullough's four years as head coach. All seven games of the three-day tournament will take place at Howard Community College, with four quarterfinals on Thursday, the two semifinals on Friday, and the title game on Saturday at 3 p.m.
GC 90, Davis & Elkins JV 53
Elkins, WV – Kam Heathington scored 28 points Sunday afternoon as the Lakers extended their winning streak to nine games.
Carmello Myles contributed a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds for Garrett, which exploded for 57 second-half points after taking a 33-29 advantage into the break.
