By: J.R. Tidwell

            The Bevill State Community College Bears dropped two games in the Pensacola (Florida) New Year’s Tournament on December 30 and 31. On the first night, the Bears were defeated by the Chipola College Indians 99-55. On night two, Bevill State lost to the Pensacola Junior College Pirates 88-74.

            In the first match against Chipola, Bevill State played well in the first period. At halftime, the Bears only trailed 48-37, an eleven point spread. However, the game quickly went in favor of the Indians. In the second half, Chipola more than doubled their score, putting up 51 points in twenty minutes, to the Bears 18. Bevill State could not match this offensive explosion, hitting only 38.3 percent of their shots. Multiple turnovers also did the Bears in, as they were bested by 44 points, the largest loss on the season.

            On the first night against the Indians, Erin Harris and Darren Sadler led the Bears on offense, with 17 points each. Harris added three rebounds and one assist, with Sadler totaling one rebound and two assists. Allen Rigsby contributed nine points and one rebound, with Pat Carr gaining six points and one rebound. McClain Burrough and Terry Randle added three points apiece as well, with Randle making one rebound and one assist.

Harris also led the Bears on defense, with six rebounds and one steal. Justin Clements picked up five rebounds and a steal, with Rigsby totaling four rebounds and one steal. Sadler and Carr had three rebounds each, with Sadler adding a steal. Burrough rounded out the defense on the night with two rebounds and one steal.

In the second game, the Bears picked up their play against Pensacola. Bevill State swapped buckets with the Pirates, and went into halftime down by ten. Both teams continued to score points in the second period, but the Bears could not outscore Pensacola, shooting 48.3 percent from the field. A lack of rebounding and multiple turnovers again contributed to Bevill State’s loss, as the Pirates ended the Bears’ tournament stay by defeating them by a 14 point margin.

Carr and Sadler led the offensive attack by Bevill State in game two. Carr had 24 points and three rebounds, with Sadler totaling 23 points and six assists. Ervin Herron also had double digits, scoring 13 points, one rebound, and one assist. Harris, Rigsby, and Clements also contributed to the Bears score, with seven, five, and two points respectively.

On defense, Sadler and Rigsby led the team, picking up four rebounds apiece, with Sadler adding two steals. Clements and Randle totaled three rebounds each, with Herron picking up two rebounds and three steals. Harris contributed one rebound, two steals, and three bocks, with Carr adding a rebound and one steal. Burrough rounded out the defense once again with three steals.

The Bevill State Bears (3-10) take on the Alabama Southern Eagles at home on January 5.