Bears Defeat FVSU, 93-61, in Exhibition Opener
11/4/2021 12:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Neftali Alvarez went 6 for 8 from the field.
MACON, Ga. – The third season of the Greg Gary era began with Mercer defeating the Fort Valley State University Wildcats, 93-61, and placing four players in double figures. Mercer got off to a fast start and took the lead early through the first half when Kamar Robertson and Jalen Johnson both knocked down momentum-swinging threes. The Bears played well into the first half and created a 30-17 score with 7:12 remaining and from there Mercer never left off the gas. Prior to the media intermission, Mercer created their 13 point lead when Greco let one fly from beyond the arc. The Bears held a 42-27 lead at the half, as the second half was truly highlighted and largely dominated by the home team as they pulled away to win by more than 32 points. Both Haase and Alvarez, with a combined total of 27 points and 13 boards, assisted the Bears in furthering their lead entering the second half. With nine assists and a few beneficial trips to the line, Felipe and Neftali were on both sides of the scoring and defensive end. Â
For the remainder of the contest, Mercer's lead hovered around the mid-20s, being spearheaded by a pair of points from the charity stripe by Haase. After that, our effectiveness from behind the arc is what first separated the Bears from the Wildcats. With threes being made by multiple players, Johnson, Robertson, and Greco it was hard to slow Mercer down. Paintwork done by sophomore Shannon Grant and junior James Glisson III is what gave Mercer complete leverage in tonight's matchup. Our range hurt FVSU, but adding our presence down low was what really secured the Bears' victory. In fact, the Bears' lead surpassed the 30-point mark with 6:25 remaining from a dunk by Shannon Grant. Grant also had an impressive outing and was 6 for 10 from the field with five rebounds to go along with it. It didn't seem to matter whether if it was from deep or within four feet tonight, the Bears had it covered. The Bears would ultimately win by 32, 93-61. Four players reached double-digits in scoring with Alvarez scoring 18, Grant (12), Robertson (13), and Johnson (11). Haase led the Bears with 5 assists. Alvarez shot an impressive 8-for-10 in his return to the floor, including a 2-for-2 tally from three-point range. FVSU was cooler from the floor, making only 23-of-47 attempts. For both the Bears and the visiting Wildcats, we will consider today's contest an exhibition. Nevertheless, Ty'reek Johnson and Davorian Rudolph each scored 10 while K.J. Docuet added 12 points for Fort Valley State University.
COACH GREG GARY QUOTES
ON THE GAME "Overall, I feel good after today's game. I think the best thing we did was share the ball amongst one another. We tallied 20 assists on the day as a team, so that's always good to be able to pass and share the basketball while taking care of possession." "We were not selfish tonight and I was proud to see my guys look out for one another and distribute to the open man." ON FORT VALLEY STATE'S APPROACH "Their defense was good. They made it hard for us down low and thankfully are guys were still able to get around them. They also got their hands up when they needed to and pressured us early and that's what we told our guys was going to happen. They played well tonight and I tip my hat to a hard-fought game." ON DEPTH "I'm really excited about seeing more from Shannon Grant. He's got great size and hands, so I'm trying my best to implement him more into our offense and I'm excited to see what he can produce with potentially more experience and minutes." ON WHAT TO WORK ON "We have to improve on the defensive end. We need to be able to limit the other team's time in the paint and just be more physical to stop them the best we can. On top of that, just crashing the boards on both sides of the ball and forcing more contested shots." NOTABLESÂ
- Another season-opening win for the Bears in the Gary era.Â
- This meeting between the Bears and Wildcats was their twelfth overall meeting. Mercer now holds an 11-1 advantage in the series.Â
- Johnson scored 12 points, had two assists, and was also effective on the glass in his debut for the Orange & Black.Â
- In addition to Johnson, three other players made their Mercer debuts. Drake, Jones, and Walker Jr each played in a Mercer uniform for the first time.Â
- A duo of players – Shannon and Alvarez– each made eight shots from the floor.Â
- There was a large difference in three-point shooting between the two teams. Mercer limited FVSU to 3-of-15 from beyond the arc, while attempting 29 of our own and making 13.Â
- Depth was evident for the Bears as every player saw the court in tonight's victory.Â
UP NEXT The Bears will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas on Tuesday the 9th for a 7 p.m. contest against the Razorbacks in Bud Walton Arena. Fans wishing to tune in on the radio can listen live on the Mercer Sports Network (100.9 The Creek and SportsMic) with the Voice of the Bears, Rick Cameron, on the call.Â
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