In front of a lively crowd of 2,000 Columbia County fifth-graders on Education Day, the Augusta University Jaguars powered past the USC Beaufort Sand Sharks for a 105-96 victory Wednesday, Dec. 18, at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

The win marked Augusta's first Peach Belt Conference triumph of the season and extended their winning streak to six games. It was fueled by Demetri Gardner's 27 points and a dominant performance from Max Amadasun.

The Jaguars faced a tough test in the first half against the Sand Sharks' aggressive full-court, zone-trap defense, a tactic USCB (0-1, 8-2) has employed all season. When Augusta (1-0, 6-4) broke through the traps, the Jaguars converted high-percentage shots and earned trips to the free-throw line.

"We designed to look sideline and then to the middle against their pressure all day," said AU Coach Dip Metress. "We took four 3-pointers, and they took 39. We wanted to attack the rim."

Early in the half, Chaeavon Torrance ignited the crowd with a powerful dunk while picking up a blocking foul as a Sand Shark defender attempted to draw a charge.

However, Augusta struggled when the trap disrupted their rhythm, resulting in turnovers and poor shot selection at time. USCB recorded five steals, most from intercepted passes, and forced Augusta into rushed attempts as the shot clock wound down.

Despite the challenges, the Jaguars shot 54.3 percent from the field in the first half and converted 16 of 18 free throws. Max Amadasun, who was named Peach Belt Conference player of the week prior to the game, showcased his dominance with 11 points and 12 rebounds by halftime, marking his fourth double-double of the season.

Gardner led all scorers with 14 points at the break, while Amadasun and Evan Joyner each added 11. Augusta carried a 54-45 lead into halftime, their largest of the first half.

The festive atmosphere provided by the Education Day crowd seemed to energize the Jaguars as they opened the second half with a focus on 3-point shooting. Gardner connected on the first shot of the half, extending Augusta's lead to 57-45. The team continued to exploit the Sand Sharks' trap, highlighted by another thunderous dunk from Torrance off a two-on-one fast break with TJ Baker.

As the game's pace accelerated, Augusta thrived, scoring efficiently with quick mid-range jumpers and dunks to push their lead to 16 points. The Sand Sharks struggled to keep up, often settling for low-percentage shots.

Despite their difficulties, USCB mounted a late comeback, cutting the Jaguars' lead to just five points with 3:10 remaining. The Sand Sharks dominated the boards in the second half, out rebounding Augusta 21-16, which fueled their rally. Most of those rebounds came on long misses off 3-point attempts.

Augusta held firm in the closing minutes, preventing USCB from getting any closer. The Jaguars secured the nine-point win in a high-scoring affair that showcased their offensive firepower and resilience.

Gardner led all scorers with 27 points, while Amadasun contributed 19 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Guard John St. Germain III, driving the ball to the basket relentlessly all day, and Joyner each added 18 points.

USCB was led by Nolan Paladugu, who scored 18 points, with five other players contributing double-digit performances.

The Jaguars shot 56.5 percent overall, 50 percent on 3-point attempts and 82 percent from the line. That was the recipe for success against the Sand Sharks, who were 12 of 39 on 3-point tries (31 percent).

The Jaguars will travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to face Converse University on Saturday, Dec. 21, with a 4 p.m. tap. After the holiday break, they'll return to Peach Belt play on Jan. 4 against Columbus State at Christenberry.

As for the six-game winning streak, Metress put his finger on a few factors in this stretch.

"First of all, we are getting healthy, and then we are limiting our turnovers and making free throws (better than 75 percent for the season now)," the AU coach said. "We also are moving the ball side to side better."

By Jaxon Garner | Bell RInger
Contact Jaxon Garner at jaxgarner@augusta.edu.