By Chris Gay
Staff Writer - Augusta Chronicle
This isn't how Buck Harris wanted to coach his first collegiate
basketball game. But when Augusta State head coach Gary Tuell was
forced to undergo an emergency appendectomy Friday night, Harris
was pressed into service.
And the Jaguars gave him win No. 1.
Festus Hawkins scored a game-high 24 points with 11 rebounds, and
Augusta State knocked off Columbus State 74-57 for a Peach Belt
Conference win at the ASU Athletic Complex on Saturday.
``It's good to be in a position that when he steps out, he's got
enough confidence in me to do the job for him,'' said Harris, a
six-year Jaguar assistant coach. ``When I saw him in the hospital,
he said that he would not want anybody coaching the team rather
than me.''
In the women's game, No. 5 Columbus State's full-court press forced
Augusta State to commit 39 turnovers as the Lady Cougars defeated
the Lady Jaguars 101-56.
After practice Friday, Tuell wasn't feeling well and went to a
local hospital. Doctors removed his appendix, and the Augusta State
coach is supposed to leave the hospital today. However, he most
likely will not coach the team at USC Spartanburg on Monday.
``Buck has good coaching experience from just being under coach
Tuell,'' junior guard Jayme Johnson said. ``We knew we had to play
well because (Tuell's) still going to watch the film. The film
doesn't lie. So you still have to play hard.''
The Jaguars (7-3, 2-0 Peach Belt) showed patience on offense, and
the team picked up 20 assists. Augusta State shot 46 percent from
the floor and had the game in control for the final 30 minutes.
Augusta State trailed 14-13 in the first half until its Australian
connection made a flurry of threes. Gary Boodnikoff, Russell Hinder
and Chris Harriman all knocked down 3-pointers during an 11-0 run
as the Jaguars jumped out to a 24-14 lead.
``We knew that we needed a little run and that we'd have them,''
said Hinder, who scored 13 points and added 10 boards. ``Last game,
we let Clayton State back in the game. Tonight, we were able to
hold the lead.''
Holding a 37-26 halftime lead, the Jaguars opened the second half
with seven straight points. Columbus State (7-4, 1-1) shot 31
percent from the floor and closed the gap to 53-41 with 9:40
remaining.
Augusta's defense, though, kept the Cougars at bay from 3-point
range (9-of-30). The Jaguars out-rebounded Columbus State 46-39,
and they eventually built their second-half lead to 20.
Meanwhile, it was a homecoming of sorts for a pair of Lady Cougars.
Former Laney star Kinesha Harden led Columbus State (11-0, 2-0)
with a game-high 24 points, while former Josey star Kellie Holland
added two.
While the Lady Jaguars (7-4, 1-1) kept giving the ball away,
Augusta State didn't help its cause in the rebounding department.
Augusta State was out-rebounded 52-34 and allowed 29 Cougar
offensive boards.
``For me, we did kind of do what I wanted to do, and it didn't
matter,'' Lady Jaguar coach Greg Wilson said. ``When you stack your
lineup with Division I athletes, that's the way it should've been.
Until we get that kind of personnel, we can't compete with
that.''
Abby Boone hit a 3-pointer from the right corner to give Columbus
State a 38-21 first-half lead. But Faith Nixon made four straight
free throws during an 8-2 Lady Jaguar run as Augusta trimmed the
lead to 11 with 2:16 left before halftime.
However, Harden scored four points as Columbus closed the half on
an 11-0 run to take a 51-29 halftime lead. The Lady Cougars opened
the second half with seven straight points and went up 58-29.