Eagles cruise past Jeff Davis for ninth win

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (November 26, 2014) – FCSAA No. 1 Tallahassee Community College raced out to a 27-point halftime lead over Jefferson Davis (Ala.) Community College and was never threatened, defeating the Warhawks 79-52 in its opening game of the Capital Courtyard Classic. 

Tallahassee is now 9-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season, which also matches the best start under head coach Eddie Barnes. The last time the Eagles opened the season with ten straight wins was 2000-01 when they eventually started 24-0. 

Jeff Davis took advantage of a slow start by Tallahassee and led 6-3 four minutes into the game, but a 13-0 run, capped by Dirk Williams' three-pointer, gave the Eagles a 13-6 lead at the 12:45 mark. 

Later in the half, Tallahassee scored 12 unanswered points. Williams knocked down two more three-pointers during the run and Bryan Robinson finished it off with a thunderous two-handed slam to push the Eagles' lead to 28-9 with 9:20 left in the half. 

Tallahassee gradually extended its lead to as many as 29 before the break. Nick Joseph scored underneath to give the Eagles a 47-18 lead in the closing seconds of the half and the lead was 47-20 at the intermission. 

Jeff Davis played the Eagles to a 32-all tie in the second half, limiting Tallahassee to 37.1 percent (13-of-35) shooting, down from 51.4 percent (18-of-35) in the first half. 

Tallahassee scored the first seven points of the second half to extend its lead to 54-20, but Jeff Davis outscored the Eagles 30-14 over the next 13-plus minutes to get the deficit down to 18 (68-50). 

Elmo Stephen scored 14 points and Jahvaughn Powell matched the point total in a reserve role to lead the Eagles' offensively. Powell also had three rebounds, four assists and two steals. 

Rysheed Corbin and Williams added 11 points each. Stavian Allen narrowly missed a double-double, scoring nine points and pulling down eight rebounds. 

Aitor Breton scored nine points and pulled down six rebounds while Robinson had six points and nine rebounds. 

Behind Williams, Powell, Breton and Robinson, Tallahassee's reserves enjoyed a 42-14 advantage over their Jeff Davis counterparts. 

The Eagles will put their perfect record on the line at 4:30 p.m. Thursday against NJCAA No. 11 Southwest Tennessee Community College, who lost for the first time on Wednesday, 83-77 to Northwest Florida State College. 

Capital Courtyard Classic – Day 2

Central Florida 72, Southern Union 43 (women)
Chipola 70, Walters State 39 (women)
Tallahassee 65, Daytona State 54 (women)
Northwest Florida State 83, Southwest Tennessee 77 (men)
Tallahassee 79, Jeff Davis 52 (men)

Tallahassee Community College would like to thank the Leon County Tourist Development Council, the Capital Courtyard by Marriott and Chick-fil-A West Tennessee Street for their support of the Capital Courtyard Classic.