Jets Take GCAA Title; Next Stop NJCAA National Tournament

The South Georgia State Jets captured the GCAA Region 17 Basketball Championship as Coach Chris Ballauer and his teamed punched their ticket to the NJCAA national tournament with an 87-84 overtime win over Georgia Highlands College.

SGTC started the GCAA Final Four with a semifinal win over South Georgia State 78-70 on Friday night and did everything in their power to give away a second half lead in the championship game. Leading the Chargers by 9 at half and 15 in the second half, the Jets survived with a win Saturday in spite of an 0-11 second half drought from the free throw line that would have easily sealed the game.

Tournament MVP Will Johnston led the Jets with 30 points and 8 rebounds. Jalen Reynolds contributed 17 points while GCAA Player of the Year Marvin McGhee had 15 and Malik Battle added 11 points. The Chargers were led by Julian Dozier's 23 points and Jayvis Harvey's 19 points.

"I am extremely proud of these guys and the hard work they have put into this season," said SGTC first-year head coach Chris Ballauer. "Every team in the country sets going to the national tournament as their goal at the beginning of the season with the knowledge that they must win their region/district to get there. These guys set the goal and accomplished it Saturday afternoon." And then Coach Ballauer added, "I will tell you this much, we will shoot a lot of free throws this coming week."

"I am excited for the opportunity to represent South Georgia Tech and the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association in the National Tournament," said Chris Ballauer. "But I am even more excited for these young men to get a chance to play on the biggest stage you can play on in Junior College. This is a life changing experience and I am so happy for them."

The Jets will leave this weekend for Hutchinson, Kansas with the number nineteen seed for the NJCAA tournament.