Greensboro, NC -- Senior Jevon Clarke (Apex, NC/Southeast Raleigh) scored a game-high 20 points in Guilford's 83-69 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men's basketball win over visiting Roanoke Wednesday night. Clarke's third 20-point game of the season helped the Quakers (7-7, 3-4 ODAC) snap a two-game skid and end the Maroons' (8-4, 2-3 ODAC) three-game winning skein.
Guilford's defense contributed to a poor shooting night by Roanoke, a game after the Maroons posted their best field-goal percentage of the season. Roanoke connected only 37.1 percent of its shots, including eight of 31 first-half field-goal attempts. The Quakers did not shoot much better in the first half (35.1%), but outscored the guests, 20-6, in the paint and held a 32-36 halftime lead.
A Genaro Lawhorn (Greensboro, NC/Oak Ridge Military Academy) layup just over two minutes into the second half gave Guilford a 41-30 lead, but the Maroons rallied with a 13-3 run to pull within 44-43 with 12:37 remaining. The Quakers responded with a 16-5 run over the next 4:22 that included all three of senior Ron Bradford's (Eden, NC/Greensboro Day School) second-half three-pointers. Bradford netted 11 of his season-high 13 points in the second half. As Roanoke struggled to find its shot, the Quakers extended their lead to as many as 17 points and never let the Maroons within 10 points in the game's final 7:15.
Clarke, the Quakers' leading scorer, managed only two points in Guilford losses to nationally ranked Randolph-Macon and Virginia Wesleyan last weekend. The 6-4 forward slashed his way to the basket and sparked the Quakers' offense, especially his nine first-half points. Teammate Thomas Swindell (High Point, NC/Southwest Guilford) tallied his first double-double of the season and the third of his career with 14 points and a career- and game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Clarence Martin (Reidsville, NC/Reidsville) contributed 13 points (9 in the second half), four assists and two steals. Senior Josh Connor (Greensboro, NC/Northwest Guilford) had seven points, eight boards and three assists. Guilford outrebounded the ODAC's caroms leader, 48-40.
Roanoke sophomore NyJuan Hall (Alexandria, VA/Edison), who made three three-pointers, finished with 16 points and eight boards. The Maroons' Kevinn Hunter (Dale City, VA/Gar-Field) added 12 points on six-of-eight shooting and sophomore Jared Butler (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) finished with 11 points and five assists.
