FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team used a strong second half to slip North Georgia College and State University 59-56 in a Peach Belt Conference contest Feb. 16.

The Falcons (15-8 overall, 8-6 in Peach Belt Conference) were led by junior Antoine Davis, who scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Davis also chipped in three steals.

Junior Jervan Jackson chipped in nine points. Junior Ryan Westbrooks added eight points.

The Falcons hit 41.7 percent of their shots from the field and shot 75 percent from the free-throw line, which was the second highest percentage this season.

The Falcons led by as many as five points early in the game before the Saints came back and took a 19-18 lead at the 5:25 mark in the first half.

North Georgia led by as many as eight points down the stretch in the opening period, as a jump shot gave the Saints their largest lead of the half at 30-22 with just six seconds remaining. North Georgia carried a seven-point lead into the break at halftime.

The Saints hit the opening shot of the second half to take a nine-point lead, but the Falcons responded during the next seven minutes by slowly cutting into the lead. Montevallo eventually pulled in front on a layup from Westbrooks at the 12:06 mark, which gave the Falcons a 40-39 edge.

Montevallo stretched the lead to five points midway through the second half, but the Saints hit a 3-pointer with 7:40 left to make it a 46-46 game.

The lead continued to change hands in the final minutes before a pair of free throws by junior Tyrone Gordon at the charity stripe broke a deadlock and gave Montevallo a 55-53 lead with 1:20 remaining.

North Georgia had the final possession trailing by three points. A 3-pointer by North Georgia at the buzzer was wide of the mark, sealing the Falcons’ victory.