Wallace State’s basketball teams have seasons end in ACCC Tournament title game

View more pictures from the women’s game | https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallacestate/albums/72177720297141469

View more pictures from the men’s game | https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallacestate/albums/72177720297139952

HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State’s basketball teams had their seasons end Friday night in the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Tournament championship games held at Shelton State’s Umphrey Center.

The Lady Lions lost to No. 2 Shelton State (87-47), and the Wallace State men fell to the Bucs, 89-67, snapping a seven-game winning streak.

Both Wallace State teams were in the title game simultaneously for the first time since the 2011-2012 season.

Wallace State men

Wallace State’s men finished the campaign with a 28-5 record, matching the most wins for the program since the 2013-2014 season.

In coach Allen Sharpe’s second season in his second stint with the Lions, he reached the 400-win career mark early in November, improving the team from an 11-12 record last season.

Wallace State was first as a team nationally in 3-point percentage (41.7 percent), and ninth nationally in 3-point shots made. The Lions were also among the top 30 teams in the nation defensively.

Wallace State’s Kuran Garner and Jaylen Lemons were each named to the ACCC 1^st-team All-Region 22 team, and Garner, Lemons and Nathan Moore were each named to the ACCC All-Tournament team.

Garner, a sophomore from Buckhorn High, surpassed the 1,000-point mark in his Wallace State career and was among the top guards in the conference, averaging 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Lemons, a Cincinnati native, led the NJCAA ranks with 181 3-pointers made and was Wallace State’s top-leading scorer (18.1 ppg).

In Friday’s title game, Garner led Wallace State with 18 points, while Lemons had 14 points. Bruce Guy scored 11 points off the bench for the Lions.

Shelton State put together a 22-11 advantage halfway through the first half and maintained as much as a 25-point cushion before intermission. The Bucs led 46-30 at the break.

Wallace State’s men’s program made the ACCC title game for the first time since the 2013-2014 season.

Wallace State women

The Lady Lions late season-surge ended on Friday after keeping pace with the second-ranked Lady Bucs in the first half.

Wallace State trailed 36-33 at halftime. Shelton State limited the Lady Lions to six points in the third quarter to pull away.

Wallace State’s campaign ends at 18-12. The Lady Lions had reeled off six straight victories before Friday, reaching the ACCC Tournament title game for the second time in three seasons.

“Our team showed incredible toughness from late November to the postseason. They’ve been willing to fight through multiple challenges. Our women showed up every single day, willing to scratch and claw. I’m very proud we were able to play for a championship,” said Wallace State coach Jessica McBrayer. “We defended well in the first half and tried to make Shelton State uncomfortable. We made things a little chaotic. We ran out of gas in the second half, and it got away. The effort was there; Shelton State is No. 2 for a reason.”

McBrayer secured her 100^th career victory at Wallace State during Tuesday’s quarterfinal win against Wallace Community College-Selma.

Wallace State’s Destiny Garrett was named an ACCC 2^nd-team All-Region selection and to the ACCC All-North 1^st team. Garrett led Wallace State in scoring this season, also pouring in a team-high 11 points on Friday. She was also second on the team in rebounding.

Payton Golden was an ACCC All-North 2^nd-team selection. Golden, a Fairview native, averaged 10.5 points this season.

Garrett, Golden and Tamia Yancey were ACCC All-Tournament selections.

It was the final Wallace State game for Golden, Gloria Pounders and Jordan Parker.

For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.

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