VALDOSTA –– The Valdosta State men’s basketball team asserted its dominance over the cellar-dwelling Shorter Hawks on Saturday.

The No. 21-ranked Blazers (14-4, 7-3 Gulf South Conference) shot just 3-of-16 from beyond the arc, but dominated inside with 64 points in the paint, 22 second chance points and attempted 25 free throws (making 18) in a 93-82 victory. 

Though the Hawks (2-15, 0-9) shot the ball well from long range (10-of-24), they were out-rebounded 38-30 and scored just 30 points in the paint.

The Blazers made a concerted effort to get the ball inside whether it was the attacking of Keshawn Ingram and Desmond DeRamus from the perimeter or the aggression around the basket by big men Darrell Jones and Bryce Smith. The Blazers shot 57 percent from the floor and blocked a season-high eight shots in the win.

“We kind of slowed it down and just kind of played in the half court, went inside,” Blazers coach Mike Helfer said. “We did not shoot it well from the 3-point line, but again, you’ve just got to find ways to win those games. Everybody knows, that’s kind of the way tournament basketball is. You’ve got to be able to win on nights you don’t shoot it well –– we were able to do that (Saturday).”

BIGS BALLIN’

Since moving into the starting lineup six games ago, Blazers center Bryce Smith is averaging 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting an absurd 72.7 percent from the floor. With his 14-point, 10-rebound effort Saturday, the 6-foot-9 Smith has two straight double-doubles and three in six games as a starter.

Jones, who started the first 12 games for the Blazers, had 10 double-figure scoring games in his first 12 games. Prior to Saturday, Jones had seemingly lost his way after being moved to the bench –– having scored no more than nine points in five games, including a scoreless, 3-minute outing against Mississippi College on Jan. 10. His rebounding numbers also took a hit with the move. After averaging a team-best 7.4 rebounds over his first 12 games, Jones averaged just 2.0 rebounds over a five-game stretch.

Jones broke out in a major way against the Hawks, pouring in a career-high 22 points along with eight rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.

“Coach wanted me to keep playing hard,” Jones said. “He was calling my number in the half court so we really slowed it down and he was just giving me a chance to show what I can do tonight.”

Helfer added, “I think he sensed that we were not shooting the ball well and we had to have some success inside. I think that’s what drove his motivation to go ahead and be a force inside and I think he did that. Maybe we weren’t utilizing him as much as when he was in the starting lineup. (Saturday) though, it kind of lent itself that we were gonna go inside –– whether it was Bryce or Darrell and both had good games. It was just what he needed and that’s how we used him tonight.”

UNCLE KE’S HOPS

DeRamus has made a name for himself as the Blazers’ resident high-flyer this season. Fellow graduate transfer Keshawn Ingram, affectionately referred to as Uncle Ke by teammate Goree Venable, is decidedly more ground-bound than the bouncy DeRamus. In fact, most nights, Ingram limits his dunk attempts to pregame warmups.

However, on two consecutive possessions, Ingram got out ahead of the defense in transition and soared for a two-hand slam followed by a one-hand tomahawk for his first in-game dunks of the season –– earning chest bumps from Venable and DeRamus as well as bringing the VSU bench and The Complex to its feet.

“When somebody like Keshawn dunks, it just gets everybody going,” Jones said of his teammate. “It turns everybody up and gets us going as a team.”

Even Helfer was fired up to see Ingram fly.

“It excited everybody –– it excited me a little bit,” Helfer said smiling. “I know Keshawn can dunk but he’s not a big-time dunker and he dunked back-to-back possessions. I thought that really gave our guys a boost and during the timeout, they all went out there and basically mauled him. … Keshawn’s a great kid, he’ll jumpstart (games). He just wants to win.”

NOTHING PERSONAL

Helfer moved senior starter Winston Morgan to the bench along with junior Clay Guillozet, replacing them with DeRamus and big man Greg Zuppas. The sudden switch certainly offered a new look for the Blazers, who have been searching for energy and toughness during a recent two-game swoon.

Morgan had three points and two assists in a season-low 17 minutes while Guillozet added eight points, five assists and a team-high tying two blocks in 24 minutes. While Guillozet came off the bench much of last season before becoming a starter, Morgan had started 48 consecutive games for the Blazers prior to Saturday.

“It’s different,” Morgan said. “I’ve been starting for two years so it was a little different for me, but I’m gonna do everything to help the team. I’m just happy that we got the win tonight honestly. … Coach mentioned it (leading up to the game) and he made the change and we had to just go forward with it. Obviously it was a little different for me and I was a little shocked but I’m just for the team. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m gonna do it and if it’s coming off the bench, shooting, passing the ball or if it’s starting and scoring 20, it doesn’t matter –– I’m ready.”

Helfer said of his senior point guard: “Winston’s such a great kid. He’s not gonna take it personally. We have really good people in our locker room and at times, I’d almost like them to be more feisty. But, it’s not going to affect Winston. I don’t think it’ll affect any of our guys as long as we find a way to win games.”

JUST WIN, BABY

Playing at home against overmatched Shorter, many fans expected the Blazers to deliver a statement with a blowout win. Without their 3-point accuracy to take them there, the Blazers used their size and depth advantage over the Hawks to put together a sound victory without making too many waves. The Hawks, who have lost 12 straight games, stayed competitive throughout and pulled within three points of the Blazers late in the second half.

Having lost their previous two games, the Blazers applied pressure and kept their proverbial boot on the Hawks’ neck long enough to secure the victory.

“They were good,” Morgan said of the Hawks. “The GSC is tough, it doesn’t matter what team it is. It could be the last team in the conference or the top team in the conference –– it’s gonna be a game regardless. You can’t be a good team in this conference if you’re not playing (hard). We weren’t surprised at it at all, they made a lot of great shots but we had to just dig in. It wasn’t about blowing them out, it was just, ‘We’ve got to get the win.’ We wanted to get the win, we were two games down so this was a good building block for us.”

UP NEXT

Valdosta State goes on the road to face Montevallo Thursday night (8:30 p.m. ET) before wrapping up the two-game road trip Saturday at Auburn Montgomery (5 p.m. ET).