The Georgia Gwinnett College men's basketball tipped off its inaugural season in a big way, surpassing the century mark while connecting on 14 3-pointers in a 106-70 victory over Spartanburg Methodist College (South Carolina) in front of an enthusiastic Convocation Center crowd on Thursday evening.

Senior Drew Kramer made six 3-point field goals to collect 18 first-half points as the hosts built a commanding 54-24 halftime advantage. Junior Devontre Chaney recorded a triple-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

"The energy surrounding the game was unreal. The guys on the bench brought the energy. I just try to do whatever I can to help the team win. If that means scoring or get the ball to our shooters, so be it," said Chaney.

A jumper by senior Stephon Martin at 12:21 mark of the first half gave the Grizzlies (1-0) a quick 19-8 advantage in the team's inaugural game.

GGC used another scoring burst, this one by a 20-2 margin, over a seven-minute span midway through the first half to grab a 39-16 lead. A 3-pointer from Kramer was followed by a two-handed dunk from senior Ezzy Dawson Jr. during the surge. Chaney added a fastbreak layup to give GGC a 33-14 lead with 6:38 remaining in the first half.

"You can't make any run without defense. We talk all the time about defensive stops turning into offensive scores, because if you get those stops it becomes easier to score in transition. And, obviously, the crowd played a huge role in the scoring run," said Head Coach Chase Teichmann.

Kramer connected on his fifth and final 3-pointer of the game in the final minute of the opening 20-minute stanza. The forward scored the first points in program history with a 3-point field goal on the Grizzlies' opening possession.

The hot shooting carried over into the second half, with the team making 60.7 percent of its shots, including five of seven 3-pointers.

"Devontre is a stat sheet stuffer. He is unselfish and the guys like playing with him. He competes very hard," said Teichmann.

The Grizzlies placed four players in double figures with senior Manny Montgomery adding 12 points and freshman Amari Morgan chipping in 10 points in reserve roles. Juniors Brasen James and Jahiem Berry collected nine points and freshmen Patrick Johnson and Mario Hill Jr. each scored eight points in their collegiate debut.
 
Coach's Corner
"It was an amazing game and day for our team and program. I'm proud of how our guys played. The game climaxed everything that we've been building as a college, athletic department and team. Once you got to the arena you could feel the building buzzing with excitement during the women's game. It was a surreal experience," said Head Coach Chase Teichmann.
 
Turning Point
GGC broke the program's inaugural game open with a 20-2 offensive run over a seven-minute span in the middle portion of the first half. The team made 14 3-pointers in the contest, with nine coming in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Senior Drew Kramer led the charge with six 3-pointers as the hosts built a 30-point halftime advantage.
 
Inside The Numbers

• GGC shot 54.4 percent from the floor, including 60.7 percent during the second half
• The Grizzlies registered 54 points off the bench in the season opener
• Junior Devontre Chaney scored 15 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out 10 assists on Thursday
• The team had 22 assists on 37 made field goals

News & Notes

• GGC won the 2025-26 season opener; Spartanburg Methodist stands 0-1 after dropping its season opener
• The Grizzlies received votes in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• Eight players tallied eight or more points in Thursday's inaugural contest
• The team scored 106 points in the first game in program history

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Milligan University (Tennessee) during Grizzlyfest on Saturday, October 25, at the Convocation Center, starting at 7:30 p.m.