The Georgia Gwinnett College men's basketball team scored eight of the game's final 12 points in picking up a hard-fought 76-72 victory over Milligan University (Tennessee) during Grizzlyfest in the Convocation Center on Saturday night.

Junior Devontre Chaney gave the hosts a 70-68 lead following a layup with just over three minutes left in the contest. He then made a pair of free throws to push the margin to four points, 72-68, at the 1:33 mark.

Later, senior Deonte' Martinez connected on a 15-foot jumper to give the Grizzlies (2-0) a 74-69 advantage with 15 seconds left.

Milligan (0-2) trimmed the deficit back to two points, at 74-72, following a 3-pointer by Elijay Bredwood with eight seconds remaining. However, freshman Mario Hill Jr. sealed the victory for GGC by making two free throw attempts in the final seconds.

"We went into an offensive set where we wasted some clock. I got to my (offensive) spot (on the court), where I like to shoot," said Martinez about his crucial bucket down the stretch.
The game featured three lead changes and four ties.

"We executed well down the stretch. We were prepared for different end-of-game scenarios. That was encouraging to see executing well in those situations. We need to keep building on each opportunity that presents itself this season," said Head Coach Chase Teichmann.

GGC built a 55-48 lead following a pair of free throws by senior Manny Montgomery at the 10:29 mark of the second half.

However, Milligan responded to even the contest at 59-59 after Bredwood made a jump shot with 6:36 left.

Earlier, GGC took a 25-16 lead after a 3-pointer from junior Jahiem Berry midway through the first half. He connected on a pair of 3-point field goals to open the second half, ending the contest with nine points.

Senior Drew Kramer led the Grizzlies with 14 points, while Martinez added 12 points along with having four rebounds and three assists. Chaney collected a double-double performance, with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Montgomery came off the bench to score 11 points.

The team outscored Milligan by a 23-12 margin from the free throw line and held a 41-32 rebounding edge.
 
Coach's Corner
"They (Milligan) play hard and are well coached. They play a style that's completely different than what we faced on Thursday (a 106-70 win over Spartanburg Methodist). This was a good game for us to see early on. Deonte' got to his midrange spot on the floor and we like for him to take those shots," said Head Coach Chase Teichmann
 
Turning Point
Senior Deonte' Martinez hit a 15-foot jumper from the right elbow to give the Grizzlies a 74-69 advantage with 15 seconds left in the contest. Freshman Mario Hill Jr. sealed the victory by making two free throws in the closing seconds.
 
Inside The Numbers

• The Grizzlies connected on nine 3-pointers in the contest
• GGC went 23-of-30 from the free throw on Saturday
• Senior Drew Kramer led the team's four double-figure scorers with 14 points
• The team outrebounded Milligan by a 41-32 margin

News & Notes

• GGC improved to 2-0 on the season; Milligan drops to 0-2 in 2025-26
• The Grizzlies received votes in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll
• The contest featured three lead changes and four ties
• Georgia Gwinnett College celebrated Grizzlyfest during Saturday's game

Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to travel to the College of Coastal Georgia on Tuesday, October 28, in Brunswick, Georgia, starting at 7 p.m.