The No. 18-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men's basketball team displayed resiliency and a staunch defensive intensity to pass its first major test of the 2026-27 season in an 81-71 come-from-behind victory over Reinhardt University (Georgia) before an enthusiastic Green Out night crowd Wednesday night in the Convocation Center.
The Grizzlies (3-0), playing without returning All-American
Devontre Chaney in the lineup, trailed for the first time this season at halftime, at 42-36, and was behind by as many as 13 points, at 57-44, for the first seven minutes of the second half.
But when the going got tough, sophomore
Patrick Johnson, senior
Jahiem Berry, freshman
Marc Chavenet, junior
Ray Rolley, and senior
Josh Ray came through in clutch situations down the stretch – finally taking a 67-66 lead with 5:57 remaining in the contest.
Ray started the dramatic comeback with a jump shot. Chavenet followed with a dunk after taking a taking the ball off a defensive rebound, Johnson had consecutive layups and a free throw while Berry contributed a key 3-point field goal.
Johnson ended up with 15 points in the second half while Berry added 12, with most coming during a stretch that helped the team pull away over the final four minutes. Meanwhile, Chavenet, Rolley and Ray made major contributions to the team's defense that had seven steals, forced 10 turnovers and held Reinhardt to 35.5 percent shooting over the last 20 minutes of the game.
Berry and Johnson both ended up with 25 points, while Rolley and Ray each added 10 points off the bench to give the Grizzlies four double-figure scorers. Johnson was a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor, all of them in the paint, and had nine rebounds. Ray also had nine rebounds. Berry and sophomore
Mario Hill Jr. had three steals apiece as the hosts forced 13 for the game.
Chance Wilson had a team-high 18 points to lead Reinhardt (0-1) while Jackson Sousa had 15 points, Jabari Hill added 13 points, and Arel James had 11 points.
Coach's Corner
"I would have loved to play like that (late second half stretch) sooner, but they (Reinhardt) played really well. I thought the crowd was unbelievable and had an impact on our ability to win the game. Marc played really well and his defensive impact and the way he carried himself on that end was contagious to our team," said Head Coach
Chase Teichmann.
Turning Point
GGC turned up the defensive intensity in the later stages of the contest, forcing four steals and several turnovers that turned into fastbreak baskets and open shots on the offensive end of the court. A 57-44 deficit with 12:49 left was cut to a one-point margin, at 66-65, following
Jahiem Berry's 3-point field goal with 6:31 remaining. The Grizzlies would go on to outscore Reinhardt 16-5 the rest of the way and pull away for their third straight homecourt victory.
Inside The Numbers
- GGC's defensive intensity forced 21 turnovers (10 in the second half) that were converted into 27 points in the game
- Sophomore Patrick Johnson was a perfect 9-for-9 shooting as part of a 25-point offensive effort
- The Grizzlies benefitted from 24 bench points, with junior Ray Rolley and senior Josh Ray each scoring 10 points and freshman Marc Chavenet having three steals
- The Grizzlies scored 38 of their 81 points in the paint
News & Notes
- Georgia Gwinnett improves to 3-0 on the new season; Reinhardt is 0-1 after playing in its season opener
- GGC was ranked No. 18 in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll
- GGC has won all three games in the series history against Reinhardt
- The Grizzlies have outrebounded each of their three opponents in games this season
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to complete its season-opening four-game home stand with a game against Montreat College (North Carolina) on Tuesday, November 3, in the Convocation Center, starting at 7 p.m.
