COMMERCE – Near double-doubles from Clashon Gaffney and Demarcus Demonia capped off No. 21 Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team's comeback win over DBU at the Field House on Sunday afternoon. The Lions start 2-0 in Lone Star Conference for the first time in three years by downing the Patriots, 73-64.  
 
Gaffney (Clarksville) was scoreless in the first half but scored 12 in the second half to help the Lions overcome a halftime deficit of two points. A&M-Commerce shot 52.2 percent from the field and 4 for 9 from beyond-the-arc in the second stanza. Lions had 26 opportunities at the line in the second half, drawing 17 fouls, and knocked down 19 of them to move to 10-1 on the season.
 
The Patriots fell to the Lions in both meetings this season, they drop to 6-6 on the season. Sunday was their first conference game of the season. Across the LSC, the Lions are one of two teams that hold a 2-0 record after the first weekend of conference play.
 
A&M-Commerce fell behind 6-0 to start the game, not scoring a point for the first 4:21 of the game, and missing their first six shots. Back-to-back three pointers from Augustine Ene (Carrollton – Creekview) and Jairus Roberson (DeSoto) tied the game at six.  
 
For the second straight game, Ene led the team in scoring with 16 points. He also recorded four rebounds and an assist. Making his second consecutive start, Roberson tallied 15 points and four rebounds.
 
Rodney Brown (Beaumont – Westbrook) continued the Lions' barrage of three pointers and gave them their first lead of the game to cap off a 9-0 run. A three pointer by Ene increased the Lion lead to seven at the 7:17 mark, but it quickly vanished as the Patriots scored 10 of the next 12 points to take a 24-23 lead. Brown had two blocked shots as well as the made three pointer in the first half.
 
Julian Miranda scored all 11 of his points in the first half and gave the Patriots a 28-26 lead at halftime after knocking down his fifth and sixth free throw of the half with 45 seconds to go. Ricky Lujan had team-high 16 points and matched Miranda as well as Austin Garner with five rebounds.
 
Both teams shot below 35 percent in the first half. DBU, behind 10 fouls from A&M-Commerce, went 7 for 12 at the free throw line in the first half, while the Lions went 1 for 2.
 
Gaffney scored the first five points of the second half for either team to give the Lions a 31-28 lead. He had nine rebounds, four blocks, and two assists to go along with his 12 points.
 
The Lions did not trail after the 5-0 scoring run by Gaffney and took a 13-point lead at the 5:41 mark on a free throw by Roberson.
 
Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) totaled eight points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. After missing Friday's win over Midwestern State, Carson Tuttle returned to the court on Sunday and scored nine points off the bench, while also dishing out two assists, and grabbing three rebounds.
 
Also off the bench, Leo Lara (Santa Rosa) scored four points and grabbed four rebounds. Alex Peavy (San Antonio – Smithson Valley) knocked down a free throw and grabbed two rebounds. JJ Romer Rosario (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) made a three pointer.


POSTGAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
A&M-Commerce heads on the road for first trip of conference play at No. 3 West Texas A&M on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and at Cameron on Saturday at 4 p.m.