VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team struggled shooting on Thursday evening in an 89-70 loss to Christian Brothers at The Complex.
The loss snapped VSU's five-game winning streak as the Blazers fell to 16-9 overall and 11-8 in Gulf South Conference play. CBU improved to 5-19 overall and 4-15 in league play. VSU shot just 39.7 percent for the game on 25 of 63 from the field, while it was 2 of 14 from distance and 18 of 21 from the line. The upset-minded Buccaneers shot 45.5 percent from the field on 35 of 77, while they were 9 of 22 from deep and 10 of 14 from the line. CBU held a 54-32 advantage in rebounding and 21-8 lead in offensive rebounds leading to a 17-4 advantage in second chance points.
The Blazers look to get back on track on Saturday at 4 p.m. for Senior Day versus Union. VSU will honor eight seniors playing in their final regular season game in a Blazer uniform prior to the game. The 2026 Blazer Senior Class includes;
Michael Batchelor,
Ethan Pires,
Tony Green Jr.,
Maalik Leitch,
Lucas Brown Jr.,
MJ Jones,
Peter McKey and
Drew Mills. VSU Athletics would like to wish each of these seniors the best in their future endeavors.
Mills finished with a game-high 28 points as the only Blazer in double figures on 10 of 7 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line. Junior
Blaise Wallace missed a double-double by one point with nine points and ten rebounds. CBU was led by 20 points from Iman Kheirati leading five players in double figures as he had a double-double with 12 rebounds.
Both teams came out of the gate cold with CBU making two free throws for a 2-0 lead, while VSU began the game 0 of 5 from the field through the first three minutes and change. CBU pushed the lead to 4-0 with its first field goal in eight attempts, while Mills earned the "and one" for a 4-3 score through the first media timeout. Both teams combined 2 of 15 from the field and 0 of 6 from distance. Leitch gave VSU its first lead of the game with a jumper at 5-4 with 14:54 remaining in the half and a 5-0 run.
A steal and emphatic dunk from junior
Samarion Bond pushed the VSU lead to 11-8 with 12:45 remaining in the half as the teams began to pick up the pace at both ends of the court and the teams combined for 13 fouls through the first 8:12 of the game. A 3-pointer by CBU's Caleb Gaitor gave the Bucs a 19-16 lead with 9:57 left in the first half and then he hit another triple off an offensive rebound for a 22-16 score with 8:45 to play in the half. Following a missed shot by the Blazers, CBU used an "and one" for a 25-16 lead with 8:25 to play in the half and a 9-0 run since the 10:48 mark.
Leitch pulled VSU back within six with the old fashion 3-point play for a 29-23 deficit and 6:30 to play in the half. CBU had been making a living on the offensive glass outrebounding VSU 14-2 on the offensive end and 11-0 in second chance points. CBU's Turner Duncan hit a 3-pointer for a 32-23 Buccaneer lead with 4:21 left in the first half. Senior
Lucas Brown Jr., hit a big triple for the Blazers, pulling them within 34-28 with three minutes remaining in the half and senior Pete McKey scored in transition for a 34-30 score, but Gaitor had the answer with his third 3-pointer of the half for a 37-32 score and two minutes remaining. CBU quickly pushed the lead back to nine with under a minute remaining in the half. The Bucs hit their fifth 3-pointer of the half for a 44-32 lead at the break.
For the half, VSU shot 35.5 percent on 11 of 31 from the field, while it was just 1 of 6 from deep and 9 of 11 from the line. Mills had a team-high 11 points as the only Blazer in double figures. CBU shot 39.5 percent from the field on 17 of 43, while it was 5 of 15 from distance and 5 of 7 from the line. The Bucs were led by 10 points off the bench from Turner. CBU held a staggering 33-16 advantage in rebounding and 15-4 on the offensive end leading to an 11-2 lead in second chance points.
Bond put down his second dunk of the game for the first points of the second half pulling VSU within 44-34. Kheirati hit a 3-pointer for a 49-34 lead with 17:45 to play, following a turnover on the Bucs after two free throws from Mills, Bond drained a triple for a 49-39 deficit with 17:30 to play. Mills scored inside, once again, pulling the Blazers within 49-41, but another offensive rebound and put back from CBU pushed the lead to 51-41. Mills continued to go to work and earned the "and one" pulling VSU within 53-48 with 14:30 to play. Kheirati hit another long one pushing the lead back to eight at 56-48. Another offensive rebound and score from Kheirati pushed the lead back to ten at 58-48.
VSU would cut the deficit to six, but CBU answered each time pushing the lead back to ten and held a 64-54 lead with ten minutes to play. CBU stretched the lead to 68-54 with 8:24 to play as the Blazers needed a timeout. Kheirati hit another 3-pointer and a bucket from Archer McManamin pushed the lead to 17 at 77-60 with 6:08 to play. Marquis Gill hit a 3-pointer for an 85-66 lead with 4:30 to play and the largest lead of the game for the Bucs.
