Blue Dragons use big game off bench from Jayden Garrison in beating Connors State

By Colton Fast
Staff writer

In addition to Angelo Stuart and Kaimen Lennox leading the scoring, Hutchinson Community College freshman guard Jayden Garrison has come off the bench time and time again to provide scrappy energy, as well as a scoring punch.

Garrison tallied 12 points on 5 for 7 shooting Monday, including going 2 for 3 from 3-point range, as the Blue Dragons came from behind to beat Connors State 101-98 in overtime in the first round of the NJCAA Division 1 National Championships at the Sports Arena.

Garrison’s impact was especially magnified as Nate Goodlow suffered cramping problems late in the second half and in overtime. The Little River native finished with 12 points, four rebounds and took an offensive charge during a pivotal second-half swing.

“It’s a team sport. You got to be ready when your time comes, so you’ve just gotta make the best of it and have fun with it,” Garrison said when asked about how he’s able to impact the game with the short burst minutes that he’s given.

For coach Tommy DeSalme, it has to be nice to have a player that always provides 100 percent effort, no matter what the role, especially in such a high-tempo style.

With HutchCC’s next game against a tough Chipola team Wednesday, having the bench players step up is going to be a major factor for the Blue Dragons.

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