League-leading UNC Asheville gets 30 from Jones in topping CU men

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Jan 29, 2023 | Articles, Campbell, News & Features

Juan Reyna goes up to score under pressure for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — Tajion Jones tied his career high with 30 points to lead UNC Asheville to a 78-65 Big South Conference men’s basketball win over Campbell on Saturday at Gore Arena.

Drew Pember added 13 points and Caleb Burgess tallied 12 for the league-leading Bulldogs (17-6, 9-1), who pulled away late to stretch their winning streak to eight games.

Jay Pal and Ricky Clemons scored 15 points apiece, while Laurynas Vaistaras matched his career high with 13 for the Camels (9-13, 4-6), who trailed by just two (59-57) with 6:24 to play.

Burgess scored the first four points of a decisive 12-3 run and Pember’s lay-in extended the lead to 71-60 with 1:53 to play. Vaistaras nailed a three with 1:36 remaining to cut the margin to 71-63, but the Camels drew no closer.

Asheville finished the day 28 of 54 (.519) from the field, made eight of 18 threes (.444) and 14 of 18 (.778) from the line and outscored the Camels 22-4 in transition.

Jones knocked down 11 of 17 shots overall, 5 of 11 from 3-point range, grabbed seven rebounds and dealt three assists for Asheville, which led 37-28 at halftime. Pember, who scored a career-high 48 points in Wednesday’s overtime win against Presbyterian, made just three of six from the field while battling foul trouble and finished seven points below his league-leading scoring average (20.5).

Pal made six of 11 shots and grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds for the Camels, who finished 22 of 49 (.449) from the floor, eight of 24 (.333) beyond the arc, and made 13 of 18 (.722) free throws.

After Burgess gave Asheville a 39-28 lead early in the second half, the Camels reeled off a 12-3 burst and cut the margin to 42-40 on Juan Reyna’s fast break layup. The Camels trimmed Asheville’s lead to just two points on four more occasions, but could not get closer.

The Camels host USC Upstate on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report) Laurynas Vaistaras shoots from beyond the arc.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)[/caption]