Kevon Harris becomes SFA’s all-time leading Division I scorer in win

Published 9:28 pm Wednesday, February 19, 2020

NACOGDOCHES — Senior Kevon Harris entered the school record books in leading the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks to their 10th straight Southland Conference victory Wednesday night.

Harris, the league’s Player of the Year favorite, scored 14 points to become the school’s all-time leading scorer in the Division I era in the Lumberjacks’ 83-68 decision over Central Arkansas at William R. Johnson Coliseum.

Harris surpassed former Lumberjack great Thomas Walkup as the all-time leading scorer in Division I games.

Harris was 7-of-7 from the free throw line and hit one 3-pointer, a deep shot just ahead of the buzzer ending the first half.

Post Gavin Kensmil added 14 points, and guard Roti Ware put in 12. Cameron Johnson, in his first season at SFA after transferring from Tyler JC, scored 10 points and added five rebounds.

SFA (23-3, 14-1) has a firm hold on first place in the league with five games remaining before the league tournament in Katy.

While the Lumberjacks have played solid basketball in getting in position to win the regular season title, it will take winning the post-season event to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

SFA’s impressive league run was on display against UCA (9-18, 8-8).

The Lumberjacks outscored UCA 35-17 in bench points and 26-19 on fast breaks.

SFA ran its offense and was effective at getting to the free throw line, going 24-of-28 from there.

UCA, a team with an abundance of height, didn’t utilize it. Instead, the Bears were intent on stationing shooters on the 3-point line throughout the game.

The Bears were 4-of-24 on 3-pointers and trailed by as many as 26 points in the second half before forcing some turnovers and making the score respectable near the end.

Rylan Bergersen led UCA with 19 points, and Jared Chatman put in 13. Eddy Kayouloud scored 12, and Deandre Jones had 10.

SFA defeated UCA by one point in Conway, Arkansas, earlier in league play.

But SFA’s physical play and UCA’s stance on trying to stay in the game on 3-point shooting led to a comfortable Lumberjack verdict.

SFA point guard John Comeaux was limited to a little more than eight minutes while battling an early injury.

He had just two points.

Largely because of Comeaux’s absence, SFA committed 26 turnovers, which helped UCA whittle a 26-point deficit to 13 in the late going.

The Lumberjacks led 42-22 at the break, the biggest cheer coming on Harris’ 25-foot three-pointer to end the half.

Although 3-of-7 from the field, the 6-6 guard scored enough points to put his name in the record book, his bucket in the second half that put him over the top of Walkup drawing a huge ovation from the crowd.

SFA plays Incarnate Word in San Antonio on Saturday.