Jarvis Christian rallies past XU men in HBCU Classic
December 31, 2008

Box score

     DALLAS — Mitchell Johnson scored 21 points Wednesday for Jarvis Christian, and the Bulldogs rallied in the second half for a 68-58 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the HBCU Classic.
     Jarvis Christian (8-2) outscored the Gold Rush 43-28 after trailing 30-25 at halftime.
     Shaun Dumas scored a season-high 22 points for Xavier (8-4), and freshman Cordell Hadnot scored 10 for his second straight game in double figures. Kelechi Okoroha grabbed seven rebounds.
     David Green scored 13 points and Edward Brooks 10 for Jarvis Christian, which was 2-0 in the event and extended its winning streak to a season-high four games.
     "We played a good first half. We defended and didn't turn the ball over," Xavier coach Dannton Jackson said. "But Jarvis Christian took it to us in the second half, and we didn't respond. For the game they scored 15 second-chance points and 17 points off turnovers, and that was the difference."
     Jarvis Christian shot 52 percent from the floor, and Xavier shot 51 percent. The Bulldogs committed 12 turnovers and gained 21.
     The Bulldogs tied the series at two victories apiece in the teams' first meeting since the 1997-98 season.
     The loss was the fourth in six games for Xavier, which will open its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference schedule Jan. 8 at LSU-Shreveport, the GCAC's defending regular-season and tournament champion. Jarvis Christian will visit Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. Saturday in an exhibition for the Bulldogs and a countable game for SFA.