‘Jacks Utilize Large Second Half Run for Road Win at East Texas A&M

Monday, December 29

Commerce, Texas

6:30 P.M.

Stephen F. Austin

10-2,3-0Southland

East Texas A&M

6-7,1-2Southland

SFA

East Texas A&M

Jerald Colonel, Eltramon Smith Jr. at ETAM (12-29-25)

Photo by: Erika Cruz

‘Jacks Utilize Large Second Half Run for Road Win at East Texas A&M

12/29/2025 8:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SFA improves to 3-0 in SLC play, reaches tenth win in December for first time since ’22-23

COMMERCE, Texas – Three Lumberjacks finished in double-figure scoring, two more corralled ten rebounds and Stephen F. Austin returned from a short Christmas hiatus with an impressive second-half effort, which included a 26-2 run over the game's final 9:56 of play, to dispatch East Texas A&M 75-48 in Southland Conference action on Monday night from inside The Field House.

Twice in the second half, the Lions (6-7, 1-2 SLC) produced back-to-back possessions with three-point makes to cut their deficit to just three, but the 'Jacks responded each time. Chrishawn Christmas muscled inside to push the SFA (10-2, 3-0 SLC) lead back to five points at the 16:51 mark. That bucket answered two ETAM trifectas in a span of 26 seconds the first of which opened scoring in the second half after both sides went scoreless over the first two minutes following the intermission.

The second instance cut a 45-36 SFA lead down to 45-42 at the 13:12 mark, before an and-1 finish from Gediminas Alisas put the advantage back to two possessions and spurred a 30-6 run by the 'Jacks, with a trio of threes from Narit Chotikavanic in the final four minutes, to close out the contest.

SFA utilized a 6-0 run over the final 71 seconds of the opening half to carry a 39-30 lead into the intermission. The 'Jacks made five of their last six shots before the break highlighted by a pair of Lateef Patrick trifectas; the second of which was made possible by a relentless defensive effort by Chotikavanic who found the floor twice on the same possession to force a turnover in the final fifty seconds. Jerald Colonel assisted on both Patrick makes including a hustle outlet pass moments after Chotikavanic's theft.

Leading 28-25 as the clock dipped under four minutes, Eltramon Smith manufactured a personal 7-0 stretch for the 'Jacks that was jumpstarted by a breakaway dunk off a steal from Keon Thompson, extended by stepping into a triple try and capped with a drive down a wide-open lane for an easy two off a helper from Thompson.

East Texas A&M's largest first-half run was eight points, but the host never led by more than two points prior to the intermission and cut the deficit to three points three times with the last instance coming 60 seconds after the under-12 stoppage in the second half.

POSTGAME NOTES

First half action featured five tied scores and ten lead changes
The win snapped a three-game losing streak to the Lions and marked SFA's first Division I win over ETAM
SFA held ETAM scoreless over the game's final 5:52
The 'Jacks produced a 26-2 run over the game's final ten minutes
Patrick led all scorers with 17 points on six makes half of which were from three
Thompson added 15 points, six assists and five rebounds
Chotikavanic scored a dozen points on four makes from range and added five rebounds
Christmas and Colonel each delivered ten boards with the former a point shy of his second double double of the season
SFA finished +14 in rebounding including +8 on the offensive glass
The 'Jacks went +13 in second chance points
SFA committed less than ten turnovers for the sixth time this season and for the fourth time in its last five games

UP NEXT
SFA looks to stage two of its four-game road trip as a New Year's Eve matchup at Northwestern State awaits the Lumberjacks. Last season's meetings saw each road team come away with a win in a pair of games decided by an average of 2.5 points. The 'Jacks have won five-straight across the Sabine. The action begins at 3:30 p.m. from inside Prather Coliseum. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com

#AxeEm x #WinTogether

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