The Coastal Georgia Mariners couldn't overcome a slow start in a 72-60 road loss to Warner on Saturday afternoon in Lake Wales, Florida, as the Royals controlled the game from start to finish.
Warner jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, building advantages as large as 15 points in the first half before taking a 39-27 lead into the break. The Mariners fought back in the second half, cutting the deficit to seven points on multiple occasions, but could never get over the hump as Warner's free-throw shooting down the stretch sealed the victory.
Derrick "Mannie" Harris led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-point range. Harris was aggressive throughout the game, also converting 3-of-7 free throws while adding seven rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes of action. His offensive output kept the Mariners within striking distance, particularly in the second half when he scored 11 points.
Kaden McArthur provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting performance. McArthur also converted 3-of-4 free throws and grabbed three rebounds while dishing out four assists in 28 minutes. His scoring was especially important in the second half, where he scored eight points and helped fuel the Mariners' comeback attempts. McArthur was particularly effective in the final minutes, scoring multiple layups to keep the game from getting completely out of hand.
Aamir Mack contributed seven points on 3-of-6 shooting, adding six rebounds in 25 minutes of action. Mack was held scoreless in the first half but came alive after the break, scoring all seven of his points in the second period on aggressive drives to the basket.
Alexandre Zambonetti added five points off the bench on 2-of-5 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three-point range. Preston Crisp struggled with his shot, finishing with just five points on 2-of-11 shooting and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. Despite his shooting woes, Crisp contributed five rebounds in 29 minutes.
Jeremiah Camara provided solid minutes off the bench with four points on perfect 2-of-2 shooting, while Braden Wood added four points, four rebounds, and three turnovers. Thaddeus Burns finished with just two points on 1-of-4 shooting but contributed five assists and two rebounds.
The Mariners struggled significantly from three-point range, converting just 6-of-26 attempts (23.1 percent) for the game. The second half was particularly rough, as Coastal Georgia made only 2-of-15 three-point attempts while shooting 42.9 percent overall from the field. The team's 50 percent free-throw shooting (10-of-20) also proved costly in a 12-point game.
Warner was led by Bryson Castillo's 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three-point range. Castillo was a constant threat throughout the game, scoring 12 points in each half while grabbing eight rebounds. Marcel Pace added 20 points, hitting 10-of-13 free throws, while Jamal Norris contributed 12 points.
The Royals dominated at the free-throw line, converting an impressive 22-of-27 attempts (81.5 percent) compared to the Mariners' struggles from the charity stripe. Warner's ability to get to the line and convert was a major factor, particularly in the second half when they made 15-of-19 free throws to maintain their lead.
Warner also held a slight rebounding edge at 36-31 and converted the Mariners' 11 turnovers into eight points while committing only 13 turnovers themselves. The Royals' balanced attack and defensive pressure prevented Coastal Georgia from ever establishing consistent offensive rhythm.
The loss drops Coastal Georgia's record to 8-13 overall and 2-7 in conference play
