By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
Arthur Richardson stepped up. So did Jairus Jackson. So did Kedric Wilson.
In fact, everybody in a Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawks uniform who stepped on the floor contributed in Saturday's 70-62 home victory over the Gadsden State Cardinals.
"I thought they all played well," Warhawks coach Allen Gainer said.
The Warhawks (1-1) improved in just about every phase of the game after Tuesday's 80-63 season-opening loss to Pensacola Christian.
"One of the biggest differences is we just hit some shots," Gainer said. "We also did a good job on the defensive side. We made Gadsden State have to earn their points. We put Pensacola Christian on the foul line 36 times. Gadsden State went only 12. That's a big difference."
The Warhawks used a key 11-0 run midway through the second half to open some breathing room in what had been a nip and tuck game. Prior to that surge the biggest lead either team had was just four points and there had been six lead changes.
Those six lead swings all occurred in the first half. The Warhawks never trailed after John Madison's shot from the wing tied the game at 23-23 with seven minutes left in the half. Richardson hit a three-pointer and added a leaner from just inside the lane in the final minute that enabled the Warhawks to take a 34-32 halftime edge.
An offensive rebound basket by Keith Myers three minutes into the second half put JDCC up for good at 40-38.
That lead was just 42-41 when Richardson, who had 13 of his game high 23 points in the second half, drained a three-pointer.
Jackson had two key hoops, one of which was a three-pointer, in the key 11-0 run that boosted the Warhawks' advantage to 56-42 with 9:07 left.
"Jairus really came through for us. We moved him to point for a little while and that's not his true position. Those two shots he hit really turned things in our favor," Gainer said.
Gadsden State, which beat the Warhawks twice a year ago, got as close as 64-57 with 2:16 left, but two free throws by Richardson and back-to-back hoops by Wilson secured the victory.
After two games at home, JDCC will get its first road test of the season Saturday at Lawson State in Birmingham at 7 p.m.
At JDCC
Gadsden State 32 30 – 62
JDCC 34 36 – 70
GADSDEN STATE (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Sweatt 5-2-1-17; Ginn 2-2-0-10; Cross 5-0-0-10; Hicks 0-2-0-6; Hoxie 2-0-0-4; Wilson 1-0-2-4; Lowe 1-0-1-3; Lewis 0-1-0-3; DuPree 0-1-0-3; Murphy 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 16-8-6-62)
JDCC (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Richardson 3-3-8-23; Ford 6-0-0-12; Wilson 4-0-3-11; Madison 2-1-1-8; Jackson 1-1-1-6; Myers 3-0-0-6; Spann 1-0-0-2; McMullen 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 21-5-13-70)