Men’s Basketball: Payton Scores 14 as Reach USA Falls For First Time

KAIXIAN, China – After losing large leads enroute to a 0-3-1 record in the first four games, Athletas de Lithuania finally made a large lead stand, jumping out to a 15-point advantage in the third quarter before running away with a 101-74 decision over Reach USA in the fifth of six exhibition games during a cultural exchange to the Far East.

 

Western Kentucky’s T.J. Price led Reach USA with 18 points while Elfrid Payton added 14 points and nine rebounds.  WKU’s George Fant has 12 points and eight rebounds while Marshall’s D.J. Johnson added 11 points and six rebounds. 

 

 “I think we were just a little tire tonight,” Payton said.  “We’ve played five days in a row and even though we aren’t practicing much, we still only have nine players and the fatigue is showing.  I think we were a step behind all night long.”

 

Trailing by 15 in the third quarter, Reach USA trimmed the lead to nine but could get no closer as the squad could not get its shots to fall down the stretch.

 

In five games, Payton leads Reach USA averaging 20.0 points and 5.2 assists per game.  He is also averaging 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals, shooting .506 from the field (43-85) and .667 from the line (14-21). 

 

Reach USA plays a final exhibition game against Lithuania on Sunday before playing a pair of mid-week games against Chinese opponents.

 

 

 

 

Brian McCann

Sports Information Director

University of Louisiana

201 Reinhardt Drive

Lafayette, LA  70506-4297

Office:  (337) 482-6331

Cell:  (216) 798-6376