Brown, Ramirez Pace Statesmen in Conference Matchup

SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, VA — Richard Bland College men's basketball dropped a 56-66 decision to Gaston College on Saturday, February 14, after a strong first half was undone by a second-half surge from the visitors. The Statesmen held a narrow one-point advantage at the break before Gaston used a 39-point second half to pull away.

Richard Bland opened the game with solid defensive energy and efficient shooting, taking a 28-27 lead into halftime. The Statesmen were paced early by balanced scoring and strong rebounding presence, particularly on the defensive glass, limiting second-chance opportunities in the opening 20 minutes.

Doyle Brown led all Statesmen scorers with 24 points on an efficient 9-of-15 shooting performance, including four three-pointers. Andy Ramirez added 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double effort, while also connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. Aleksandar Bihler provided a spark in limited minutes, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe for eight points.

Jermaine Coston Jr. anchored the rebounding effort with a game-high 11 boards to go along with seven points, while Dove Fishburne contributed five assists and two steals defensively.

Richard Bland finished shooting 40.8% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range, but were limited to just four offensive rebounds. Gaston shot 44.8% from the field and held a significant advantage on the glass, which proved to be a key factor in the outcome.

Richard Bland Men's Basketball (7-10, 3-6) will next host Brunswick Community College on Wednesday, February 18^th in a 5pm conference matchup.

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