Royals Battle No. 18 Dalton State in Narrow Road Loss

Waleska, GA – The Johnson University men's basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 18-ranked Dalton State on Saturday afternoon, falling just short in an 80–73 battle at the Brown Athletic Center.

The Royals matched the Roadrunners nearly shot for shot, shooting 53.7% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, while also holding Dalton State to under 30% shooting from three. Despite a strong second-half effort, Johnson couldn't quite overcome a seven-point halftime deficit.

Junior guard Mateu Escamilla Martin led the Royals with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including two triples and five rebounds. Mason Lockhart and Caden Windle each added 11 points, with Lockhart also pulling down 6 rebounds and Windle going a perfect 2-for-2 from the line.

Off the bench, Garrison Eady and Livingston Cross provided a spark with 8 points apiece, while Ja'Kobe Strozier added 9 points and a block in a steady all-around performance.

As a team, the Royals totaled 27 rebounds and 14 assists, showing strong ball movement and balanced scoring against one of the NAIA's top-ranked squads.

"I'm proud of how our guys battled against a top team. We'll keep building from this." Head coach Logan Sharp.

Johnson (0–2) will look to build on the performance as they continue non-conference play next week.