Royals Edged Late in Road Battle at Bryan

The Johnson Royals came up just short on Saturday night, falling 65–64 on the road at Bryan in a tight contest that came down to the final possessions.

The Royals controlled much of the first half, building a 30–22 lead behind strong play on the glass and balanced scoring. Johnson continued to hold momentum early in the second half, but Bryan surged late with a 43-point period to steal the one-point win.

Davon Cottle led all scorers with 20 points, knocking down three triples and going 5-of-6 at the line. Mason Lockhart anchored the interior with a dominant double-double, posting 9 points and 14 rebounds. Garrison Eady added 13 points, while Livingston Cross chipped in 10 points and 9 rebounds. Ja'Kobe Strozier stuffed the stat sheet with 7 assists and 7 boards.

Johnson outrebounded Bryan 41–30 and shot 80 percent from the free-throw line, but the Lions countered with efficient second-half offense, shooting 47 percent from the floor and 44 percent from deep for the game.

Despite the narrow defeat, the Royals showed resilience on the road and will look to bounce back quickly.

Johnson will look to regroup quickly as they hit the road again on December 10 for a conference matchup at Bluefield.