• By SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 9, 2010 - Page: 1C

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JACKSON, Miss.—Garrison Johnson managed only nine points Monday night, the first time in 13 games the Jackson State guard has failed to score in double digits.

But he had help below.

A trio of JSU big men — 6-foot-10 Gertavian Blake, 6-10 Raymond Gregory and 6-9 Oliver Jefferson — notched career highs in the scoring column as JSU handed Southern a 63-53 setback at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.

“It was tough for us around the basket,” Southern coach Rob Spivery said. “Maybe we could have done a little better job defending, but I thought their big guys were really good. They surprised me.”

They seemingly surprised everyone.

Perimeter players such as Johnson, the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s reigning player of the week, are the big reason JSU (12-11, 10-1) has won six straight to build a cushion atop the conference standings.

Entering play Monday, the Tigers led the SWAC in 3-point field goal percentage.

But the crowd of 1,425 that watched JSU get to double-figure wins in the SWAC saw unusual suspects Blake, Gregory and Jefferson fill the arena with spin moves and inside buckets.

Blake started the night averaging 2.1 points. He scored a career-high 10 against SU, throwing in three blocked shots for good measure.

Gregory came in averaging 2.5 points. He scored 11, also a career high.

Jefferson, with 0.9 scoring average, finished with six points. Another career high.

“We’re trying to develop our post guys,” JSU coach Tevester Anderson said. “The perimeter guys are playing well right now. We’ve got to have our post guys come in and be productive for us.”

Rattling off the trio’s scoring totals, Anderson said he got what he wanted.