MELBOURNE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and missed opportunities, the Eastern Florida State Titans narrowly escaped with a 70-67 victory over the South Georgia Tech Jets in a men’s junior college basketball game on Saturday.

The contest was a tale of two halves, with the Jets building a significant lead in the first quarter only to see it evaporate under a relentless Titans comeback in the second.

South Georgia Tech came out with precision, executing its offense efficiently to build a nine-point lead after the first quarter, outscoring Eastern Florida State 38 to 29. The Jets’ early success, however, was not sustainable. The second quarter saw a dramatic reversal of fortune as the Titans clamped down defensively and found a rhythm, outscoring the Jets 41 to 29 to secure the three-point win.

The game was ultimately decided at the free-throw line and by ball security. Eastern Florida State capitalized on its trips to the charity stripe, making 17 of 25 attempts. South Georgia Tech, in stark contrast, struggled profoundly, converting only 11 of 24 free throws. The Jets also committed 15 turnovers, five more than the Titans’ 10, which proved costly in a tight game.

Sean Register Jr. was the catalyst for the Titans, delivering a dominant performance with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. He also added 4 assists and a block, anchoring his team on both ends of the floor. Lana Agbelese provided a crucial scoring punch off the bench with 15 points, while Djiby Ly chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds. Tyson Wilson facilitated the offense effectively, dishing out a team-high 7 assists.

For South Georgia Tech, Jalexs Ewing led all scorers with 22 points, but his efforts were hampered by the team’s collective free-throw woes. Clark Mastin added 13 points and Matt Mbole contributed 9 points and a team-high 8 rebounds in the losing effort.

Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with Eastern Florida State making just 3 of 24 attempts and South Georgia Tech only slightly better at 2 for 15. The Jets held a significant advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Titans 47 to 39, but it was not enough to overcome their offensive inefficiencies elsewhere.

The loss extends a difficult start to the season for South Georgia Tech, which falls to 1-6. The Jets have lost five straight since a season-opening overtime victory. Eastern Florida State improves to 5-1 with the win, continuing a strong opening to their campaign.

The two teams are scheduled for a quick rematch, with Eastern Florida State traveling to face South Georgia Tech next Saturday. According to Interstat’s ELO system, the Titans were projected with an 82.40 percent probability to win Saturday’s contest.