Preview: South Georgia State Hawks at Polk State Eagles

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking momentum will meet Saturday when the South Georgia State Hawks face the Polk State Eagles in the Polk State Classic.

The non-conference matchup pits struggling squads early in the season. The visiting Hawks enter at 2-5 overall, while the host Eagles sit at 1-3.

South Georgia State arrives with some confidence after a 94-84 home victory over Motlow State on Dec. 13, which snapped a two-game skid. The Hawks are led by guard Chandler Thomas, who is coming off a standout performance. In the win over Motlow State, Thomas played 38 minutes, scoring 20 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing eight assists. He also scored 22 points in a loss to Santa Fe the previous night.

Da’Avion Thomas added 18 points and Reggie White had nine points and seven rebounds in the Hawks’ most recent victory.

Polk State looks to halt a two-game losing streak after falling on the road to Northwest Florida State, 70-59, on Dec. 7. The Eagles were led in that contest by forward Ethan Simon, who posted eight points, eight rebounds and a block in a full 40 minutes of action. Simon will be a key player to watch for Polk State.

The Eagles’ lone win this season was an 89-63 victory at Wake Tech on Nov. 1. They also endured a high-scoring, double-overtime loss to USC Salkehatchie, 134-127, on Oct. 31.

Following this contest, South Georgia State will break for the holidays before opening a slate of Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association games in January. Polk State will have a quick turnaround, facing a difficult back-to-back at Northwest Florida State and Chipola to close December.

Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. EST tip-off at the Polk State Health Center in Winter Haven.