Season Ends in Quarterfinal Exit as Calhoun Hands Lions 96-84 Defeat in ACCC Tournament

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A season of perseverance came to a close Sunday as the Wallace State Lions fell to the Calhoun Warhawks 96-84 in the quarterfinals of the Alabama Community College Conference Tournament at Talladega College. The loss ends the Lions' season at 15-17, as Calhoun's superior shooting efficiency proved to be an insurmountable obstacle throughout the contest.

From the opening tip, Calhoun controlled the pace, converting field goals at a 53.2% clip that kept Wallace State in a constant deficit. The Lions battled throughout, but a shooting night that produced just 38.9% from the floor — and 25.0% from beyond the arc on 9-of-36 attempts — made every Wallace State run short-lived against a Warhawk team that refused to cool off.

Kylen Clark was the Lions' best weapon all evening. The sophomore finished with a game-high 21 points on 54.5% shooting, repeatedly attacking the paint and converting when his team needed answers. Clark's ability to create off the dribble and manufacture baskets against a physical Calhoun defense was the brightest individual performance of the night, and he added five rebounds and two assists to his line.

Trey Knight provided consistent support alongside Clark, finishing with 17 points on 46.2% shooting to go along with six assists — the most on the team. Knight's playmaking and scoring kept Wallace State within striking distance during several key stretches, and his presence as a secondary creator gave the Lions legitimate offensive structure even as shots failed to fall elsewhere.

Viczavious Madden rounded out the Lions' primary contributors with 12 points, though he struggled to find his rhythm shooting 5-of-13 from the field. Madden did his work in other areas, pulling down three rebounds and chipping in defensively in a game that demanded consistent effort on both ends.

The rebounding battle told a significant part of the story. Calhoun out-rebounded Wallace State 38-31 overall, and its 12 offensive boards produced critical second-chance opportunities that extended Warhawk possessions at pivotal moments. Wallace State's Austin Davenport led the Lions with 12 rebounds — a remarkable individual effort — but the team could not collectively match Calhoun's physicality on the glass.

Turnovers added to the Lions' challenges. Wallace State's 11 giveaways were not overwhelming in volume, but allowed Calhoun to sustain the scoring runs that built the final margin. The Lions actually forced 17 Calhoun turnovers but were unable to consistently convert those opportunities into points — a missed chance that loomed large by the final buzzer.

Jaeden Rush contributed nine points and four assists off the bench while Sawyer Griffin added nine points on a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range, flashing the efficiency that eluded the team collectively throughout the afternoon.