DENMARK, S.C. (Nov. 7, 2026) – Behind a game-high 27 points from
Ry'Darius Hill and a dominant second-half performance, the Voorhees University men's basketball team rallied to defeat Columbia College, 87-77, Saturday afternoon at the Leonard E. Dawson Health and Human Resources Center.
The Tigers (4-1) overcame a one-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Koalas 50-39 in the second half to secure their fourth victory of the season under head coach Derrick Mitchell.
Hill led the charge for Voorhees, finishing with 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting while adding eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. The standout performance included 23 second-half points as Hill helped turn the momentum in favor of the Tigers.
Jermarquis Johnson contributed 15 points, connecting on two three-pointers, while
Syris Williams provided a spark off the bench with 13 points and five rebounds.
Timothy Smith added
12 points and three rebounds, while
Shannon Jones directed the offense with a team-high six assists.
First Half: Tigers Battle Back
Voorhees opened the contest with energy, jumping out to a 9-2 advantage in the opening minutes. However, Columbia College responded with a strong offensive stretch, eventually building an eight-point lead midway through the half.
Trailing 24-16 with under nine minutes remaining, the Tigers began chipping away at the deficit behind contributions from Johnson, Smith and Williams.
Johnson helped fuel the comeback, scoring 12 first-half points, including a three-pointer with 1:35 remaining that tied the contest at 37.
Columbia College converted a late free throw to take a narrow 38-37 advantage into the locker room.
Second Half: Hill Takes Over
Columbia College opened the second half aggressively, extending its lead to 47-39 with just over 16 minutes remaining.
The Tigers responded behind Hill, who took control offensively and helped Voorhees erase the deficit.
Hill scored 11 points during a pivotal stretch before Jones knocked down a three-pointer with 11:57 remaining to give Voorhees a 53-51 lead.
Williams followed with another three-pointer, and Hill added a basket inside to push the Tigers' advantage to 60-52.
Columbia College continued to battle, cutting the deficit to one point on multiple occasions. However, Voorhees answered each challenge with timely baskets and strong execution down the stretch.
A three-pointer from Smith with 5:08 remaining extended the Tigers' lead to 73-69, while Williams connected from beyond the arc at the 4:05 mark to make it 76-71.
Johnson later converted a three-point play with 2:14 remaining, giving Voorhees a 79-74 advantage.
The Tigers closed out the contest at the free-throw line, completing the 87-77 victory.
By the Numbers
Voorhees shot 47.1 percent (32-of-68) from the field, including nine three-pointers, while connecting on 87.5 percent (14-of-16) of its free throws.
The Tigers held a commanding 33-21 advantage on the glass, including 17 offensive rebounds that resulted in 21 second-chance points.
Voorhees also distributed 20 assists and received 27 points from its bench.
Columbia College (3-3) shot 55.8 percent from the floor and was led by Chandler O'Bannon with 20 points, followed by Zach Smith with 19.
Despite Columbia's efficient shooting, Voorhees capitalized on its rebounding advantage and second-half offensive production to secure the win.
Looking Ahead
With the victory, Voorhees improves to 4-1 on the season as the Tigers continue building momentum during the early portion of their 2026-27 campaign.
