Sherman-Newsome bags career-high 29 points in Colgate win
Photo by Mitchell Layton
Damon Sherman-Newsome of Anchorage didn’t disappoint.
The 6-foot-5 guard bagged eight of his career-high 29 points in the final 70 seconds to lead Colgate over Campbell 54-48 in North Carolina.
With his team trailing 46-45 in the closing moments, the senior cashed in on a three-point play and then sank four consecutive free throws to seal the deal.
“It felt great, especially since it helped us win and honestly I just was put in spots to succeed towards the end,” he told me.
Sherman-Newsome, of Bartlett High fame, sank 10-of-14 field goals, including 3-of-4 3s, and 6-of-7 foul shots. He also grabbed a season-high seven rebounds.
Through the first three games, he is averaging a career-high 19.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.
“We are thrilled with the way Damon’s been playing,” Colgate coach Matt Langel told reporters. “He’s been a consistent guy for us early on this year. You can see that he’s out-of-season preparation is really paying off. He’s worked hard to get where he is right now and is our first-ever ‘Ace of Spades’ award winner for his performance in today’s game.”
Sherman-Newsome nearly doubled his scoring average last season from the year before, bumping it from 6.1 to 11.3. This year he’s threatening to double up again.
He’s come a long way since coming to Colgate in 2012.
“I think I am a different player,” he said. “I don’t hesitate as much and I find myself in the right spots more often than not. The game has slowed down a lot for me.”
Sherman-Newsome has now scored double figures in six straight games dating back to last season and his career-high 29 helped him surpass the 600-point mark for his career in 66 games.