LOCAL SPORTS BRIEFS: Ex-Herald Player of the Year Bryant tearing it up at Mississippi State; Andrew women win season opener; ASU volleyball sweeps Clark Atlanta

STARKVILLE, Miss. — For a 6-foot-3 guard, Mississippi State’s Brian Bryant has some hops.

Bryant, a former Dougherty star and two-time Albany Herald Player of the Year (2006-07, 2007-08) jammed home a couple of ram-rattling dunks and added three 3-point baskets en route to a game-high 21 points as the Bulldogs raced past Florida Tech, 97-63, in a an exhibition game played over the weekend.

“Brian Bryant — taking him off the point has changed his game. We started off real tight. We had a particularly good offense. First half we were real uptight, but by the second half we loosened up,” MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. “It was a good start overall.”

The Bulldogs pulled down 54 rebounds, shot 51 percent from the floor and blew open a once-tight game to win the first of two exhibition games scheduled for the season. A 27-13 run to open the second half allowed the hosts to build on a shaky 40-33 halftime advantage, thanks largely to Bryant’s hot hand.

Bryant, a senior who is expected to start at shooting guard this year for the Bulldogs, played sparingly for MSU last year, seeing action in 31 games, while starting just nine. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, and his season-high was 22 points in an early season win against Nicholls State, while also grabbing a team-high seven rebounds in that game.

The Bulldogs close exhibition play with a 7 p.m. Friday matchup with NAIA foe Pikeville College.

ANDREW WOMEN’S HOOPS HOLDS OFF BREWTON PARKER IN SEASON OPENER: Led by 27 points from Jabreal Alford and 12 from Ashley Reece, the Andrew College women’s basketball program started its 2011-12 season off right Tuesday with a 69-60 win against Brewton-Parker’s JV squad.

“It sure felt pretty good,” Andrew head coach Mike Riffe said. “It got kind of ugly toward the end with a lot of fouls — they went to the free throw line 39 times, while we went 26 — but we were happy to get the win,”

Andrew was barely ahead at halftime, 31-26, but the Lady Tigers outscored Brewton, 38-34 the rest of the way to open their season on the right note.

Riffe said he has a good feeling about the year with seven returning sophomores, plus Andrew pulled off a big upset in the preseason against Division II Albany State, winning in Cuthbert, 68-64.

“That was nice for us,” Riffe said, before adding with a laugh, “especially because they’ve thumped us pretty good (in previous meetings) over the years.”

Andrew returns to action Thursday at Gordon College.

ASU VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS CLARK ATLANTA: The Lady Rams beat SIAC foe Clark Atlanta on Tuesday at home, 25-12, 25-14, 25-21, to move to 14-11 overall.

Sabrina Garcia led the way with 12 kills, while Charme Ridley had a team-high eight digs and Mikala Floneoy recorded four aces.

ASU, which will host the annual SIAC Tournament next week, now gets set for a showdown Friday against rival Fort Valley State one day before the schools’ football teams meet in the Fountain City Classic in Columbus.