As day four of the CIAA tournament ends, the field has shrunk significantly, and we are now one round away from crowning conference champions.
Here is a recap of all the happenings on the four days of the tournament.
Women
Claflin 71, Shaw 45; Game MVP: Claflin G Nya Morris
The Claflin Panthers made a statement in their tournament opener, blowing past the Shaw Bears for a 61-41 victory.
Nya Morris set the tone for the Panthers, putting up 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting, ten rebounds, three assists, and four steals.
Ashari Lewis scored 15 points, while Leigha Harris had 13 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.
Alexis Radcliff was Shaw’s top scorer with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Elisha Quinn chipped in 11 points c, connecting on three three-pointers.
From the opening whistle, this game was all Claflin getting out at a fast start, building a double-digit lead in the opening quarter.
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Morris nearly outscored the Bears by herself in the opening quarter, putting up 11 points.
The Panthers never let up executing at a high level on the defensive end, coming up with 22 Shaw turnovers and converting them to 28 points.
Virginia State 51, Johnson C. Smith 42; Game MVP: Virginia State G Mihjae Hayes
Trailing entering the fourth quarter, the Virginia State Trojans put together a monster run to eke out a 51-42 win over the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls.
Michael Hayes compiled 21 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Amesha Miller followed with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Kels Carmon scored 13 points for the Golden Bulls, while Ashlei Kirven recorded her second straight-double with 10 points and 18 rebounds alone and steals.
After a close first half, in which Virginia State ended with a 28-23 lead, Johnson C. Smith turned the tables in the third quarter outs, coring the Trojans 20-6.
The fourth quarter, however, was the exact opposite, with the Trojans outscoring the Golden Bulls 22-4 for the win.
Virginia State’s ability to convert off Johnson C. Smith’s turnovers was the key to victory. They scored 30 points off 28 Johnson C. Smith turnovers compared to the Golden Bulls, earning just 10 points off 21 Trojan turnovers.
Men
Claflin 47, Virginia State 35; Game MVP: Claflin G Jailen Williams
Following their lady counterparts’ footsteps, the Claflin Panthers moved themselves one step closer to the championship game following a win over the Virginia State Trojans.
Jailen Williams produced a game-high 23 points for the Panthers, cashing in on 110 12 free throw attempts. DaiJohn Stewart came off the bench to put in 10 points.
Kendall Bynum was Virginia State’s top scorer with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Jonathan Norfleet put together 11 points and four steals.
After trailing briefly in the game’s opening minutes, Claflin went on a 23-8 run that would give them the lead for the remainder of the game.
However, the Trojans did not go down without a fight, leading back from a peak 14-point deficit in the second half to as low as three points in the final minute.
Virginia Union 61, Bluefield State 55; Game MVP: Virginia Union F Jonathan King
The Virginia Union Panthers, the final team to open up its CIAA tournament run, outlasted the scrappy Bluefield State Big Blue Winni, ng 61-55.
Jonathan King and Tahj Harding each scored 15 points in the game, with the former adding seven rebounds and three steals to his totals. Jonathan Salazar contributed 12 points and nine rebounds.
Ja’Mere Redus scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Big Blue, while Travon Cooper posted 17 points and six rebounds.
It was a rough shooting night for Bluefield State star Jordan Hinds, who scored 13 points on just 4-of-4 of 15tshootingsugh, though he did record seven rebounds and two steals.
King and Harding shouldered the scoring load for the Panthers in the first half, combining for 22 of their team’s 32 points. They catalyzed a 22-11 start in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Bluefield State quickly recovered, going on a 13-4 run before eventually grabbing the lead.
Unfortunately, turnovers in inopportune times down the stretch spelled disaster for Bluefield State. Eight of their 12 turnovers came in the second-half lead, leading to 12 points for Virginia Union.
