Virginia Union Defeats Johnson C. Smith for CIAA men's championship
Virginia Union Defeats Johnson C. Smith for CIAA men's championship
March 4, 2006
CHARLOTTE – Johnson C. Smith pushed Virginia Union to the limit Saturday, but the Panthers showed their championship heart once again.
With the score tied and key players in foul trouble, the Panthers outlasted the Golden Bulls 71-64 to capture the CIAA men’s championship at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The Panthers (25-3 overall) clinched the title with a 13-6 run in the last three minutes.
The Panthers won their third straight championship and 17th title overall in 22 appearances including the last four title games. The Golden Bulls, making their first title appearance since 2002, dropped to 23-7 overall.
Many observers expected a blowout since Union won its first two tournament games easily. But the Golden Bulls, playing in their hometown, led 31-29 at halftime behind the scoring of All-CIAA players Charles Clark and John Fulton. The Golden Bulls held the Panthers to 32 percent shooting in the first half, but rebounding kept the Panthers close.
The score stayed tight in the second half, but Virginia Union ran into foul trouble as All-CIAA standouts Duan Crockett and Brad Byerson both picked up four fouls.
Neither player left the game but the Golden Bulls never capitalized. With the score tied 58-58 with 3:38 remaining, the Panthers came out of a media timeout and took control. A key basket was Darius Hargrove’s pull-up jumper that gave the Panthers a 67-62 lead with just under a minute left.
Hargrove, the CIAA player of the year, sparked the Panthers with 21 points and Crockett added 19. Byerson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds and Chris Greene added nine points and 11 rebounds.
Charles Clark, an All-CIAA player, led the Golden Bulls with 23 points followed by John Fulton, the CIAA defensive player of the year, with 18 points. Maurice Hooper added 10 points for Smith.
Rebounding keyed Union’s win as the Panthers grabbed 42 rebounds compared to 29 for Smith. The Panthers also bounced back from a poor shooting effort in the first half by shooting 64 percent in the second half. They finished the night shooting 47 percent and the Golden Bulls shot 40 percent.
Crockett was named MVP of the tournament and joined teammates Byerson, Hargrove and Greene on the All-Tournament team. Others on the squad include Smith’s Clark, Fulton and Hooper, Virginia State’s Mike Askew, Bowie State’s Kevin Bell and Elizabeth City State’s Maurice Wilkerson. Dave Robbins of Virginia Union was named the tournament’s outstanding coach.
Virginia Union is the first team to win three straight CIAA titles against three different teams.
