Claflin Women Advance to Quarterfinal in First-Ever CIAA Tournament

Charlotte, NC – The Claflin women’s basketball team made a grand entrance into its first-ever Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament, knocking off Chowan University, 69-65, Tuesday (Feb. 26) at Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte, NC.  The Lady Panthers advances to the quarterfinal round to face Fayetteville State University which claimed the Southern Division regular season title with an 11-1 conference record, on Wednesday (Feb. 27) at 2:20 p.m.

Tuesday’s game was historic in a couple of ways, not only was it the first appearance for Claflin, who improves to 15-13 on the season, but it was also the final time that Chowan (13-15) will be competing in the CIAA Tournament as they will be exiting the conference for Conference Carolinas.

Claflin finished the game with three players in double-figures led by Dashia Jackson, who was named the Food Most Valuable Player of the Game, tying a game-high with 23 points.  Deja Dickens dropped in 17 while Ashley Fields, the 2019 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, added 14 in the win.

Fields also pulled in a team-high eight rebounds for the Lady Panthers

Mariah Coker scored 23 points while Danielle Weldon and Kaylah Henderson scored 10 points apiece for Chowan in the loss.

Brianna Copeland pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for the Hawks, who out-rebounded Claflin 49-32.

Despite falling down early to Chowan with the Hawks opening the game on a 7-2 run in the first two minutes, Claflin remained poised using a 7-2 run of their own over the next two minutes to tie the game 9-all.  Jackson hit a layup at the 5:27 mark to give Claflin its first lead of the game.

Claflin owned a 20-13 lead after one but Chowan’s stifling defense along with its hot shooting in the second quarter allowed the Hawks to cut the lead to two, 22-20, in the first two-plus minutes of the quarter.

“We knew Chowan was going to be tough and that we were very even as far as our playing style”, head coach Revonda Whitely said.  “We knew it was going to be about who wanted it the most, who was the toughest team on the floor, so we decided we would be the tougher team today.”

Claflin toughness was on display over the second half of the second quarter, as the Lady Panthers pushed its lead to 13, 35-22, with 3:50 remaining.  The Hawks pulled within seven, 37-30, before Claflin took a nine-point lead into the half (39-30).

The teams exchanged baskets over the first three-plus minutes of the third quarter before Chowan’s game came to life.

After Claflin pushed its lead to 11 (48-37) with 5:36 remaining and the Hawk gained the momentum in the contest.

Chowan scored the next 13-of-15 points to pull the game even at 50-50 with 58 seconds remaining. Fields hit a layup with two seconds left in the quarter to give the Lady Panthers the 52-50 lead heading into the last stanza.

“My whole motivation going into the game was that I didn’t want it to be my last game playing for Claflin so I just executed the game-plan that coach laid out for us,” said Fields.

The final stanza saw Chowan hit the first basket to tie the game only to have Claflin reel off the next five to take the lead for good at 57-52 with 8:09 remaining in the game.

The Lady Panthers would push their lead to seven, 65-58, before taking the four point victory.

Story by: Claflin Athletics