Clark Atlanta found a way to escape another close contest against a solid LeMoyne-Owen Men’s Basketball team this season. The Panthers defeated the Magicians in both of their season match-ups by two points. Clark Atlanta beat the Magicians 59-54 in the SIAC Championship Semi-Finals game.
The match up last night between these two teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s Basketball Championship tournament would be no different. Clark Atlanta held a three-point lead with four minutes left in the second half, leaving the door open for the Magicians to inch closer to tying or taking the lead in the game. Both teams went scoreless for several minutes at critical times in the game due to missed shots and turnovers. Clark Atlanta had 21, and the Magicians had 24 turnovers for the game.
The Panthers led 55-51 late in the second half when Khraye Cayne fouled Magician Joshua Whitehurst, shooting a three-pointer. Whitehurst made one out of three free throws, cutting the Panthers’ lead to four points. The Panthers found a way to get the ball to Camarion Johnson in the paint to increase their lead to six points. Jaden Martin scored 11 points and 8 rebounds in the game.
LeMoyne-Owen College LaDricus Pittman scored 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in the game. Pittman made a three-pointer, cutting the Panthers’ lead to three points with 90 seconds left in the game. Marial Malek fouled Panthers’ Jadyn Shider, who made both free throws, increasing the Panthers’ lead to five points, putting the game out of reach. Shider made both free throws, increasing the lead back to 5 points with 24 seconds left, putting the game out of reach. Jadyn Shider scored 9 points and 7 rebounds in the game. Clark Atlanta moves on to play Tuskegee University in the Semifinal round of the SIAC Men’s Basketball Championship tournament.
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