Bookman’s 3pointer at Buzzer Lifts Claflin Past Miles

Orangeburg, SC- Thomas Bookman canned a three point jumper with one second left to propel the Panthers to victory 73-70.  With Claflin enjoying an 11 point lead with 8:02 left in the second half, many thought that the Panthers would hold on and run their patient offense to an easy win.  But nobody told the Golden Bears of Miles College.  Their head coach Christopher Giles was replaying many matches that have not gone his way against Coach Woodard and Claflin University in recent years.  The leagues 4^th leading scorer Rahim Barnes put the Golden Bears on his shoulders and scored 12 of his 21 points after that point.  Claflin could not keep Barnes from penetrating and scoring from the field or from the free throw line.  Barnes would tie the score at 70 with 12.4 and 10.2 on the shot clock.  With Claflin having to go the length of the floor, Anthony Pigram held the ball outside and went to the basket but missed the lay-up, but the shot clock went off, and the officials blew the whistle.  That is when the controversy began.  After a lengthy discussion, Claflin was given the basketball under their basket with one second one the clock.  Because Claflin had maintained control of the rebound of Pigrams’ missed shot before the inadvertent whistle.  This infuriated Miles’ Coach Giles.  Claflin inbounded the ball to Thomas Bookman in the left corner, and he went up and drained the three point jumper as time expired, to give the Panthers the exciting 73-70 win. The win improved Clalfin’s record to (7-4) (7-3) in the SIAC.

The Panthers held a four point advantage at the break 29-25, with Claflin enjoying an 11 point lead with 8:02 in the first half and Miles a three point advantage at the 16: 25 mark.

Rahim Barnes led the Golden Bears in the scoring department with 21 points.  Roy Madaubunchi finished with a double-double 14 points and 13 rebounds.  

The Panthers were led by Pigram with a game high 24 points, Eric Salley 20 points, and Bookman with 10.

The Panthers will return to action in the Jonas T. Kennedy health and Physical Education Center, Saturday January 2, 2010, with the women’s game at 1:30 pm.