PANTHERETTES LOSE TO LEMOYNE-OWEN 68-71

Orangeburg, S.C. – The Claflin University Pantherettes opened up the New Year on a disappointing note Saturday afternoon at the Jonas T. Kenndey Center.

The Pantherettes suffered a heart-breaking 71-68 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to the Lady Magicians from LeMoyne-Owen College.

The loss dropped the Pantherettes to 2-10 overall and 2-9 in conference play.

 Donisha Albert led the Pantherettes in scoring with 20 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Ashley Sorrell-Gibson followed with 18 points. Two other players scored in double figures for the Pantherettes, Amelia Jones with 12 points and Lesha Brigham added 11 points and eight assists.

With the win, LeMoyne-Owen pushed its season record to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in the league.

The Lady Magicians were led in scoring by Shonice Sprouse with a game-high 24 points and Ryan Herd with 21.

“It was a tough way to start the New Year,” Claflin interim coach Vernell Keitt-Capers    said. “This was a tough loss, but I did see some positive things. We did a good job on the boards, out rebounding LeMoyne-Owen 54-41, and did a good job of finding the opening player on the offensive end. As a team, we had 18 assists.

“On the flip side, I did not like was our inability to hit from the outside. We shot just 35 percent from the field, which included six of 25 from behind the three-point line. Our game is hitting shots from the outside. We need to improve in that area.”

The contest was nip-and-tuck the entire second half as the Lady Magicians wiped out a seven-point Pantherettes lead. The Lady Magicians scored the first 11 points to take a 40-36 lead with 14 minutes left.

The two teams exchanged leads over the next seven minutes until Sprouse connected on a pair of free throws, putting the Lady Magicians up for good at 53-51. She later hit a short range jumper off a Pantherettes turnovers, given the visitors a 55-51 lead with 7:56 left.

The Lady Magicians would maintain the lead the rest of the game. Every time Claflin made an offensive move, Sprouse would turn the Pantherettes away either from free throw line or from with an inside score.

Sorrell-Gibson and Jones kept the Pantherettes within striking distance. Sorrell-Gibson hit two baskets from beyond the three-point line and Jones added four points as the Pantherettes pulled to within 69-68 with 29 seconds left.

Following a free throw by Sprouse, giving LeMoyne-Owen a 69-66 lead with 25 seconds left, Lesha Brigham was fouled for the Pantherettes. She was successful on both free throws, cutting the Lady Magicians lead to 69-68 with 15 seconds left.

With the Lady Magicians in possession of the basketball and time running out, the Pantherettes fouled Amber Jones with a second left. She hit both free throws, giving the Lady Magicians a three-point victory.

In the first half, the Pantherettes broke a 13-13 tie at the 10:30 mark by scoring 14 of the next 21 points for a 27-20 lead.

The Pantherettes increased their lead to 10 points just before intermission on a three-pointer from Sorrell-Gibson and a lay up by Albert. Claflin led 36-26 with 32 left in the period.

LeMoyne-Owen managed to cut into the Claflin lead before halftime by scoring the last three points to trailing 36-29.

LeMoyne-Owen

Tyra Terry 4, Shonice Sprouse 24, Ryan Herd 21, Amber Johnson 8, Jasmine Massey 3, Sharita Jones 11.

Claflin

Ashle Sorrell-Gibson 18, Lesha Brigham 11, Amelia Jones 12, Natalie Davis 4, Lashaundra Barron 3, Donisha Albert 20.