SVCC Captures VCCS State Basketball Title
The Southside Virginia Community College men’s intercollegiate basketball team won three straight games over the weekend to capture the Virginia Community College System state basketball championship at Bethel High School in Hampton after earning a 91-69 victory over Northern Virginia CC on Sunday afternoon.
The three wins improved SVCC to 13-5 on the season.
SVCC lost only two games in conference play during the regular season and they avenged both of their losses in the state tournament with wins over Thomas Nelson CC and Northern Virginia CC.
“I am so excited for our young men,” said SVCC men’s basketball coach Dennis Smith. “They are a talented group and I thought we played our best game of the season in the championship game. I am also thankful to Dr. Cavan and the administration of the college for all of their support. It also meant a lot to Coach Brown and me that members of our student services department and the SVCC cheerleaders and women’s basketball team were on hand to cheer us on.”
SVCC fell behind 14-5 early in the title game against the Raiders of NVCC but cut the lead to 19-18 on consecutive buckets by tournament MVP Jack Browne.
Consecutive buckets by Michael Thornton knotted the score at 28 at the 8:22 mark of the first half.
A. J. Fowlkes, left, and Jack Browne of SVCC were both named to the VCCS All-Conference first team. Browne was also named MVP of the
VCCS state tournament.
|
|
SVCC opened up a 41-34 lead on two free throws by Eric Dubose at the 2:58 mark.
Two free-throws by Eric Wulff and a bucket by Roger Lassiter gave SVCC a 47-40 lead at the halftime break.
NVCC cut the lead to 51-47 early in the second half but A. J. Fowlkes scored three straight buckets for SVCC to give the local team a 57-47 lead.
A 3-point play by Browne as part of four consecutive buckets for SVCC gave the local squad a 70-56 lead at the 7:00 mark and they cruised from there to the title.
Browne led SVCC with 33 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and three blocks and was named tournament MVP.
Eric Wulff scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds for SVCC.
Dubose scored 12 points for SVCC in the title game while Lassiter scored 10 and Fowlkes finished with nine.
Sam Eligwe led NVCC with 24 points.
Fowlkes and Browne were both named to the All-Conference first team for SVCC.
SVCC…….47 44 – 91
NVCC……40 29 – 69
SVCC – Dubose 12, Johnson 5, Fowlkes 9, Clarke 4, Lassiter 10, Browne 33, Wulff 14, Thornton 4, Williams 0.
NVCC – Shewmaker 8, Smith 4, Bayardelle 15, Garnim 11, Willis 3, Eligwe 24, Phillips 6, Scorah 3.
SVCC TAKES 115-75 VICTORY IN SEMI-FINALS
SVCC broke open a close game early and cruised to a 115-75 win over Thomas Nelson CC in a state semifinal contest on Saturday night.
SVCC took a 10-8 lead on Jack Browne’s jumper at the 17:15 mark of the first half and then went on a 23-6 run to take a 38-18 lead on Eric Wulff’s jumper.
A 3-point play by Browne at the 4:39 mark and back-to-back buckets by Roger Lassiter gave SVCC a 56-31 lead at the halftime break.
A big windmill dunk by Lassiter at the 18:36 mark of the second half extended the SVCC lead to 61-31 as they cruised to the lopsided win.
Lassiter led all scorers with a season-high 40 points while Browne scored 25 points and pulled down 22 rebounds. Brandon Williams scored 13 while Michael Johnson and A. J. Fowlkes finished with 10 points apiece and Rico Clarke added eight.
SVCC……56 59 – 115
TNCC……31 44 - 75
SVCC – Wulff 6, Williams 13, Dubose 4, Johnson 10, Fowlkes 10, Clarke 8, Lassiter 40, Browne 25.
TNCC – Winston 8, Henderson 19, Williams 16, Evans 5, Calvin 9, Davies 4, Freemond 7, Battle 2, Ballard 4.
SVCC POSTS 76-66 WIN IN STATE QUARTERFINALS
SVCC withstood a valiant effort from Southwest Virginia CC to post a 76-66 win in a state quarterfinal contest.
The local team trailed 40-35 at the halftime break and fell behind 50-40 on two made free-throws at the 15:01 mark of the second half.
A 3-point play by Browne and two buckets by Fowlkes were part of an 11-2 run that cut the Southwest lead to 52-51 at the 10:36 mark.
SVCC took the lead for good on a bucket by Fowlkes at the 7:52 mark and opened up a double digit lead on Browne’s bucket at the 5:21 mark.
Browne led SVCC with 33 points and 17 rebounds while Fowlkes scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
Eric Dubois and Michael Johnson added 11 points apiece.Jeremy Lester led SWCC with 24 points on eight made treys.
SVCC…….35 41 – 76
SWCC……40 26 – 66
SVCC – Dubose 11, Johnson 11, Fowlkes 12, Clarke 2, Lassiter 1, Browne 33, Thornton 2, Wulff 6.
SWCC – Ball 9, Remive 11, Bowdan 11, Justice 5, Goodman 10, Lester 24.
(c) 2008. Southside Virginia Community College. All rights reserved.
| 
