Panthers’ magic ride ends a bit early

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In a season of transition, Virginia Union proved their skeptics wrong.

Panthers first-year coach Willard Coker used smoke, mirrors and summoned the pride of a tradition-rich program to lead his team back to the CIAA tournament championship game last night for the first time in three years.

But the Panthers ran out of magic and steam in losing 70-63 to Johnson C. Smith at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Golden Bulls won their second consecutive conference title and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament.

The Panthers, the tournament's No. 1 seed, now must wait for an at-large berth to continue postseason play in two weeks.

The Panthers, led by Gregg Thondique's 23-point, 13-rebound effort, couldn't gain much traction against a JCS team they defeated twice during the regular season. Their usually efficient half-court offense sputtered, and they were lacking the clutch shooting that enabled them to survive close games.

Still, despite a largely uneven performance, Virginia Union positioned itself to win a 21st conference title. The Golden Bulls outplayed VUU at both ends of the floor, yet when Thondique muscled inside for two layups, the Panthers trailed only 59-55 with 4:04 to play.

"We were a little stagnant on offense, and we really weren't doing anything. So, we were just trying to run some different people in and give them some different looks," Coker said. "I think toward the end, we sort of figured it out, but it was a little too late."

The Golden Bulls were seemingly back on their heels. In their previous encounters in the regular season, the Golden Bulls' knees buckled and they cracked when pressured by Union's swarming full-court pressure and half-court traps.

Not this time, however.

Ryan Scott, who almost single-handedly dismissed Virginia State from the tournament, knifed through the Panthers' defense to roll in a layup, then silenced VUU's vociferous crowd with a clinching 3-pointer with 1:25 left to give Johnson C. Smith a commanding 66-58 lead.

"Those were the biggest plays of the night," Coker said. "But we still have some basketball games to play, because we should get into the [NCAA tournament]."

As Coker feverishly clapped his hands and implored his players to keep their heads up, it was clear the Panthers had cracked under championship-game pressure.

"They were ready to play, and we weren't," Thondique said. "We kind of bent a little and were never really able to get it back."

Defensively, JCS dashed the Panthers' comeback hopes. It blocked four shots in the final minute and handcuffed VUU's top weapons - Brandon Byerson (seven points) and Braxton Byerson (16 points).

The Panthers were haunted all season by poor free-throw shooting. But they were tormented by the Golden Bulls' tenacity and grit in chasing down nearly every loose ball - hustle plays that resulted into points.

The Golden Bulls, led by Jerry Hollis' 19 points, seemingly put the game away in a mad scramble that ended with JCS adding another second-chance basket.

Again, the Panthers were haunted by their lack of toughness in the paint. They forced JCS into a hurried shot as the shot clock expired, but Hollis hauled in the offensive rebound, then banked in an 8-footer to give the Golden Bulls a 59-51 lead with 4:53 to go.

The Panthers appeared spent, if only emotionally. Yet, somehow they mustered up one last charge when they trimmed the JCS lead to 59-55.

The Golden Bulls sealed every passing lane in the post, daring the Panthers to beat them from the perimeter. But the Panthers couldn't find an outside shot, either.

JOHNSON C. SMITH (23-7)

Hollis 19, Thornhill 6, Little 12, Dillard 9, Scott 13, Mobley 2, Carter 0, Drummer 0, Cooper 9, Jackson 0. Totals: 24 17-22 70.
VIRGINIA UNION (21-6)

Brandon Byerson 7, Dupuy 0, Braxton Byerson 16, Williams 2, Thondique 23, Wansley 0, McDonald 3, Smith 7, Cook 5. Totals: 22 13-19 63.

Halftime: Johnson C. Smith 34-27

3-point goals: VUU - Braxton Byerson (2), McDonald, Smith, Cook, Brandon Byerson. JCS - Thornhill (2), Scott (2), Little.

FRIDAY
VIRGINIA UNION (21-5)

Bran. Byerson 21, Dupuy 2, Brax. Byerson 5, Williams 6, Thondique 10, Wansley 3, McDonald 3, Smith 0, Cook 7. Totals: 17 18-31 57.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S (19-10)

Jordan 9, Hickson 1, Gill 14, Fain 11, McNary 4, Bucknor 3, Washum 3, Brignol 3, Patterson 10. Totals: 21 8-15 54.

Halftime: VUU 33-25; 3-point goals: VUU - Bran. Byerson (2), Brax. Byerson, McDonald, Cook. SA - Gill (2), Jordan, Bucknor.