HobbsDailyReport.com
KINSTON — A record-setting basketball season for the Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) women came to an abrupt end on Friday night.
Louisburg knocked the Red Hawks out of the Region X tournament with a 74-69 semifinal victory that left CVCC with a 26-6 record.
Sophomore Joyous Wilson takes a jumper against the defense of Louisburg College on Friday in a Region X tournament semifinal in Kinston. Louisburg won, leaving CVCC at 26-6 this season./CVCC PHOTO
“It’s been a glorious season,” CVCC head coach Tisha England said in a press release from the school. “I can’t ask for anything better. The girls gave me their heart, and that’s what they’ve been giving me all year long.
“When I went into the locker room to hear the cries and the pain, I saw myself as a former student-athlete. I know that cry and pain. All year, we’ve just been taking one step at a time, trusting the process and saying ‘We’ve got to get there.’
“Today, we were short a little in some areas. We kind of got out scored and out rebounded in some areas, but our girls laid it all on the line.”
Shaniya Lester scored 24 points to lead CVCC while forward Joyous Wilson tied her career high in scoring with 18 points (she hit that total three times this season).
The Red Hawks led through most of the first quarter of Friday’s game, but a four-point play to end the quarter by Kaila Thompson gave the Hurricanes a 17-15 lead after one quarter.
Lester, a sophomore guard from Charlotte, powered CVCC back and into a double-digit lead by halftime. She scored 17 points and added four rebounds, four assists and three steals in the first half, helping CVCC lead 40-29 at the break.
The Hurricanes regrouped in the locker room and responded by outscoring the Red Hawks 23-13 in the third quarter to pull within 53-52. A second buzzer beater by Louisburg ended the quarter — this time by the Hurricanes’ Amecca McCalin.
Teana Lewis led the way for Louisburg in the third quarter, scoring six points, and Shontai Totten and Laichelle Sparrow each added five points.
In late foul trouble and struggling offensively without sophomore guard Tory Agrusa — who was out with an injured right ankle suffered in Thursday’s first-round win against Fayetteville Tech — the Red Hawks traded the lead back and forth four times before Louisburg was able to gain the advantage late and hold on to win.
Friday’s game was the final in the careers of five CVCC sophomores — Nikkyana McCaskill, Tanisha Wall, Lester, Wilson and Agrusa.
All five athletes have a special place in England’s heart.
“These five young ladies trusted me from the beginning,” England said in the press release. “They all had a scholarship their freshman year. They could have went to a four-year school, but they decided to come back because they were chasing something.
“They wanted to get better. They wanted to be better student athletes, and they have. They have given their all in the classroom, they have given their all on the court and they made history…”
Friday’s game was the 32nd played by the CVCC women’s basketball program — another record on top of what was a record-setting season.
“I’m looking forward to another successful year next year,” England said. “It doesn’t stop. The Red Hawks are on the map. I’m grateful to be a part of that.”
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information