Fayetteville State University's Women's Basketball team captured the Central Intercollegiate, Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Basketball title with a hard fought 63-61 victory over the Trojanettes of Virginia State College.
"This championship happened because each player contributed by playing their role within the team," said Head Coach Maceo Smith. "We pushed each other, cheered for each other, but most of all believed in each other.
Our coach's motto was: 'Only the strong survive and nobody can beat you when you work hard.' We were strong, worked hard, and survived to bring home the covenant prize – the 1979 CIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Trophy."
The three-day tournament was held at Elizabeth City State University. The top four teams in the Northern and Southern divisions of the CIAA were invited to the tournament. Even though the Broncoettes of Fayetteville State come into the tournament seeded only third in the Southern division, Fayetteville State was the league's hottest squad winning 12 of their last 14 games.
Largely responsible for this turnabout was the return of 6 ft. 4 in.
Katrina Owens. Along with Angelia Newsome, a returning Senior All-CIAA performer, and a squad made up largely of freshmen and second-year players, Owens & Co. blitzed through the second half of their schedule to finish the regular season 18-7.
Fayetteville's first opponent in the tournament was Norfolk St, College, the second seed in the Northern division. The Broncoettes battled back from a 37 to 28 halftime deficit to win 72-74. Freshmen Katrina Bullock and Dianthia Morris provided the bulk of the scoring punch garnering 23 and 22 points respectively, and Owens added 13 points and a whopping 23 rebounds.
Next, the Broncoettes faced the only team that had beaten them in their last 15 games, Winston-Salem St. The game was everything it was built up to be as Fayetteville once again had to struggle from a half-time deficit to win 88-84, in two overtimes. Bullock again led the Broncoette attack this time with a season-high 32 points. Owens contributed 19 and 26 rebounds.
The finale saw Fayetteville against a determined Virginia State squad. For the third time in the tournament, the Broncoettes had to fight back from a halftime deficit. Fayetteville's second-half surge sparked by Bullock's offense and Owens' shot blocking and rebounding earned them the crown. Owens finished the tournament averaging 16.6 ppg and 23.6 rpg for the three-day affair and was named tournament MVP. Bullock and Morris ended as Fayetteville's leading scorers for the tournament and were named to the All-Tournament team along with Owens.
Morris and Newsome received All-Conference honors and first-year coach Maceo Smith was named CIAA Coach of the Year. The Women are now readying themselves for the National Association of Women's Sports National Tournament to be held in Hampton, Va. March 13-17.
