March 1, 2008
Box Score
Story from the CIAA office
Charlotte, NC - Competing hard to reach .500 in their overall record, and against regular season odds, the Fayetteville State Broncos defeated the no. 2 seed Bowie State University, 67-65, and will advance to the CIAA tournament championship to face the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith.
Game Most Valuable Player Phillippe Harris picked up his second honor in two games and led the team to their spot in the finals, shooting 100 percent from the free throw line, with four rebounds, five steals and 17 total points.
Starting the half, the Bowie State dominated in the paint; however, defensively, couldn't stop the post game of Fayetteville's Larry Ross and Malcolm Jay. Ross went on an individual 6-0 run. Senior co-captain Jason Ingram pulled a long range jumper to secure the lead for the Bulldogs 16-14. Harris, pressured by defenders, pulled a 3-point attempt and drew the foul; Harris made all three free throws for the lead 25-23. All- CIAA honoree David Paris was effective in the paint for the Bulldogs coming off screens for the dump by point guard Carlos Williams.
With a minute remaining, a jumper by Ingram and a lay-up by Curtis Massey, the Bulldogs took the three-point lead advantage at halftime. The score was 30-27. Paris finished the half 4-7 from the field, 33 percent at the line, with four rebounds and 10 total points. Bowie was 89 percent from the free throw line. In the paint, the Bulldogs outscored 16-8.
Trailing by 10 with 15:47 left to play, the Broncos emerged on a 10-3 run to tie the game 46 all. The Bulldogs slowed their offensive pace and suffered with five turnovers in ten possessions. Fayetteville pulled five consecutive three-pointers to snatch a 6-point lead, 56-62, forcing a Bowie timeout. Neck-and-neck in the game's last four minutes, Bowie capped a game tie at 62 all with a fast break lay-up by Ingram. Junior co-captain Andy Gebru sunk a jumper for the Broncos, but soon after, Bulldog senior Arthur Bowers shot a three-pointer with 18 seconds left in the game.
At the top of the key and locked down by two defenders, Gebru fought through a trap and completed a jumper with one second left to give Fayetteville the game win and the first spot in Saturday's championship.
