CIAA Splits Inaugural Meeting with NYCAC

April 30, 2003

Boxscores: Women | Men

Two all-star squads from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association traveled to Long Island, NY, to take on the best from the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in the 2003 CIAA/NYCAC Senior Basketball Challenge. The NYCAC consists of Adelphi University, University of Bridgeport, LIU/CW Post, Concordia College, Dowling College, Mercy College, Molloy College, University of New Haven, New York Institute of Technology, Philadelphia University, Queens College, Southampton College, and St. Thomas Aquinas.

Games were played on the campus of C.W. Post, Saturday, April 26. The conferences split the doubleheader with the CIAA women winning the first game, 77-73 and the NYCAC men getting a 95-91 victory.

The CIAA Women’s Team was led by Johnson C. Smith University head coach Vanessa Taylor the conference Coach Taylor only had six girls with her; Lori Shelby (Winston-Salem State), Latoya Taylor (Virginia Union), Joellen Kitt (Virginia Union), Tiffany Thomas (Virginia State), Becky McKee (Virginia State), and Tonya Bowman (Fayetteville State). While she was concerned about only having six players, Coach Taylor later found out she had nothing to worry about.

The CIAA women jumped out to a 39-30 halftime lead thanks to strong inside play from McKee and Bowman. McKee had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in the first half while Bowman dropped in 9 points while pulling down 8 boards and blocking two shots. Both finished the game with a double-double; Bowman had 21 points and 17 rebounds while McKee finished with 21 points and 11 boards.

Taylor finished with 11 points and Kitt added 10. All the CIAA scorers benefited from passes from Shelby who finished with a game high 12 assists to go with her 8 points.

Bowie State University head coach Luke D'Alessio helmed the men's squad with lost to NYCAC with a team comprised of Patrick Pope (St. Augustine's), Stephen Moss-Kelley (Bowie State), Cornelius McMurray (Bowie State), Jon Smith (Bowie State), Tim Washington (Bowie State), Marco Spears (Johnson C. Smith), Wayne Wallace (Virginia Union) and Bryan Chapman (Fayetteville State).

Pope showed off his Player of the Year form as he led the team with 24 points and four assists, hitting 4-of-7 shots from behind the 3-point arc. Spears added 17 points while Wallace finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Smith chipped in 10 points. McMurray had a unique double-double grabbing 10 rebounds while dishing out 10 assists.

"It was a great experience for the kids and it was fun," said D'Alessio. "The talent level was terrific on both sides and it was great competition. It was an event to showcase talent, and there were a number of scouts there. It's definitely a worthwhile event to have every year."