Livingstone men fall to Claflin on Senior Night, 85-77
Published 11:51 pm Wednesday, February 19, 2020
- Livingstone's Roger Ray (4), left, shown during an earlier game this season against J.C. Smith, scored 25 points in Wednesday night's loss to Claflin. ... File photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Staff report
SALISBURY — A solid Senior Night performance by guard Roger Ray was not enough, as Livingstone fell to Claflin, 85-78, in CIAA men’s basketball action Wednesday night at New Trent Gym.
Ray, playing his last home game on the court where he became Livingstone’s all-time leading scorer, scored 25 points in the loss. He made 8-of-15 shots from the floor, including 3-of-5 from the 3-point arc. He also sank 6-of-7 free throws.
However, Claflin (12-15, 8-8 CIAA) put four players in double-figure scoring, led by Cornellius Reynolds’ 22 points. Red-shirt freshman Jailen Williams, who starred locally at Carson High School, returned home to score a career-high 15 points — on 6-of-10 shooting.
Letrell West (13) and Nkem Ojeh (12) were the other two Panthers in double figures. As a team, Claflin shot 52 percent from the field (31-of-60).
Meanwhile, Livingstone (12-15, 5-11) also shot over 50 percent (31-of-59), but much of it came in the second half, as the Blue Bears were trying to big out of a big first-half hole.
Claflin raced out to an 18-point lead (33-15) in the first half and coach James Stinson’s Blue Bears spent the rest of the contest in catch-up mode.
The Panthers led at halftime, 41-32, and built the lead back to 12 points on a 3-pointer by Reynolds at the 12:58-mark.
Claflin then led by 14 points (72-58) with 4:21 left, before Livingstone went on a furious rally. Behind Ray and Lydell Elmore, the Blue Bears outscored the visitors the rest of the way, 20-13, but they still came up short.
Elmore followed Ray in the LC scoring with 15 points, while Martel Handley added 10.
NOTE: Livingstone returns to action on Saturday for its regular-season finale — at Winston-Salem State (2 p.m.). … The CIAA Tournament begins next week in Charlotte.
CLAFLIN (85) — Ojeh 12, Reynolds 22, Williams 15, West 13, Frayer 2, Hill 9, Davis 6, Britt 4, Johnson 2, Prichard, Jenkins.
LIVINGSTONE (78) — Ray 25, Lewis 6, Fykes 6, Tate 3, Patterson, N. Elmore 2, L. Elmore 15, Carpenter 5, Handley 10, Smith 6, McCrae.
Claflin 41 44 — 85
Livingstone 32 46 — 78
Information obtained from Claflin athletics’ website.
