SALISBURY, N.C. - Catawba College found out the hard way that it's tough to beat a team three times in a season, as Newberry knocked off the fourth-seeded Indians, 73-59, in Goodman Gymnasium Wednesday night in the first round of the 2005 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference basketball tournament. The All-Freshman Team duo of Tonique Frasier (Walterboro, S.C.) and Carnicha Bellinger (Greenville, S.C.) contributed a combined 35 points and 20 rebounds in the victory.
Newberry reaches a school-record 18 wins in a season, only the second time in the program's history this has been achieved. It also breaks a 19-game Catawba chokehold on victories in the series, as the last time Newberry won came back in 1988. The win is only the second in Newberry's history in South Atlantic Conference tournament play, as Newberry knocked off Tusculum in the 2000 tournament.
Newberry took command of the ballgame two minutes into the second half and outscored Catawba 29-14 over the next twelve minutes, ten of those points coming from the hands of Monica Alexander (Norcross, Ga.). Once Newberry reached a ten-point lead at the 6:38 mark, Catawba could come no closer than six at 65-59 with Hannah Davis' (Williamsburg, Va.) three-pointer. Coming at 1:27, it would be the last basket Catawba would convert, and Newberry's eight-for-ten foul shooting down the stretch spelled the final margin.
Newberry grabbed the lead for good on a Taquala Cooks (Lithonia, Ga.) layup, going ahead 50-48 with 9:25 remaining, and built that to ten when Alexander made a free throw, missed the second but put in her own rebound.
The visiting Indians found themselves ahead by eight points early in the contest, but a 17-2 run by Catawba put the hosts ahead by the same total. Three-point shots by Jonelle Yaklich (LaSalle, Ind.) and Chance Stewart (Rougemont, N.C.) helped Newberry come back to a 32-28 deficit at the intermission.
"We talked about the importance of defense and stepping up against this team," Newberry head coach Jason Brink said. "We've worked on that aspect non-stop since the L-R loss.
"I thought the girls showed tremendous composure and character tonight. Nobody panicked, quit or let her guard down during the game. Now we have the chance to do what's never been done at Newberry--we're just one game away from the championship."
Frasier scored 14 of her game-high 21 points in the first half. Bellinger came alive in the second half, scoring 11 of her 14 after the break. She led all players with 13 rebounds. All of Alexander's 11 points came in the final period.
Two Catawba Indians reached double figures, those being Ashley Cox (Richmond, Va.) and Isiaette Darden (Wilson, N.C.). The pair notched 16 and 14, respectively, and had four rebounds each.
Newberry made a mere 35% of its shots in the first half, but improved that figure nine percentage points after halftime. Catawba suffered a reversal of fortune, shooting 41% in the first frame but cooling to 30% in act two.
Newberry will advance to face top-seeded Wingate in the semifinals Saturday at 2 p.m. Catawba concludes its season at 17-11.
