Chowan Athletics
Evann Carpenter, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
CENTRAL, S.C. – The Chowan Men’s Basketball was resilient in their revenge match against Southern Wesleyan fighting off multiple runs by the Warriors for a 79-75 victory in the Conference Carolinas Semifinals on Tuesday evening.
All-Conference selection, Jaedon Willis, paced the Hawks with 20 points including a crucial three-pointer and two free throws in the final minute. Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Jonathan McFall, recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Jaylen Dilliard picked up 15 points including 6-6 at the stripe. Elijah Hill tallied 10 points. Calvin Ahoume recorded nine points and five rebounds off the bench. Jamal Thomas dished out seven assists.
Both teams shot above 50% from the floor as the Hawks shot 58.8% from the floor. Southern Wesleyan hit 11 three pointers.
Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year, Jonathan McFall, put the Hawks on the board first with a layup in transition after a steal. Tahkey Williams connected from deep to offset the triple by the Warriors to lead 5-3.
After a free throw by SWU, Jonathan McFall knocked down a jumper from the elbow before Jaylen Dilliard scored his first bucket of the contest to give the Hawks a 9-4 lead. Another pair of free throws by the Warriors were offset by a Jaedon Willis triple. SWU scored the next seven points to take the lead 13-12.
Chowan would counter with a run as Elijah Hill ended the Warriors’ run with a three-pointer from the left wing. Jaylen Dilliard added a jumper before Jaedon Willis dialed up a shot from distance to lead 20-13. Dilliard added a pair at the stripe before the Warriors connected from the floor. Dilliard tallied another bucket prior to the Warriors knocking down a triple to end the run.
Calvin Ahoume continued the scoring for the Hawks with a jumper and a dunk off assists from Jamal Thomas, 28-18. Ahoume tallied another bucket to offset a Warrior basket to push the lead back to double-figures.
SWU scored the next seven points to trim the deficit to 30-27 before the final media timeout of the half. Jamal Thomas converted from the stripe before the Warriors scored the next seven points to take a 34-32 lead with 2:20 remaining in the half.
Elijah Hill knocked down a triple to slow the run but the Warriors answered. Jonathan McFall evened the score with a dunk off an assist from Jamal Thomas.
The two teams were even at 37 going into the locker room.
Jonathan McFall scored six points for the Hawks as Southern Wesleyan would take a 50-43 lead at the media timeout. McFall posted another bucket in the paint before Elijah Hill registered a driving layup to cut the deficit to 50-47.
Jaedon Willis tallied a jumper before the Warriors ended the three minute scoring drought with a bucket, 52-49. Calvin Ahoume notched an offensive rebound and putback before a Willis three-point play handed the lead back to the Hawks, 54-52.
Jamal Thomas hit a jumper before a three-pointer from the corner trimmed the lead to one, 56-55. Calvin Ahoume would pick up a point at the stripe before the Warriors evened up the score again, 57-all. Elijah Hill hit a layup prior to SWU triple to push the lead back to the Warriors, 60-59.
Jaylen Dilliard connects from distance and Jonathan McFall added layup to give the lead back to the Hawks, 64-60. SWU hit a pair from the stripe and knocked down a triple to swap the lead back to the Warriors. Jaedon Willis hit a jumper before a four-point play allowed the Warriors to lead 69-66.
SWU pushed their lead to 70-66 after a free throw at the media timeout, 3:48. Jaylen Dilliard connected for a pair at the charity stripe. Jaedon Willis notched a layup to offset a Warrior bucket to keep the contest within reach, 72-70, with 2:05 remaining.
With 1:37 remaining, Jamal Thomas evened the score with a driving layup. SWU hit 1-2 from the line before Jaedon Willis connected from deep to give the Hawks a 75-73 advantage with less than a minute to play.
SWU missed a three-pointer with 34 seconds remaining as the Defensive Player of the Year, Jonathan McFall, forced the pressure. The Warriors were forced to foul putting the Hawks at the line. Chowan missed the one-and-one opportunity with 26.4 remaining.
Jaylen Dilliard swiped an errant pass and sent Dilliard to the line. DIlliard hit both at the stripe to lead 77-73. The Warriors would score a bucket with two seconds on the clock. Jaedon Willis ices the contest at the stripe.
UP NEXT
Chowan will travel to Belmont Abbey on Thursday, March 4 as Belmont Abbey defeated Mount Olive 63-61 on a buzzer beater.