The Tale of Two Bears
Shaw Rallies To Win First Regular Season Home Game Against Lenior-Rhyne
 

November 24, 2007 – Raleigh, NC – The Shaw University Bears took a break from their respective feasts to engage in an out-of-conference brawl with the Lenior-Rhyne College Bears. After a hearty Thanksgiving holiday, the Bears sweetened their merriment with a come from behind victory over Lenior-Rhyne 73 – 71.
 

In the first half of play, the Bears found a medium degree of difficulty in producing scoring offense. Shaw shot 37.9% (11 of 29) from the field and 20% (one of five) from three-point range. Despite, taking possession of the tip-off, the Bears trailed early in the competition 0 – 5 after LRC’s #34 John Cooke hit a three-pointer and #22 Josh Rudder dumped a pass to #32 Donte Watson for a lay-up. Shortly thereafter, Shaw’s diced the point deficit to one point (4 – 5 LRC) with a two-pointer by #30 Damola Obadina (Forward / 6 – 5 / Senior / Minneapolis, MN) and two made free throws by #21 Brandon Greene (Forward / 6 – 6 / Senior / Slidell, LA). Nevertheless, the visiting Bears spurted off to lead 17 – 8. Head Coach Robert Brickey requested for a timeout at the 12:47 mark. Immediately out of the sixty second timeout, Shaw’s #20 Robert Espinosa (Forward / 6 – 7 / Senior / Plainfield, NJ) elevated for an offensive rebound that bounced that off the rim to flush in back into the hoop for the gym gyrating jam. The Bears forced LRC to take their first full timeout at the four minute mark after #23 Camontae Griffin (Guard / 5 – 8 / Junior / Baltimore, MD) drove past a defender and drained a jumper. Shaw inched closer to tying (31 – 27) the game with a three-pointer by #34 John Kornegay (Guard / 5 – 10 / Senior / Detroit, MI) and a reappearance by Espinosa to toss in a putback. LRC led 40 – 33 at the break.
 

At the start of the second half, the needle on the momentum gauge steadily shifted from the visiting to the home side. The Bears pulled within two (42 – 40 LRC) with a short jumper and a last second three-pointer by Griffin and then a lay-up by Obadina. LRC leaped back out in the forefront 56 – 48 following Rudder’s whirlwind spin to the basket for the lay-up. Shaw’s concrete concentration and hard work on the hardwood paid off  with a spotted up three-pointer by #11 John Douros (Guard / 6 – 2 / Junior / Raleigh, NC) . After one of two made free-throws by Griffin and two made by Kornegay, Shaw trailed 60 – 61. The Bears tied the game for the first time at the 8:46 mark (62 – 62) when #5 Brandon Armistead (Guard / 6 – 3 / Junior / Brooklyn, NY) bulleted a backdoor pass to Kornegay for two. Shaw slipped to trail again by one point (66 – 65 LRC), but the home Bears were credited with a critical possession after Kornegay stood strong to take an offensive charge delivered by LRC. The Bears took their first lead of the game (67 – 66) when Armistead plunged into the lane from the baseline to kiss a shot off the backboard and into the goal. Fans looked on while clinched tightly onto the tips of their finger nails. A great relief of nervousness was released in thunderous “thank you” testimonies after Griffin made a lay-up and sunk two shots from the charity stripe (71 – 68) with 11 seconds remaining. However, Shaw supporters paused in disbelief when LRC’s Rudder rushed down court and fired off a successful three-pointer to tie the game at 71 – 71 with five seconds left. The entire gym erupted when #1 Will Graham (Guard / 5 – 10 / Junior / Minneapolis, MN) weaved in and out of LRC’s defense to loft a finger-roll into the hoop for the game winning basket.
 

The Bears had four players to score in double figures. Leading all scorers was #23 Camonte Griffin with 15 points. Providing additional scoring was #1 Will Graham and #34 John Kornegay each with 12 points and #00 Cory Gaither with 10 points. Preseason predicted All-CIAA pick #30 Damola Obadina led all rebounders with a game high six rebounds.
 

The Shaw University Bears are now 2 – 1 Overall, 0 – 0 CIAA. They will hope to carry over their success on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 for their first conference game against cross-town rival, Saint Augustine’s College Falcons. The tip-off will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Broughton High School Gymnasium.