FREDERICK, Md – Head coach Renard Smith and the Lady Panthers (23-0; 10-0 MD JUCO Conference) have added another championship trophy to their collection this season by winning the 2010 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XX Tournament Championship. BCCC defeated the Lady Owls of Prince George's Community College (18-7; 12-1 MD JUCO Conference) 77-69.
For the Lady Panthers, it was the apex of an altogether different kind of season: The team never lost a game. After winning the MD JUCO championship the Lady Panthers began the NJCAA series with wins against Hagerstown Community College 77-47 and Garrett College 73-39 in the semifinal game.
The Lady Panthers' championship afternoon against Prince George's would become a dramatic demonstration of desire-an up-for-grabs contest awarded to the team wanting it the most. During the regular season, BCCC defeated the Lady Owls 70-44 in a non-conference game. Of course, this was the game everyone had been waiting for and both teams knew it was going to be a tough game from beginning to the end.
From the start of the first half, both teams shot the ball very well and maintained their stingy defense. It clearly showed both teams came to play. There were five lead changes during the first 10 minutes of the game. However, the Lady Panthers were able to break down Prince George's defense with fast break opportunities off of turnovers.
The Lady Owls put up a battle in the first half but found themselves down 35-28. Prince George's top players committed to a number of fouls which BCCC capitalized on those mistakes.
From the start of the second half, the Lady Panthers did not let up and maintained their defensive pressure. At that point, the mentality of the Lady Owls started to wear down. Freshman Denisha Haywood (Forest Park/Baltimore) took advantage when Prince George's brought in a smaller lineup which resulted to a team high seven blocked shots along with five points and 12 rebounds.
Freshman Ciarra Lucas (Old Mill/Baltimore) completed the team in her normal fashion of hard work finishing the game with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Coming off the bench and providing that balance attack of offense and defense was freshman Chanet Wallace (Edmondson/Baltimore) ending the game with a career high and her first double-double of the season with 16 points, 10 rebounds and one steal.
The women's championship game MVP award was given to first-year player Tanira McClurkin (St. Frances/Baltimore). McClurkin finished the game with a game high 25 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
The Lady Panthers are clearly creating a story of their own by going undefeated in conference play and throughout the MD JUCO and Region XX Tournaments. The last time the women's basketball program won dual championships (with the Panthers) and had gone to the NJCAA Women's National Tournament was in 1998 under hall of fame coach John Rhames.
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