Clark Atlanta basketball beats West Florida, start SIAC Championship defense

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11/11/2024 10:19 PM

Clark Atlanta men’s basketball opened their 2024-25 season with a 61-51 victory over West Florida University on Friday. The matchup opened the GSC/SIAC crossover and began the Panther’s SIAC Championship defense.

Senior forward Shemani Fuller led Clark Atlanta in scoring and rebounding, tallying 15 points and 12 rebounds. Defensively, Kharye Cayne was a nightmare for West Florida, notching a game-high five blocks.

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead over the Argonauts in the first half. Strong performances from players like Dez’Mond Perkins and Ny’Mire Little helped Clark Atlanta take a 29-17 lead into halftime.

The Panther’s ability to defend the paint with the elite length of their front court proved to be an absolute problem for West Florida. The Argonauts struggled when forced to settle for shot attempts outside of the paint, going 0-for-8 in the first half and finishing the game 1-of-14 from three.

Clark Atlanta’s front-court length paired with the Argonauts jump-shooting struggles were key in the Panthers big win.

The Panthers also dominated the Argonauts in the paint, outscoring them 32-24 in the paint.

Perhaps the most critical stat of the night was the turnover differential. The Panthers forced the Argonauts into 19 turnovers while only turning over the ball eight times on their end. The Argonauts clawed back into the game late as they cut the Panthers lead to two points, but in the end, they could not climb out of such a steep hole — which could have been prevented with fewer turnovers.

As the Argonauts made things interesting in the fourth quarter, the Panthers snatched all momentum finishing the game on a strong run to win by ten points.

Despite a late-game scare, the Panthers showcased that they are a resilient team versus West Florida. Among all takeaways, the Panthers also showcased key strengths that they will lean on this season.

The Panthers are currently 1-1 following a 119-87 loss to Valdosta State University. Next, the Panthers face Shaw University on Saturday, November 16th in their first home game of the season.

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