LAKELAND, Fla. − The Claflin University Panthers 25-3 won their first ever NCAA Division II playoff game and advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA II Regional tournament with a hard-fought 54-50 victory over the Blazers of Valdosta State on Saturday.

The Panthers accomplished the feat in their first year in Division II. The historic win was “a great milestone for Claflin University and the Orangeburg community,” an elated Coach Ron Woodard said in the postgame interview with local media representatives.

The nip-and-tuck contest was tied the last time with 4:01 remaining at 44-44. Valdosta State took the lead after Ricardo Lewis scored a layup for a 46-44 lead with 3:33 remaining. Eric Salley would take over from that point for Claflin, scoring their next eight points in a row between two free throws by Christian Hunter of Valdosta State to put the Panthers up 52-48 with 1:52 left.

The game was still in jeopardy as the Panthers turned the ball over twice to give the Blazers an opportunity to get closer, but they could only muster a layup by Marvin Dibble for a 52-50 score with 1:26 left.

Following a Blazer turnover, Phillip Brown was fouled with 20 seconds left, but he missed the front end and the Blazers rebounded the missed free throw and turned it back over to the Panthers. Then Brown was immediately fouled and he stepped to the line and made 2-2 free throws, adding a cushion to the Panther lead 54-50 with 15 seconds left for the final points of the contest.

The closely contested game was tied 10 times and there were 12 lead changes. However, the game was won statistically by the Panthers as they shot 82 percent from the line compared to just 58 percent for Valdosta State. Claflin also shot the ball better from beyond the arc, going 8-17 for 47 percent, whereas the Blazers shot 5-18 for 27 percent, and 7-12 free-throws for 58 percent.

The Panthers and the Blazers played to a 25-25 first-half deadlock, as there were four ties and three lead changes in the half. In the first half the Blazers shot 40 percent from the field, 75 percent from the line, and 4-10 for 40 percent from behind the arc, while the Panthers shot 36 percent from the field, 71 percent from the line and 2-7 for 71 percent from behind the arc. Both teams committed seven turnovers in the half.

Tristian Crawford led the Blazers at the break with 11 points. Benjamin Lawmann was credited with eight first-half points for Claflin.

The Panthers were led by Brown with 15 points, with Salley coming off the bench to contribute 13 points.

Crawford led all scorers with 17 points for the Blazers, as no other Blazer scored in double figures.

The “milestone victory” allows the Panthers to move into the semifinal round Sunday against Christian Brothers College, who were 63-54 winners over Delta State, at 5 p.m. The game can be heard on WSSB 90.3 FM with a 4:45 pregame show.

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