ORPHEY LED THREE LADY BEARS IN DOUBLE FIGURES OVER CLAFLIN
ORANGEBURG, SC – Senior
Ashley Orphey led the Miles College Lady Bears (18-7; 15-6) in scoring with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while junior
Sammeika Thomas grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and 10 points in the victory over Claflin University (7-17; 7-15) 52-45 Wednesday night at Tullis Arena.
Miles took a one point lead on Orhpey's free throw at the 18:50 mark, but the lead would soon be washed away as Claflin jumped out to a 5-1 lead with 18:10 left. Claflin went to gain a 21-14 lead with 5:40 remaining off a layup by Lasaundra Barron. Junior
Ashlee Barley tied the game at 22-22 on a layup with 3:00 left to half, and then Thomas made a layup to give the Lady Bears the 26-24 lead with 1:20 to go. Claflin's Kiara Henderson hit the front end of a one-one to give the Lady Tigers the 30-26 halftime lead.
Miles shot just 30.3 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent at the free throw line, while Claflin hit 52.2 percent of its shots and 40.0 percent from the line.
Junior
Toccara Charles scored eight points for the Lady Bears and Barley added six points and sophomore
RaShawne Cox grabbed five rebounds in the half.
Lasaundra Barrron led the Lady Tigers with 13 points and six rebounds.
In the second half, Claflin went up 32-26, but Claflin would not score again until the 9 minute mark on a made free throw by Kiara Henderson. Miles would go up by their largest lead 45-35 with 7:10 remaining in the game. The Lady Bears drained two free throws by Orphey with one second left to seal the deal at 52-45.
For the game, Miles shot 29.2 percent from the field and 50.0 percent at the foul line, while Claflin hit 37.8 percent of their shots from the floor and 40.9 percent of its free throws.
Orphey went 3-of-7 from the floor, 2-for-3 from behind the arch, 7-of-13 at the free throw line, two assist and three steals while leading three Lady Bears in double figures. Charles added 10 points and Barley eight and Cox grabbed eight rebounds.
Lasaundra Barron led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Natalie Davis added 10 more points.
The Lady Bears will end the regular season in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, February 26 with the Lady Panthers of Clark Atlanta University in a 2 p.m. game.
