For Johnson C. Smith, this was time for reinvention. Virginia Union had beaten the Golden Bulls twice during the regular season, so a “tweak,” to use coach Steve Joyner's term, was essential. So he threw in a matchup zone Saturday that scrambled things just enough to pull off a 70-63 victory in the CIAA men's championship game. “Us changing up a bit, they did act a bit confused,” Joyner said after J.C. Smith held Virginia Union below 65. “Just enough confused.”And just enough scoring, too. Jerry Hollis kept driving for 19 points, and Ryan Scott hit two 3-pointers – the first to build an 11--point lead and the second a game-saver – after Virginia Union had closed to four with 11/2 minutes left. Scott's dad, former NBA star Dennis Scott, was at Time Warner Cable Arena, but the Golden Bulls senior hadn't done much. He picked up two quick first-half fouls but knew he'd get his chance.
JSSU star Wendy Stywalt splits the defense to score a basket over Bowie State's Juliette Turner on way to a 49-36 win and the 2009 CIAA Championship. (YALONDA M. JAMES)That's because Hollis was so effective (6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-10 from the foul line), Virginia Union had no choice but to contract its defense around him. “I knew I'd get my time,” said Scott, who had 13 points. “The way Jerry was working down-low, I just told him, ‘Let me know – I'm ready.'” Those times came with just under 10 minutes left – for a 51-40 edge – and with 1minute, 23 seconds left, after Virginia Union's Brandon Byerson made a 3 to cut J.C. Smith's lead to four.
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