Orangeburg ‘thirsty’ for classic match-up between SCSU, Claflin

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Monday’s press conference/luncheon highlighting the annual Garden City Basketball Classic match-up between Claflin and South Carolina State University was an affair fitting of two longtime, peaceful neighbors.

A spirit of goodwill and fellowship was exhibited between the two schools’ basketball coaches, athletics directors and other city representatives inside the Maroon and White Room on Claflin’s campus.

It did not, however, stop representatives from this year’s host school from friendly ribbing the visitors, particularly in reminding S.C. State of the last time it played at the Jonas T. Kennedy Center 16 years ago.

“The last scores for the record in the women’s contest was Claflin 64, South Carolina State 59. On the men’s side, it was Claflin University 69, South Carolina State 61,” read Lionel Sabb, Claflin sports information director, at the behest of university President Henry N. Tisdale.

The playful “trash talk” was the closest thing to bulletin board material at the one-hour event. The men’s and women’s head coaches expressed mutual admiration and talked about their expectations for their second time around in the revived classic.

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