SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Chowan University men's basketball team faced off against Young Harris College in the Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Championship Finals on Sunday afternoon. The appearance marked a historic moment for the Hawks, as it was the first time in program history that Chowan advanced to the Conference Carolinas Championship game and the first championship appearance of the NCAA Division II era.
Trailing by 11 at halftime and facing a deficit that reached as much as 13 points in the second half, the Hawks mounted a late comeback to battle back into the contest. Chowan forced the game down to the final seconds but ultimately came up just short, as Young Harris secured the title with an 82-79 victory.
Joseph Lezeau II, Markell Hollis, Damien Robinson, Eric Gordon Jr., and William Hynes paced the Hawks' efforts in the championship matchup.
THE BASICS
FINAL | Chowan 79, Young Harris 82
RECORDS | Chowan (18-14), Young Harris (22-8)
LOCATIONÂ | Spartanburg, S.C. (Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Lezeau II led the Hawks with 18 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range. He also recorded seven rebounds—six on the defensive end—along with two assists and a steal.
Hollis added 17 points after shooting 7-of-13 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free throw line. The freshman contributed six rebounds, four steals, three assists, and a steal.
Robinson finished with 16 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting performance and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He also tallied five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Gordon Jr. chipped in 13 points, shooting 4-of-6 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, while going 2-of-3 from the charity stripe. He added four assists, two steals, and two rebounds.
Hynes contributed eight points, knocking down two three-pointers while grabbing seven rebounds and adding two assists.
Dapo Kruyswijk provided five points in three minutes of action, shooting a perfect 2-of-2 from the field. Damerius Summers had a game-high six assists and added four rebounds.
As a team, the Hawks outscored the Mountain Lions in the paint (42-34), bench points (23-5), and second-chance points (16-11).
Robinson and Gordon were named to the All-Conference Team as Chowan concluded the season with an overall record of 18-14, including a 13-7 mark in Conference Carolinas play.
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