Download 2/26/2009 CHARLOTTE, NC – Virginia Union`s Braxton brothers

2/26/2009
CHARLOTTE, NC – Virginia Union’s Braxton brothers combined for 26 points as the top seeded Panthers
rolled to a 71-55 win over the ninth seeded Fayetteville State University Broncos in late game action at
the 2009 CIAA Basketball Tournament. Teammate Greg Thondique poured in 20 points as three VUU
players combined for 46 of the Panthers total 71 points
With their first round bye the Panthers had plenty of time to rest while the Broncos played last night’s
late game and squeaked out a 70-67 win over Livingstone College. The rest did the Panthers good as
they started tonight’s game with a 10-0 run. The Broncos were cold from the floor out of gate until Ariel
Robinson (Coral Springs, FL) put them on the board with a fifteen foot jumper around the 15:00 mark.
Greg Thondique (Norfolk, VA) scored 10 first half points while Brandon Byerson (Colonial Heights, VA)
hit 2-3 from three point land and grabbed five first half rebounds. Braxton Byerson (Colonial Heights,
VA) poured in 11 first half points to help give his team a 16 point lead (40-26) heading into the halftime
break.
The Panthers continued to stay hot from the floor in the second half, hitting 50% from the floor and
spreading their lead to as many as 17 points. Their hot hands helped in keeping the Broncos at bay as
they rolled to the sixteen point win. The Bronco’s hit just 14% (2-14) from beyond the three point arch
in the game and were 32% from the floor overall. FSU went nine minutes in the second half without
hitting a basket from the floor, but scored four points on foul shots during those nine minutes.
VUU’s Thondique was named the Food Lion Most Valuable Player after dropping 20 points to lead all
scorers on the floor tonight. Brandon Byerson had 12 points while Braxton Byerson chipped in 14 points
and hauled in seven rebounds. For Fayetteville State University Malcom Jay had 14 points while Jason
Thompson contributed scored 12 points. Jay was named his team’s Food Lion Most Valuable Player.
The Panthers will play in tomorrow’s semi-final against seventh seeded Saint Augustine’s College. St.
Augustine’s rolled to a 77-53 win over Bowie State earlier in the day. Virginia Union improves to 20-5
overall after tonight’s win while Fayetteville State falls to 13-15 as their season comes to an end.