An Alabama A&M team full of former University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff coaches and players defeated their former team in their old gym Thursday night.
The UAPB women’s basketball team fell 69-55 to AAMU at H.O. Clemmons Arena in former head coach Dawn Thornton’s return to Pine Bluff.
First-year UAPB coach Erica Leak said despite the result, she believes her team is much better than when these teams first met at the beginning of January.
“I think we are a dangerous team,” Leak said. “We are right there, and every coach at the end of the game saying, ‘We don’t want to see y’all again. Y’all are dangerous. Keep fighting, keep working.’ A lot of great response from our competitors, because they see it. They see it. No moral victories, but I am proud of their efforts and having pride in this program tonight.”
Alabama A&M (16-8, 9-3 SWAC) guard Kaila Walker, one of four former UAPB players to transfer to AAMU when Thornton took the head job there last offseason, scored a game-high 21 points in her return to Pine Bluff. Lauryn Pendleton, a Little Rock native and Arkansas State transfer, followed with 16 points.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB (3-19, 1-11) forward Stephanie Okowi, one of the few players left from Thornton’s time at UAPB and a former teammate of Walker’s, said though Walker had a good game, she wasn’t the reason UAPB lost.
“I feel like what was the biggest factor was us and our turnovers,” Okowi said. “Even though she did score, she only scored because we made the mistake. If we don’t make the mistake, she don’t score.”
The Lady Bulldogs scored 23 points from 21 UAPB turnovers.
AAMU started the game on a 9-0 run, eventually leading 15-2 before UAPB guard D’Arrah Allen made the Lady Lions’ first field goal, a jumper.
Leak called a timeout after the Lady Bulldogs went up 9-0. She said her message to her players was to play with more pride.
“You’re going to play with some dignity,” Leak said. “You not gonna not get the rebound, the loose ball. We’re not going to do that. I think that resonated with them, got through to them, and they played better, more energy. The basketball is the most important thing on the floor, and you gotta have a sense of urgency when that ball is in front of you.”
UAPB finally got its offense going after the rough start. The Lady Lions cut the deficit to 5 points twice in the final four minutes of the first half and had a chance to cut it to one possession as time ran out, but Walker stole the ball and laid it in to make it 34-27 Bulldogs at halftime.
The Lady Lions never got that close again, only managing to cut the AAMU lead to 9 several times in the fourth quarter.
Allen led UAPB with 18 points, including all four of the team’s 3-pointers. Okowi scored 12 points with 12 rebounds and six assists.
Starting UAPB forward Kristyna Boyd came out of the game 2:54 into the first quarter and did not return. Leak said Boyd suffered a back injury after a player fell on her. Leak said after the game she did not yet know the severity of Boyd’s injury.
After the game, Thornton lingered in the gym catching up with various people she knew from her time at UAPB. She said it felt strange to be in the visitor’s locker room and on the visitor’s bench, but it felt like a homecoming to be back in Pine Bluff.
“It really felt good to see so many friendly faces, but the most important thing that I really did enjoy was being able to see the fan support that’s still rallying behind this women’s basketball program,” Thornton said. “I love the fact that the foundation has been set. However, Coach Leak has done a phenomenal job of making a name for herself in this conference.”