Johnson C. Smith-Livingstone rivalry is ‘in good hands,’ as latest overtime game showed
At halftime of one of the oldest rivalries in college basketball, with Livingstone College tied with host Johnson C. Smith, there was a tug of war.
Literally.
Six students from Livingstone, clad in dark blue and black, lifted a weighted rope. Six yellow-and-navy-wearing students from JC Smith did the same. On the count of three, the students pulled and pulled and pulled, leaning their collective weight all the way back, hoping their feet would sink roots in the hardwood as the dueling crowd prayed their screams turned to strength.
The moment seemed to speak volumes about Tuesday night itself:
Livingstone won the tug of war after some struggling. The Bears did the same in the basketball game to the tune of a 78-75 overtime thriller that featured some unbelievable second-half shot-making by point guard Jamal Cannady, who ended the game with 34 points on 12 of 19 shooting.
But also — and this is the important part — the tug of war was a fun wrinkle in one of the oldest rivalries in college sports. Same was true about the game: The rivalry between the two schools that stretches back to 1892 had something new — new head coach on the JCSU sideline, Antwain Banks. The 44-year-old interim coach succeeded Stephen Joyner Sr., who stepped down from his post at JCSU in March after 36 years of accumulated legendary legacy.
“The rivalry is cemented,” Livingstone College coach James Stinson said after the win, out of breath after another tough competition. “And it’s in good hands with where it is right now.”
While the Bears won Tuesday’s game, Johnson C. Smith men’s basketball holds an edge over Livingstone with a 95-23 record.
Said Banks after the game: “Obviously, a 100-year rival. It means something to both teams. Crowd came out. Gave them a good show as far as it being overtime. We just came up on the short end of the stick.”
Tuesday night was a predictable spectacle. There were all the fixings of a game that meant something to a community on display. Calls and responses. A DJ. Cheerleader dance-offs. Crashing symbols and drum rolls thanks to the live marching band. Playful taunts after a Livingstone player missed two free throws ... that can’t be repeated in a family-friendly newspaper.
As for the game itself? Both teams started out a bit slow from the field but eventually settled in and then traded blows like prize fighters. In the final five minutes of regulation, there were three ties and two lead changes.
Each team had a chance to win it in regulation. The first was JC Smith, who had point guard Ford Cooper take a floater that went in-and-out. Then, on the other end of the floor, Livingstone big man Paul Tako missed a contested layup as time expired to send the game into overtime tied at 61.
Overtime wasn’t much different. Tally three ties between the teams. It wasn’t until 2:35 left that Livingstone took a 69-67 lead and then led the rest of the way. (That two-point margin came from a pair of free throws from Cannady, who had 14 points in the overtime period.)
Smith was led by Jamauri Bryant with 17 points and had three others in double figures: Ashton Sherrell (14), Jared Davis (12) and Ford Cooper (11).
Livingstone, meanwhile, had two players not named Cannady in double figures: James Nipper (11) and Trey Minard (10).
After the game, when asked about how Tuesday went, Banks acknowledged that he was frustrated his team fell short. It meant a lot to the South Bend, Indiana, native, who was hired this past offseason to replace a coach like Joyner, the JCSU alum who retired as the third-winningest coach in CIAA men’s basketball history — the coach whose name is not only hanging from the wall but is emblazoned on the court.
“Best thing about it is we’ll see them again,” Banks said. “I’ll make some adjustments, (Coach Stinson) will make some adjustments. And we’ll leave it to the players to figure out the outcome.”
