SAVANNAH, Ga. — Fort Valley State improved upon last season’s postseason on Friday afternoon. Freshman Aaniyah Allen pumped in a season-best 24 points and powered Fort Valley State past rival Albany State, 59-48, in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals.
Trailing 4-3 in the first two minutes, Allen and Ayani Cockrell took turns in hitting the game’s next four buckets, including an Allen 3-pointer, for an eight-point lead, 12-8, and an advantage FVSU would not give up over the final 38:02. The Wildcats led by only four points after one period, but they tripled the margin to a dozen, 35-22, by halftime as Allen netted 10 more tallies. ASU won the third frame by three points and it pulled within four points, 47-42, with 5:17 remaining, but Allen answered with back-to-back buckets of FVSU’s six-straight points and went on for the victory.
With the victory, the Wildcats move on to Saturday afternoon’s SIAC Semifinals. It will be FVSU’s first Semifinal appearance in 12 years since it defeated Benedict College (79-65) in the same round, before winning the championship the following day over Tuskegee (61-52) of the 2011-12 campaign.
FVSU will battle Kentucky State in this season’s Semifinals in a 12:30 p.m. matchup. The game can be seen live on ESPN+.
After she hit for 15 first-half points, Allen wrapped up her season-best day with nine more tallies in the second half for 24 points on 7 of 12 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers, and 8 of 10 free throws. The first-year Wildcat also grabbed three rebounds, handed out three assists and stole three balls.
SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, Shekinah Rachel, pulled down 12 rebounds, blocked three shots and swiped a steal to go with 11 points for her 11th double-double of the season. Cockrell chipped in eight points and three rebounds.
Off the bench Ace Stevenson finished a perfect 3 for 3 from the field for six points and had two boards. Amiya Allen added five points and Cori Barnes hit a trey. Camryn Oneill handed out a team-best four assists.
Milana Holmes led the Lady Rams with 15 points and nine rebounds.
After FVSU rushed ahead 12-4, ASU’s Keyra Peterson made a 3-point play 12 seconds later to make it back to a 5-point margin, 12-7. The Lady Rams finished the first strong with the final four points to cut the difference down to four, 15-11.
Aaniyah Allen drained a 3-pointer only 34 seconds into the second period and Rachel laid the ball in for push the margin to double digits for the first time at 21-11 with 8:19 before half. Elisa Saffold downed a triple almost three minutes later to return the margin back to four, 22-18. Leading 24-20, the Wildcats ran off the next eight-consecutive points behind four from Aaniyah Allen and two from Stevenson and Caly Cage for the largest lead of 34-20.
Cockrell started the third quarter off with a layup 32 seconds in to tie the FVSU largest lead of 37-22. At 44-30 in the final third-frame moments, ASU made the final two scores for a 44-34 game heading to the fourth.
After an Aaniyah Allen layup started the final 10 minutes, ASU ran off eight of the next nine points with Juanisha Black accounting for six of them for the 47-42 difference at 5:17 to setup FVSU’s final answer.