Huge Third Quarter Lifts Voorhees Past Wilberforce, 62–46

DENMARK, S.C. — Voorhees University turned a three-point halftime deficit into a runaway victory with a dominant third quarter, surging past Wilberforce (Ohio) 62–46 on Saturday afternoon in Denmark.

Trailing 23–20 at the break, the Tigers overwhelmed Wilberforce 42–23 in the third quarter alone, seizing control of a game that had been a defensive grind through the first 20 minutes. Voorhees shot 40.8 percent from the field and did its damage at the foul line, finishing 21 of 28 at the stripe, while holding Wilberforce to 36.2 percent shooting and just nine free throws made.

Shykiera Brown powered the Tigers’ turnaround with an efficient and aggressive performance. Brown finished with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds, going 6 of 11 from the field and a perfect 10 of 10 at the line, including a 1-for-4 effort from beyond the arc. Brown’s ability to attack the basket and convert at the stripe steadied the Tigers’ offense as they erased the halftime deficit and pulled away.

Nedisha Ford and Zaniyah Snow provided critical support during the decisive stretch. Ford totaled 14 points, six rebounds and three assists on 5-of-13 shooting while going 4 of 4 at the line. Snow added 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting, contributed a block, and hit key free throws as Voorhees closed the third quarter with a flurry of baskets and trips to the stripe. That late surge turned a tight contest into a comfortable margin, sending the Tigers into the fourth quarter with a 62–46 lead that held as the final score.

Wilberforce controlled much of the first half behind the play of guards Laniya Early and Constance Chaplin. Early hit an early 3-pointer to put Wilberforce up 8–4 in the first quarter and later sparked a second-quarter run with a layup followed by another 3-pointer, assisted by Chaplin, to stretch the lead to 19–13. Early finished with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 3 of 8 from deep, and added two steals. Chaplin added 16 points and seven rebounds, going 5 of 11 from the field and 6 of 8 at the line.

Voorhees tightened defensively after halftime, limiting Wilberforce’s perimeter looks and forcing 13 turnovers overall, which the Tigers converted into transition chances and free-throw opportunities. The Tigers posted nine assists to 11 turnovers, recorded six steals and a block, and matched Wilberforce on the glass with 18 defensive rebounds apiece, overcoming a slight 25–23 rebounding deficit with more efficient scoring and foul-line production.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, with the period recorded at 0–0, leaving the third-quarter explosion as the defining frame of the contest. Behind Brown’s leadership and balanced contributions from Ford and Snow, the Tigers turned a slow-starting home game into a convincing double-digit victory in Denmark.