LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA (December 11, 2008) - Saturday December 13th marks the 18th Annual Holiday Basketball Classic between the Lincoln University Lions and the Wolves of Cheyney University. For two newcomers, the game hopes to be an exciting confidence booster for the rest of the season.
Freshman guard Sharay Dubose (Salisbury, MD/Parkside) and junior guard Damian Hyman (Bronx, NY/Harry S. Truman), have both led the Lions in scoring at some point this season. However, neither Dubose nor Hyman have experienced the excitement and intensity held at Temple University's McGonigle Hall.
“I heard the rivalry started back in the 1800's when everyone was saying which school was the first HBCU,” Dubose laughed. “Seriously though I heard it is supposed to be a really big game.”
DuBose leads the Lady Lions in scoring with a 15.0 per game scoring average. She scored in double figures in Lincoln's first nine games. Meanwhile, Hyman is the second leading scorer on the men's team, averaging 17.1 points. He leads the Lions with 28 3-pointers.
The Lincoln-Cheyney game as it is popularly called by Lincoln students moved to Temple University in 1991 in order to accommodate the large crowds that began to follow the game. Temple's gymnasium was able to seat 3,900, where Lincoln and Cheyney only averaged 2,400.
Dubose is excited about the game and hopes the crowd will get them pumped. Dubose believes Lincoln will do great if they play to their highest potential and not get down on themselves if they are dealing with adversity. Hyman said the game has been talked about a lot during the season and he just wants to see what all the hype is about.
“Bryant (Leach) is from Philly and he said it doesn't matter (how we are playing), the crowd always keeps the atmosphere upbeat,” said Hyman. “I look at it as just another game, another win we need to get.”
Cheyney leads the men's series, 12-5 and 17-0 on the women's side. Both Lincoln's men and women fell to Cheyney last year, ending the men's three year winning streak under fifth year head coach Garfield Yuille, who is 3-1 against Cheyney. Lincoln lost 71-59 in the men's game. Cheyney overcame an early 13-point deficit to defeat the Lincoln women, 82-66.
“If we go out and play together as a team, as we have been playing, then we will be OK,” said Hyman. “We can't go out there and play with our emotions nor can we play for the crowd, we have to play for ourselves and play to win.”
The Lady Lions hope to gain their first win in the series this weekend. Lincoln's closest call to victory was a 40-32 loss in 2005.
“We had a heart to heart recently which I think will help to mentally prepare the team to bring our A-game,” said Dubose. “I think if we pull out this victory it will be a confidence booster that we can carry with us throughout the rest of the season and the years to come.”
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