The Clark Atlanta men's basketball team (25-5, 16-5 SIAC) are officially the 2024 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions after taking down Miles College 65-55 on Sunday afternoon inside Enmarket Arena. With the win, Clark Atlanta secures their first SIAC Championship since 2017 and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament.
"This is a full circle moment that I've dreamt about since I was a player, but there's still more work to be done," said head coach Alfred Jordan after the win.
Shemani Fuller (6'8''-F) led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, earning himself tournament MVP in his first season with the Panthers. Jalen Nesmith (6'0''-PG) poured in a season-high 15 points on 4-of-8 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Reigning SIAC Player of the Year Chris Martin (6'2''-G) chipped in 13 points to help power the Panthers to their sixth SIAC Championship in program history.
Sunday's contest was dominated by Clark Atlanta as Miles College only held a lead for 43 seconds. Fuller scored the game's first points and six of the Panthers' first nine to mount a 9-6 advantage at 15:55 mark. The Bronx, N.Y. native nailed a pair of free throws to ignite an 11-2 run to put the Panthers in front 20-8 with 10 minutes until halftime.
NeSmith knocked down a jumper with 25 seconds left in the half, keeping the Panthers ahead 33-25 headed into the locker room. Clark Atlanta shot 39% from the floor, 33% from three-point range, and 62% from the foul line in the first half.
Fuller and NeSmith combined for eight points to open the second half to put the Panthers in front 40-26 with 17:35 to left to play. The Panthers continued to assert dominance on the defensive end after holding Miles to just eight points in the first nine minutes of the second half. Clark Atlanta took their biggest lead of the day at the 11:10 mark as they mounted a 52-33 advantage over the Golden Bears.
Despite the deficit, Miles strung together a 19-4 run to climb back within four points (56-52) with just under two minutes to play. The Panthers responded with a 9-3 run to diminish the comeback effort and escape with the 2024 SIAC Championship.
Clark Atlanta outshot Miles from the field 41% to 30% for the game while also winning the paint-scoring battle 38-12. CAU's reserves outscored MC's 12-9 and held the Golden Bears scoreless in transition with zero fastbreak points.

SIAC Final: Miles - Clark Atlanta 55-65

SIAC Semifinals:
Miles - Morehouse 63-58
Clark Atlanta - Benedict 78-68

SIAC Quarterfinals:
Miles - Allen 66-51
Clark Atlanta - Savannah State 54-53
Tuskegee - Benedict 75-96
Morehouse - Edward Waters 64-70

SIAC First Round:
Benedict - LeMoyne-Owen 90-76
Edward Waters - Spring Hill 66-62
Savannah State - Kentucky State 87-71
Allen - Lane 57-41

Courtesy of CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

All-Tournament MVP: Shemani Fuller (6'8''-F) of Clark Atlanta
Player of the Year: Chris Martin (6'2''-G) of Clark Atlanta
Defensive Player of the Year: Kharye Cayne (6'10''-F/C) of Clark Atlanta
Freshman of the Year: Cedric Taylor (6'7''-g) of Morehouse
Newcomer of the Year: Alvin Miles (5'11''-PG) of Miles
Coach of the Year: Alfred Jordan of Clark Atlanta

All-SIAC First Team 2024

Martin

Peggs

Jackson

Moore Jr.

Miles

First Team
Chris Martin (6'2''-G) of Clark Atlanta
Walter Peggs (6'4''-G) of Spring Hill
Willie Jackson (6'0''-PG) of Central St.
Tim Moore Jr. (6'6''-G) of Benedict
Alvin Miles (5'11''-PG) of Miles

All-SIAC Second Team 2024

Jones

Price

Veal

Johnson

Poteat

Second Team
Martez Jones (6'6''-F) of Tuskegee
Asanti Price (6'5''-G) of Benedict
Isaiah Veal (6'0''-PG) of Spring Hill
Darell Johnson (6'6''-F) of Lane
Shakur Poteat (6'1''-G) of Albany St.