By Cody Stark
Assistant Sports Editor
KATY — After several years of disappointing early exits, the Sam Houston State Bearkats are going dancing and once again, it comes at the expense of archrival Stephen F. Austin.
In front of a sea of orange, the Bearkats rolled to a 64-48 victory over the Lumberjacks in the championship game of the Southland Conference tournament at the Merrell Center on Saturday.
Sam Houston will find out today who, when and where the Bearkats will play when the NCAA College Basketball Tournament selection show airs live on CBS at 5 p.m. A viewing party will be held at Fatboys today at 4:30 p.m. and the public is welcome to attend.
The Bearkats jumped on SFA early, taking a 21-9 lead when senior Corey Allmond, who scored 19 points, hit a 3-pointer midway through the first half. Thanks to the play of tournament most valuable player Ashton Mitchell and all-tournament selection Gilberto Clavell, who finished with 13 and 21 points, respectively, Sam Houston never led by less than double digits the rest of the way.
Bearkat fans showed up early and turned the Merrell Center into Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, dominating 3/4 of the crowd of 3,573 on hand for the title game. That was a good sign for Sam Houston. The Kats were undefeated in conference play at home this season, wearing the white uniforms they sported on Saturday.
“(The fans) helped a lot. In conference we are undefeated in white,” Allmond said. “That is how we took it in. We lost our two games in orange away from home. Tonight we took it as we were home today. The crowd, we are thankful to all the fans for showing up.”
Sam Houston supporters showed up from all around to see the rematch of the 2003 SLC tournament championship game, which the Bearkats won 69-66 in overtime to earn the school’s first-ever NCAA tournament berth.
Nathaniel Traylor and his wife Rhea, both SHSU alumni, made the short trip from The Woodlands to catch the game. The past three years with the Traylors in attendance, the Bearkats have not fared well in the SLC tournament. But this time around, they left with something to cheer about.
“Man, I have been here the last three years that we have come and we have gone out in the first round, but to watch them win was a dream come true,” Nathaniel Traylor said. “To go to college and watch these guys in a ton of games, then come here and watch them win is the greatest. I hope we do well in the tournament and represent the school well.”
There was one group of fans in the crowd that definitely earn a round of applause for the distance they traveled. Clavell’s family, father Gilberto Clavell Moura, mother Doris Lopez Valentin, brother Gian Louis Clavell and aunt Lilliam Lopez Valentin, surprised him by flying in from Mayaquez, Puerto Rico, which is 1,972 miles away, for the game.
“I saw my family. They just came and surprised me today from Puerto Rico,” Clavell said. “They came and it was like I can’t explain it. I don’t see my family very often.
“They come to this game and I was motivated. Tears came from my eyes.”
After Mitchell dribbled out the final seconds, the fans joined the team at center court, jumping up and down and celebrating with the championship trophy.
It was a memorable day for all of Bearkat nation.
“Seeing these guys come out here and all the success they have had this season was amazing,” said former SHSU guard Jeremy Thomas. “Coach (Bob) Marlin builds us up as a family. From the day you walk on campus to the rest of your life, you are a part of Sam Houston, this basketball team and this program.
“It is so good to see the success for future people that come through this program.”
