WISE – UVA Wise (6-5, 2-2 SAC) fell in its final home game of 2023 in a 79-76 loss to Chowan (6-5, 1-2 Conference Carolinas) on Monday night. 

The Cavs competed Monday without their top three scorers so far this season as sophomore guards Zion Fruster and Patrick Shelley were sidelined along with freshman guard Carmelo Pacheco. Combined the Cavs were missing 40.3 points per game with the three starters sitting down. 

UVA Wise knew other players were going to have to step up in reserve of the missing pieces and many of them did. 

In his first start as a Cavalier, junior transfer Lav Cvetkovic' exploded for a career high 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting which included a 4-for-8 mark from downtown. Cvetkovic' was clutch in the Cavalier comeback effort in the closing minutes. 

For just the second time this season, UVA Wise trailed at halftime. After 20 minutes, the Hawks led 36-28. However, at the 16:33 mark of the first half, Chowan was lost and without answers for the Cavalier offense. 

UVA Wise opened the game on a 9-0 run and Chowan head coach Rob Burke was tired of what he had seen. After a bucket from junior guard Zy'Ever Wingfield, Burke called timeout and made a line change. He subbed all five starters out and put in numerous role players.

It didn't take long for freshman forward Damerius Summers to get his team right back in the game. 

With a jumper and a rebound that led to a bucket on the other end, Summers was the main contributor to a quick 8-0 run for Chowan to get right back in the game. Summers would score all 10 of his points in the game in the first half to aid the comeback effort. 

After falling behind 9-0, Chowan outscored UVA Wise 36-19 in the half. The Hawks shot 16-for-33 (48.5 percent) in the opening stanza with 24 points off the bench, 20 points in the paint and eight second chance points on five offensive rebounds. 

Chowan entered the game as one of the best rebounding teams in the country. The Hawks ranked No. 23 nationally and led the Conference Carolinas with 40.9 rebounds per game, 12.6 of which were on the offensive glass. 

Against UVA Wise, Chowan snared 40 total rebounds and 14 offensive boards to total 16 second chance points. 

The Cavs were able to hold Chowan leading scorer, junior Daylan Askew, in check in the first half.

Askew entered the night leading the Hawks and ranking No. 3 in the conference at 18.3 points per game but had just six points on 2-for-4 shooting at the break.

In the second half, Askew helped Chowan grow its lead to as many as 16 points. He scored 14 second-half points to finish the night with 20 in total. Askew also added seven rebounds and nine assists in one of his best games of the season. 

Still, despite trailing 46-30 at the 16:13 mark in the second half, UVA Wise was able to catch fire and make it a close game. Over the next six minutes, the Cavs would make all 10 field goal attempts which included a pair of triples to out score the Hawks 21-5 in the stretch and tie the game at 51-51. 

The two teams would trade the next six buckets back and forth before Askew broke the streak with a fastbreak layup to make it 61-57 in favor of Chowan with 7:24 left. 

Askew would extend the lead to six points with another bucket the next trip down the floor. 

Three point plays, both modern and old-fashioned alike, kept the Cavs in the heat of the battle late. 

Trailing by five points, Cvetkovic' made a triple to pull the Cavs back within a possession. Two trips later, Cvetkovic' drove past his defender and elevated for a layup. The ball dropped as the whistle rang for the and-one basket. Cvetkovic' would make the free throw and give UVA Wise a 68-67 lead with 3:02 to play. It was UVA Wise's first lead in the game since it led 24-23 at the 5:16 mark in the first half. 

The Cavs held that two point lead until just 2:04 was remaining in the contest. That was until sophomore guard Preston Le Gassick, who entered the contest averaging 13.4 points per game but was 0-for-6 with zero points so far, made his first bucket to tie it at 71 all. Just 31 seconds later, Le Gassick drilled a clutch triple to put Chowan back in front 74-71. 

Sophomore guard Calen Lightford responded with an incredible game-tying triple on the other end. However, as Lightford turned to run back on defense, his shoe popped off his foot. Lightford slipped while trying to retrieve it. By the time he grabbed it, Chowan was at the other end of the floor with a man advantage. 

Redshirt senior RJ Wilson utilized the misfortune for the Cavs by connecting on his first three pointer of the game. The triple gave Chowan a 77-74 lead with 59 seconds left. 

Lightford would miss his next game-tying three-point attempt and the Cavs would be forced to foul to try and get back in the game. Lightford, despite missing a chance to tie the game in the last minute, had a fantastic game. 

He had a trio of season-high marks with 15 points, five assists and four made three pointers. 

In his first start since coming back from injury, Wingfield was very impactful with 18 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 9-for-15 shooting. Redshirt sophomore forward Joe'l Pettiford also chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds. 

The Cavs now welcome 11 days of rest before their next game. For the final game of 2023, UVA Wise will travel to its former conference foe in the Hilltoppers of No. 6 West Liberty (8-3, 4-1 MEC) on Saturday, Dec. 30 for a 4 p.m. tip off.