MORROW, Ga. — The
Tuskegee men's basketball team punched its ticket to the SIAC Championship game Friday evening with a convincing 70-53 victory over
Clark Atlanta in the semifinal round of the 2026 SIAC Basketball Championship at the Clayton County Convocation Center.
The Golden Tigers used a strong first half and balanced scoring to build a double-digit advantage early and never trailed as they advanced to Saturday's title game.
Tuskegee came out aggressive on both ends of the floor, taking control early behind efficient shooting and defensive pressure. The Golden Tigers opened the game on a scoring run and built a 38-18 lead by halftime, limiting Clark Atlanta to just 33 percent shooting in the opening period.
Clark Atlanta attempted to rally in the second half, outscoring Tuskegee 35-32 after the break, but the Golden Tigers maintained control throughout the final 20 minutes to secure the 17-point victory.
Kusamae Draper led the Golden Tigers with 20 points, going 5-of-10 from the field and a perfect 10-of-12 from the free throw line, while also adding six rebounds and four assists.
RJ Walker and
Anthony Wright each added 17 points to provide Tuskegee with a balanced offensive attack. Wright also recorded a strong all-around performance with 11 rebounds, giving him a double-double.
Khalil Genwright chipped in nine points, while
Derrek Bolton III added four points and three rebounds.
As a team, Tuskegee shot 48.9 percent from the field (22-of-45) and held Clark Atlanta to 32.7 percent shooting (17-of-52). The Golden Tigers also dominated on the glass with a 40-32 rebounding advantage and controlled the paint with 34 points inside.
Clark Atlanta was led by Jared Washington, who finished with 17 points, while Ny'Mire Little added eight points and Jaden Martin contributed six points and five rebounds.
Tuskegee capitalized on second-chance opportunities, recording 18 second-chance points, while Clark Atlanta finished with 17 points off turnovers.
With the win, Tuskegee advances to the SIAC Championship game, where the Golden Tigers will face the winner of the matchup between No. 1 seed Morehouse (East Division) and No. 2 seed Miles (West Division).
UP NEXT
The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Clayton County Convocation Center in Morrow, Georgia. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.