For three (points)... Choiby!

Diana Choibekova (in white) stole the show Saturday with 24 points, including five treys, to help defeat UNCA by 16 points. She is currently first nationally in three-pointers made per game. Photo by Sarah Auvil By David Thackham
thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman. Winthrop’s junior guard Diana Choibekova defied her recent poor performances Saturday to strike 24 points against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, including five from beyond the arc (50% field goal percentage) and helped the Eagles (8-8, 2-2 Big South Conference) coast to a 84-68 victory at home. The five three-pointers help Choibekova’s case to become the national leader in three-pointers per game in Division I. The transfer from Daytona State College currently has 3.9 three pointers on average in each contest. Although most of the plaudits will go to her point total, Choibekova’s 11 rebounds made the difference in setting up a high-paced transition offense that accounted for 33 points off of turnovers and 13 off the fast break. 

A 13-2 tear early in the first half with Choibekova scoring nine within two minutes set the scene, despite the Bulldogs’ Grace Blaylock (23 points) keeping the visitors close.  

Asheville found redemption on the tips of their tongues as the first half waned into the second. They shot a perfect 10-10 from the foul stripe in the second half, combined with Kelli Riles finding success in the Winthrop paint. Yet strong will was rewarded for Winthrop, who regained their lead instantaneously with a 22-6 run from 9:26- 3:42 left in the game, including 11 from sophomore guard Dequesha McClanahan. 

“It was a game of runs,” said Choibekova after the game. “We had everyone scoring, which was good. I was trying to get rebounds and play good defense so I could play better offense.”

“We knew [Asheville] would increase their intensity after being down,” said Coach Stollings. “But I kept telling our young ladies that we’ve got to get harder on defense. Full credit to Choiby, she had a ton of rebounds. I’m just as proud of that as I am about the scoring. Q [McClanahan] and Samiya found a lot of people in transition.”

Choibekova acknowledges her national ranking, but says it won’t be a distraction for her on game days. 

“I’m playing my own game, so it doesn’t matter to me,” she said. “I’m just chilling.”

History shines favorably on Winthrop, who is now 6-1 against UNCA (6-10, 2-3 BSC) in the last seven meetings between the foes. 

With the loss, UNCA now drops to 0-8 on the road this season. 

Winthrop’s second win in a week catapults the Eagles from 6th to 4th in the conference standings, with a game in hand over league leaders High Point and Charleston Southern.