MORROW, Ga. – On August 18, 1997, Clayton State Athletics completed a significant transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. The 2017-18 season marked the 20^th anniversary of that accomplishment. Over a seven week span, the Sports Information Office is releasing the top 20 moments in the NCAA era, one on each Monday, Wednesday and Friday with select exceptions.
  The countdown continues with the No. 18 moment, Men's Basketball Wins First Ever PBC Title in 2001-02 Regular Season Finale. In just their fifth season as a full-fledged NCAA Division II program, the Lakers earned the 2001-02 Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship with a four point victory over Francis Marion in the regular season finale.
 
Below is the original releases for the Lakers first PBC Championship, originally published on February 23, 2002.
  MORROW, Ga. - February 23, 2002 --- The Clayton College & State University men's basketball team had a perfect ending to its story book Peach Belt Conference season Saturday, defeating Francis Marion 83-79 to win the school's first-ever 2001-02 PBC Championship.
 
The Lakers were hoping for a win, coupled with an Augusta State loss at USC-Aiken, and that is exactly what they got as the USCA upset Augusta State 65-61, giving Clayton State sole possession of the PBC Championship. The Augusta State (19-7, 14-5) loss dropped the Jaguars one game behind the Lakers.
 
The win improves Clayton State to 18-8 on the year, and 15-4 in the conference, while Francis Marion falls to 4-22 on the year and 2-17 in the Peach Belt.
 
The Lakers have earned a first-round bye in the upcoming Peach Belt Conference Tournament at Columbus State University and will play the winner of the first round matchup between North Florida and USC Aiken. The men will be playing at 5 p.m. Friday, March 1 in Columbus, Ga.
 
Despite the Lakers having several leads of ten points or more in the second half, the outside shooting of Francis Marion kept the game close. Four three-pointers over a six-minute span cut into the Laker lead as the last Patriot trey by Jon Houston (Easley, S.C.) cut the deficit to four points, 81-77, with 3:03 left in regulation. That was as close as Francis Marion would get though.
 
Two key plays down the stretch, which countered the Patriot attack and helped lead the Lakers to victory were aggressive steals by seniors Jerry Johnson (Riverdale, Ga.) and Charlie Frazier, Jr. (Brunswick, Ga.) and ensuing give-and-go baskets by the pair.
 
During the first half the Lakers went on an 18-7 run over a five-minute stretch just two minutes into the game to build a 22-11 lead with 12:43 left in the half. Francis Marion bounced back and narrowed the Clayton State lead to four at the intermission, 45-41.
 
Clayton State had a well-balanced scoring attack as five Lakers finished in double figures. Frazier led the attack with 17 points, followed by Kareen Harris (Atlantic City, N.J.) with 13, Johnson with 11, Jay Gibbons (Lakeland, Fla.) with 10 and junior Jamal Johnson with 15. Junior Mike Phenizee (Pittsburgh, Pa.) pulled 10 rebounds.
 
Senior Rod Stevenson (Detroit, Mich.) led Francis Marion with a game-high 25 points, while freshman Louis McCullough (Goose Creek, S.C.) snatched 15 rebounds.
 
This game featured a strong defensive effort by the Lakers as they limited the Patriots to 39-percent shooting from the field in the second half. The squad forced 22 turnovers, while committing a season low eight turnovers.
 
Schedule of NCAA 20^th Anniversary Countdown Releases
No. 1 (July 11)
No. 2 (July 9)
No. 3 (July 5)
No. 4 (July 2)
No. 5 (June 29)
No. 6 (June 27)
No. 7 (June 25)
No. 8 (June 22)
No. 9 (June 20)
No. 10 (June 18)
No. 11 (June 15)
No. 12 (June 13)
No. 13 (June 11)
No. 14 (June 8)
No. 15 (June 6)
No. 16 (June 4)
No. 17 (June 1)
No. 18 Men's Basketball Wins First Ever PBC Title in 2001-02 Regular Season Finale (May 30)
No. 19 Women's Cross Country Wins PBC, Heads to 2012 NCAA National Championships (May 28)
No. 20 Women's Tennis Makes NCAA Tournament in 1999 (May 25)