This is the eighth in a series of interviews with Morgan State senior student-athletes to celebrate their accomplishments and honor their service and dedication with a Senior Spotlight.
The NCAA canceled all winter and spring sports for the remainder of the academic calendar year. In response to the cancellation of the annual athletics banquet, this would give our senior student-athletes a sense of accomplishment and closure.
The eighth student-athlete is senior guard Jihayah Chavis. A native of Newark, N.J., Jihayah was a four-year member on the Lady Bears, who recently graduated in May.
During her senior season, Chavis helped the Lady Bears to a 17-13 overall mark and 12-4 in the MEAC to finish the regular season tied for second in the league standings. In her final game in a Morgan State uniform, she totaled a game-high eight assists and had a game-high three steals in the MEAC quarterfinal win over Delaware State. The win sent Morgan to its first MEAC semifinal appearance since 2007.
📰👉 https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/13/morgan-state-last-college-basketball-game-meac-tournament/
However, due to the current climate surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Delaware State game would not only be the final contest of the tournament, but the final NCAA Division I college basketball game played for the 2019-20 season.
Earlier in the year Chavis scored a career-high 26 points, knocking down 10-of-18 field goals, including 3-for-4 from three-point range in a 74-67 win over rival Howard. Chavis finished her career ranked fifth on the Morgan State assists chart with 296 and fifth on the steals chart with 217.
"I watched Jihayah grow from a player that guessed about what she wanted to do, to a player that knew what she wanted to do in her senior year. A person who tried to lead a team to a championship that maybe we could have gotten to," said Morgan State head women's basketball coach Ed Davis Jr. "Her individual willingness to get better each year is something as a coaching staff we saw, and something that eventually we began to trust. We just know with that, it helped us toward being extremely successful this year."
Chavis discussed her time academically and athletically at Morgan State.
Questions are in bold, and are followed by Chavis' responses.
Q: What was the rollercoaster emotion of defeating Delaware State to advance to the MEAC semifinals, then being told the tournament and your senior season was being cut short due to the coronavirus?
A: In the moment while playing everyone encourages each other to continue to play hard and don't give up. Excitement was in the air, especially putting the "Morgan State" label on the board. But going back to the locker room and finding out we played our last game together was heartbreaking. That moment I realized to never take anything for granted because at any given moment it can be taken away from you.
Jihayah Chavis scores in the first half of Morgan State's 68-52 road victory at Howard on Feb. 1, 2020.
Q: How did you first find out that the spring semester would end as we traditionally know it due to the coronavirus? And what was your reaction?
A: I first found out that the spring semester would end playing the final game of my college career. It was heartbreaking to me and my team.
Q: What did you do in the meantime? Did you stay in the Baltimore area or did you go back home?
A: I went back home to be with my family.
Q: While you at least got to complete the regular season, what are some memorable highlight(s), accomplishments from the season?
A: Some memorable highlights and accomplishments from the season was building team chemistry and bonding. Getting to know each other off the court was exciting and interesting.
Q: What was your time at Morgan State like both athletically and academically?
A: Academically it was rough to start off with. As time went by I adjusted with the help of the coaches and Mrs. Ross-Watkins. Athletically, each year I had to adjust to the new team and play my role. It was exciting to be a part of each team I was on.
Q: The team was picked to finish 7th and you finished tied for 2nd. How would you describe the season and how should this team be remembered?
A: I would describe this team as the team that fought the adversity. A game where we never quit was playing the University of Nebraska. Everyone played together the entire game. If everyone would have continued to play how we played against Nebraska we could have been undefeated.
Q: As a departing senior, how would you like to be remembered?
A: I want to be remembered as a great and genuine person on and off the court.
Q: How do you feel the coronavirus will affect the team heading into the 2020-21 season?
A: I don't think the coronavirus will affect the team heading into the 2020-21 season. I feel like they would have more to bring to the table. I feel like the returning players will go harder knowing that they cannot take anything for granted.
Q: What are your thoughts regarding the University's response to the coronavirus?
A: I think the University is doing a good job with refunding the students their money back. Other Universities have been kicking students out of their dorms which wasn't being considerate at all.
Q: How has your family been impacted? And thoughts regarding the limited travel on airlines etc.?
A: My parents worked from home where everyone was safe and healthy. Regarding limited travel on airlines was a good idea because limiting the contact to other people especially at International airports helped a lot.
Q: How was the online/virtual learning? Any advantages or challenges?
A: The online/virtual learning needed improvement especially from the professors. I feel like they weren't being considerate to the students. Some classes were easier than others.
Q: What's your message for fellow Morganites while they're away from campus during this pandemic?
A: Continue to work hard and go even harder knowing that anything can be taken from you at any given moment.
Q: What are some of the things you will miss about Morgan?
A: The environment of being at an HBCU, the excitement, band, I Love Morgan Week…etc.
Q: What's next for Jihayah Chavis?
A: I recently passed the Civil Service Law Enforcement exam. Now I'm just waiting for an agent to get in touch with me.
Previous Senior Spotlights
Roi Wallace
Stanley Davis
Diamond Hunter
DeAndre Harris
Dezyree Morales
Malachi Washington
Cheer Bears
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Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 126 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
