George Town, Cayman Islands – The High Point University men's basketball team played against Old Dominion in the team's second game of the Cayman Islands Classic on Monday evening. As the team's battled back-and-forth down the stretch, the Panthers were able to take the lead in the final seven minutes of action and hold it for the 73-67 win.
 
"I thought we showed a level of resiliency and a level of mental toughness when we got down eight points in the second half when things weren't going our way," Head Coach Alan Huss stated. "We found a way to be tough and come together to get a victory and I was really pleased with that. We need to sort out a few things before we come back and do it tomorrow."
 
Site: John Gray High School Gym
Score: High Point 73, Old Dominion 67
Records: High Point (6-1), Old Dominion (2-5)
 
After an early layup and three-pointer from Kimani Hamilton and Kezza Giffa, the Panthers went cold for a three-minute stretch. D'Maurian Williams knocked down a three from the wing to give HPU its ninth point of the game as the Panthers trailed 13-9 with 12:11 left to go in the first half. In three quick possessions, Old Dominion pushed its lead up to 11at the 10:46 mark.
 
Williams scored his ninth point of the game to keep HPU within six. Multiple defensive stops by the Panthers helped close the gap to a two-point game after offensive boards from Josh Ibukunoluwa and Giffa gave Trae Benham an opportunity to knock down a three and make it 20-22. With 6:24 to go in the first half, Juslin Bodo Bodo laid in a basket to tie the game at 22 all.
 
ODU went back up by four points at two different times before the under two-minute mark. A good jumper from Williams tied the game at 31 all. With one minute left in the half, the Monarchs connected on a jump shot and a free throw to go back up by three. In High Point's final possession of the first half, Hamilton caught a pass on the right-side wing and ripped to drive his defender to the basket. Scoring the bucket, he picked up the and-one foul to go to the line for one shot. Knocking down his free throw, the first half ended with the 34-34 tie.
 
At the start of the second half, Old Dominion went on a 13-4 run to take a nine-point lead in the first five minutes of play. The Panthers adjusted and extended their defense into the front court to apply more pressure and force the Monarchs to use up the shot clock and take rushed, out of rhythm shots.
 
At the 13:20 mark, Hamilton blocked the player he was guarding from behind to pick up the steal and pitched it up to Giffa who was breaking away to the basket for and easy over the rim layup. The sequence fired up the bench and the stands as High Point cut the game back to two-points at 45-47.
 
A mid-range floater for the and-one from Abdoulaye Thiam gave HPU its first lead of the second half at the 11:24 mark to make it 49-47. High Point trailed slightly through a three-minute stretch but a layup from Bobby Pettiford tied the game at 55 all with eight and a half minutes left in the game. The Monarchs took a one-point lead for one possession before HPU came down and found Thiam on the backside for a three-pointer in front of the Panther bench.
 
From the 6:47 mark, High Point held the lead through the end. Giffa gave the Panthers their largest lead thus far in the game at 64-57 with a turnaround jumper in the lane. With 53 seconds left, Old Dominion cut HPU's lead to four. The Monarchs picked a quick foul which sent Hamilton to the line for two. Knocking down both free throws, HPU led 70-64 with 48 seconds to go. Solid defense from Williams landed a steal and an Ibukunoluwa dunk to put the icing on the cake for an eight-point lead. High Point secured the 73-67 victory.
 
UP NEXT:
High Point will play Hampton on Tuesday afternoon for the final game for the Panthers at the Cayman Islands Classic. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Flosports.