HIGH POINT, N.C. - Juslin Bodo Bodo earned his fifth double-double of the season, 14 points and 19 rebounds, and Duke Miles and Abdoulaye Thiam each contributed with 20 points to help lead the High Point men's basketball team over Radford, 77-63, on Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hercules Tires Big South Conference Tournament.

The Panthers advance to the semifinals for the second time in the last decade since 2016.
 
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 77, Radford 63
Records: High Point (25-7, 13-3), Radford (16-17, 5-11)
 
Head Coach Alan Huss: "Clearly we were not quite ready at the start of the game. A lot of credit goes to Radford, they were all charged up… We settled in offensively. We cleaned up the glass a little bit. They have done a really nice job late in the season on the offensive glass and really since our last game with them… We stopped taking it out of the net, we got out and ran a few times. We loosened up and finally made a few baskets there in the second half."
 
Thiam recorded the Panthers' first basket of the game with a baseline drive to the bucket.
 
After a 13-2 run from Radford, HPU got momentum rolling with a Bodo two-handed jam and a Kezza Giffa tough bucket at the rim.
 
Giffa found his rhythm as he drained a three-pointer from the wing while also attacking and scoring the ball with ease in the paint.

Kezza Giffa has entered the game ????#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/V91Q8Uax7I

— HPU Men's Basketball (@HPUMBB) March 8, 2024

 
Thiam grabbed HPU's first lead of the game, 28-27, after a crafty and-one, three-point conversion inside.

FIRE US UP 1??1?? ?? Panthers on ??#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/oPVLaYhvWo

— HPU Men's Basketball (@HPUMBB) March 8, 2024

 
High Point trailed at halftime 36-34. Giffa led the way in scoring for the Panthers with nine points heading into the second half.
 
"He [Giffa] gives us an unbelievable spark. It is not unique to this game necessarily though, he does it every game… I can not say enough about him and his maturity level and the way that he has bought into the team over himself at accepting his role," said Huss.
 
Thiam kicked off the second half for the Panthers with a pair of three-pointers to regain the lead for HPU, 40-36.

Fully juiced for the second half ????#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/NmZPYNU4Za

— HPU Men's Basketball (@HPUMBB) March 8, 2024

 
An 8-0 scoring run from High Point within the first two minutes of the second half forced Radford to call a timeout and allowed High Point to grab its largest lead of the game, six points, 42-36.

8?-0? run to start the half.@HPUMBB sprints to a lead!#BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/zQVp2AHqqp

— Big South Conference (@BigSouthSports) March 8, 2024

 
Giffa found a flying-high Bodo for an alley-oop to get High Point fans on their feet and the Qubein Center jumping.
 
Two possessions later Bodo threw down a putback two-handed dunk to advance High Point's lead to double-digits, 50-40, with 15:33 remaining in the second half.
 
Miles splashed down a transition triple for his sixth bucket and 13th point of the game as HPU continued their scoring run of 19-4 since the start of the second half.
 
Titas Sargiunas added to the Panthers' scoring prowess with two corner triples.
 
Duke's exceptional play continued as he recorded back-to-back baskets including a contested three-pointer to give him a game-high 18 points.
 
"We always focus on attacking down hill," Miles stated. "I know when I can get my guys like Laye, Kezza or Kimani to get open shots… it starts opening up the paint and opening up the driving lanes."
 
After only making one three-pointer as a team in the first half, Thiam swished High Point's seventh three-pointer of the second half.

Three-point game coming alive ????#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/otAUHuoCF3

— HPU Men's Basketball (@HPUMBB) March 8, 2024

 
Qubein Center erupted after Miles and Kimani Hamilton set up Bodo for back-to-back lobs to push High Point's lead to 15 points, 77-62, with 2:56 left in the game.

With the ONE HAND ??#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/4kkrTTgOZZ

— HPU Men's Basketball (@HPUMBB) March 8, 2024

 
The second-half surge from the Panthers allowed them to seal the win, 77-63, and advance to the semifinals of the 2024 Hercules Tires Big South tournament semifinals.
 
Miles and Thiam led the way in scoring for the Panthers with 20 points each.
 
Bodo dominated down low and around the glass, earning his fifth double-double of the season as he finished with 14 points and 19 rebounds including 10 offensive rebounds. Bodo Bodo's 19 rebounds tied the Big South Quarterfinal Tournament record which was set by D.J Cumminham from UNC Asheville in 2014.
 
"His [Bodo] impact on our program I really can not put into words… I give all the credit to him. He has worked unbelievably hard… Obviously he was the most impactful player in my opinion on the floor tonight. He controlled the defensive backboard, he controlled the offensive blackboard and I just thought he was the centerpiece of our defense," said Huss.
 
Up Next: High Point will host the winner of the 4/5 seed game on Saturday, March 9 at 12 p.m. in the semifinals of the Hercules Tires Big South Tournament.