High Point places six in double figures in epic, extra-time win over Asheville

 

Bobby Pettiford's two highest scoring totals have come against Asheville, including 20 in Saturday's win. (Photo:  High Point Athletics)

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – It almost seemed fitting that High Point’s 2023-24 regular-season men’s basketball championship trophy was on display in its arena Saturday night. Given the two teams doing battle in the Qubein Center, one of them may be holding up the 2024-25 version of that prize in three weeks.

The matchup of the top two teams in the Big South lived up to every bit of hype given it, After 204 combined points – and five bonus minutes – the team atop the circuit was the same one featuring last year’s trophy.

Six High Point scorers finished in double figures and center Juslin Bodo Bodo hauled in an eye-popping 21 boards as High Point fended off Asheville, 104-100, before a capacity crowd of 6,214 in the Qubein Center.

“We were fortunate to come away with a win tonight,” High Point coach Alan Huss said. “(Asheville) were ready to go. They were hooked up. We had a couple of stretches where I thought we were the aggressor, but for the most part, for the 45 minutes we played tonight, I thought they executed better than us. I thought they handled the basketball better than us. I thought they handled the basketball better than us. We were just very fortunate.”

The struggle between the sides started almost immediately. High Point (21-5, 9-2 Big South) broke the seal with a D’Maurian Williams triple 21 seconds into the game. The proverbial trade of punches ensued from there. Though High Point continued to hold the lead, separation proved elusive. Asheville (17-7, 8-2) continued to nip at the Panthers’ heels, staying within two possessions for the first 15 minutes of the game.

The Bulldogs finally claimed the lead at the 4:28 mark of the first half, as guard Jordan Marsh splashed a step-back triple to put Asheville ahead, 34-33. The lead jumped back and forth as the half approached, with Kimani Hamilton banking home a bucket on the final High Point possession of the half to give the Panthers a 44-43 lead at the break.

The second half started much as a replay of the first. One side punched and the other responded. High Point delivered what appeared to be the first staggering blow 12 minutes into the period. After Marsh sank a bucket to pull Asheville within two, a one-two combination of threes from Kezza Giffa and Abdoulaye Thiam in a 30-second span compelled a stoppage from Asheville coach Mike Morrell with the lead having ballooned to eight.

The lead grew as high as 12 with just over five minutes to play following two Bodo Bodo free throws. Asheville punched out of its corner, unfurling an 8-1 run over the next minute and a half to slice the deficit back to five. The Bulldogs again were knocked back on their heels, though, as High Point got a Hamilton bucket and Williams free throw to stretch the margin back to eight points. Asheville then delivered a 7-0 run to snip the margin back to one at 84-83 with just over a minute left.

The ensuing High Point possession put the Panthers in what they thought was a comfortable spot. Bobby Pettiford canned a jumper just inside the free throw line with 31 seconds to play. Asheville had a Marsh try blocked on its final possession, but Greg Gantt snared the loose ball and kicked back to Marsh, who hit a high-arcing shot to tie the game. Pettiford’s final try of regulation rimmed out, forcing an overtime period.

“You get punched like we got punched at the end – we’ve got some things we’ve got to execute better,” Huss said. “We did everything under the sun to allow them to put that game into overtime. That was disappointing, because we’ve worked on a lot of those things at this juncture. We relaxed a little bit, and again, credit to them for having the tenacity to keep coming.”

“When you get gut-punched like that, it’s really easy to lay down and quit. I was really pleased with our group’s effort and resolve to come back, punch back, and get off to a nice start in overtime. Winning in college basketball is very difficult, especially when you’re playing against a team that’s playing confident basketball and is as good offensively as Asheville is. They were tremendous.”

High Point responded in extra time. The Panthers expanded their lead as high as seven points on a pair of Giffa free throws with 53 seconds to play in the overtime period. Asheville, as it had all night, threw one more haymaker. The Bulldogs unfurled an 8-2 run bookended by Marsh triples, snipping the home side’s advantage to 100-99 with nine seconds remaining. Williams made two more free throws to put High Point ahead, 102-99, with one more Asheville possession left.

Marsh took a feed from a teammate and raced up the left sideline. As he neared center court, Giffa fouled Marsh, sending him to the line for pair of free throws. Marsh made the first, then attempted to miss the second. Marsh’s try did not hit the rim, though, leading to a lane violation and allowing Williams to salt away the game from the line on the other end.

“Statistically -- I think that though everyone says to foul (in that scenario), I think it’s just slightly the other way, where it’s slightly in your favor if you don’t,” Huss said. “I didn’t think we could take another gut punch. That is something we’ve worked on. We were fortunate to execute it. Obviously, they didn’t hit the rim on their second free throw opportunity. Had it missed and hit rim, I’m not certain that we would have been able to defend like we needed to. I didn’t know if we could withstand another gut punch, where they hit a three at the buzzer to send it into a second overtime. I thought it was the right play.”

Bodo Bodo – while not the leading scorer for the Panthers – was arguably the most impactful. The sophomore center hauled in 21 of the Panthers’ 45 rebounds and tallied 19 points. Both numbers were career-bests.

“Juslin was just a monster today,” Huss said. “He just – eight offensive rebounds in 31 minutes, and to convert on those plays so many times, to be able to finish and anchor our offense with the lob threat that he was and the lob finishes was just tremendous.”

“Juslin’s really good at cleaning up on that weak side. Bodo versus whoever is their weak-side guy that has to crack down in that situation was not much of a match. He really made them pay. That’s something we practice every day. Bodo’s really bought into that role, and I’m proud of the way he executed tonight.”

Pettiford and Giffa each scored 20 for High Point. Hamilton added 17, while Williams contributed 14. Thiam tallied 11 in reserve duty. High Point’s bench added 34 points in the contest. The Panthers shot 51.4 percent (37-for-72) on the night, adding 27-of-33 (81.8 percent) from the line. High Point collected 62 of its 104 points in the paint, outpacing Asheville by 30 in the category.

Marsh finished with career-highs in points (33), rebounds (eight), field goals (13), and threes (six). Guard Josh Banks finished with 20 on 6-of-14 from the field, hitting four threes. Forward Toyaz Solomon scored 17 points and snared seven caroms, while Fletcher Abee pitched in 10. The Bulldogs hit 45.8 percent (33-of-72) of their tries from the deck, adding 12 threes on 27 tries (44.4 percent) and 22-of-29 (75.9 percent) from the stripe.

High Point seized back first place in the Big South with the win. The Panthers return to league play Thursday night, welcoming Longwood to the Qubein Center for the ESPNU wildcard game. Coverage is slated for 7:00 (Eastern). Asheville next takes the deck Wednesday night against regional rival USC Upstate. Game time from the Hodge Center in Spartanburg, S.C., is set for 7:00.

HIGH POINT 104, ASHEVILLE 100 (OT)

ASHEVILLE (17-7, 8-2 BIG SOUTH)

Solomon 8-14 1-2 17, Gantt 1-1 6-6 8, Marsh 13-27 1-5 33, Banks 6-14 4-4 20, Abee 3-10 2-2 10, Taylor 2-4 4-5 9, Davis 0-2 3-4 3, Clarke 0-0 0-0 0, Dubsky 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-72 22-29 100.

HIGH POINT (21-5, 9-2)

Hamilton 7-13 3-3 17, Bodo Bodo 8-11 3-7 19, Giffa 6-13 7-7 20, Johnston 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 3-11 7-8 14, Pettiford 7-13 6-6 20, Benham 0-0 1-2 1, Hildebrandt 1-2 0-0 2, Thiam 5-7 0-0 11, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-72 27-33 104.

Halftime:  High Point 44-43. 3-Point goals:  Asheville 12-27 (Marsh 6-12, Banks 4-10, Abee 2-6), High Point 3-13 (Hamilton 0-3, Giffa 1-3, Williams 1-4, Thiam 1-3). Fouled out:  Bodo Bodo (HPU), Banks (AVL).  Rebounds:  High Point 45 (Bodo Bodo 21), Asheville 33 (Solomon 7). Total fouls:  Asheville 23, High Point 19. Technicals:  Bodo Bodo (HPU), TEAM (HPU).

Points off turnovers:  Asheville 22, High Point 16.  Points in the paint:  High Point 62, Asheville 32. Second-chance points:  Asheville 21, High Point 16.  Fast-break points:  High Point 17, Asheville 15.  Bench points:  High Point 34, Asheville 12.