High Point MBB Drops 69-62 Decision at Presbyterian

• High Point fell on the road, 69-62, to Presbyterian Thursday night
• Sophomore Jahaad Proctor led HPU with 20 points
• The Panthers host Gardner-Webb on Sunday (Feb. 18) in a critical Big South matchup

CLINTON, S.C. — The High Point University men’s basketball team’s late rally against Presbyterian fell short, 69-62, Thursday night (Feb. 15) at the Templeton Center in Clinton, S.C.

The two teams shot similar percentages, 44.0 percent (22-50) for High Point (12-14, 7-8 Big South) compared to 46.0 percent (23-50) for Presbyterian (11-17, 4-11 Big South), but the Blue Hose hit 11 of 21 shots from 3-point range (52.4 percent), while High Point was 4-16 (25 percent) from behind the arc.

Down 34-32, the Panthers went on a 9-3 run to take a 41-37 lead with 13:04 left, but Presbyterian outscored HPU 22-7 over the next 7:28 to take a 62-48 lead with 4:41 remaining. High Point poured on the pressure and was able to cut the lead to 67-62 on a 3-pointer by sophomore Jahaad Proctor, but that was as close as the Panthers came.

With the loss, the Panthers dropped into a tie for sixth place in the Big South standings with three regular-season games to go.

“I think as a whole for 40 minutes, we did not do all the things we needed to do to win a basketball game on the road in conference play,” HPU head coach Scott Cherry said. “We had some good stretches, but had some stretches where we lost focus on the basics, like boxing out and making the extra pass without turning it over. We have time to get it corrected and have a big game on Sunday (against Gardner-Webb) to get prepared for. We can get a lot better between now and the conference tournament.”

Proctor led High Point with 20 points, while sophomore Brandonn Kamga added 11 points.

The Panthers controlled the first half and led 27-16 with 4:44 left, but the Blue Hose went on an 11-2 to close the frame and tie the game at 29.

Reggie Dillard led four Blue Hose players in double figures with 21 points, while Davon Bell added 11 points and nine assists.

Next up, the Panthers host Gardner-Webb on Sunday (Feb. 18). Tip-off at the Millis Center is set for 2 p.m.