• High Point pulled out a 90-85 win in overtime over NC Wesleyan
• Junior Jahaad Proctor scored a career-high 35 points, tied for seventh-most in HPU’s Division I era
• Junior Brandonn Kamga hit a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University men’s basketball team defeated North Carolina Wesleyan, 90-85, in overtime Monday night (Dec. 17) at the Millis Center.
Junior Brandonn Kamga hit a 3-point field goal with 0.5 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. In the extra period, junior Jahaad Proctor scored nine points to lead HPU (6-5) to the five-point victory.
High Point shot 43.4 percent from the field (33-76), while the Battling Bishops shot 43.4 percent (29-65). The Panthers held the advantage on the boards, 51-40, and had only nine turnovers to NC Wesleyan’s 14.
“I have to commend Coach Thompson and his team, they came ready to play,” HPU head coach Tubby Smith said. “Those kids played extremely hard and I was impressed with how aggressive they were on both the defensive and offensive end. My hats off to them, but I can’t say enough about our guys and how they fought through adversity. We had a lot of mistakes at both ends and couldn’t seem to get in a rhythm. We missed a bunch of layups and free throws which makes it hard to win.
“In the end, Brandonn (Kamga) stepped up and hit a big shot to tie the game and Jahaad (Proctor) made his free throws down the stretch in overtime. We were fortunate to win the game.”
Proctor scored a career-high 35 points, which is tied for the seventh-most points in a game in HPU’s Division I era. He also tallied career highs in assists (9) and steals (5). Kamga recorded 21 points, while senior Jordan Whitehead, junior Jamal Wright and freshman Curtis Holland III added eight points each.
Whitehead grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds, while senior Ricky Madison tied a season high with 11 rebounds.
In the second half, the Panthers were down 75-71 with 1:15 remaining. NC Wesleyan had the ball, but back-to-back steals from Proctor and Madison with subsequent layups tied the game at 75. Chris Braswell hit a three with eight seconds remaining, but HPU went right back up the floor and Kamga hit a three from the wing to tie the game.
The Battling Bishops led 10-6 with 16:49 left in the first, but the Panthers went on a 14-2 run to take a 20-12 lead. NC Wesleyan cut the lead to three multiple times and then AJ Frye hit a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the first half to tie the game at 40 heading into the break.
Frye led the Battling Bishops with 23 points, while Braswell added 22.
Up next, the Panthers will travel up to Washington, D.C., to face Richmond in the Events DC Holiday HoopsFest at the new Entertainment and Sports Arena on Saturday (Dec. 22). Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.