Seegars’shot gives HPC win
High Point Christian (OT) 50
Greensboro Day 48
BY JOE SIRERA
joe.sirera@greensboro.com
GREENSBORO _ Two games. Two dramatic finishes. Two different winners. But no losers.
Three weeks after Greensboro Day bedged High Point Christian 60-59, the rematch wasn’t even settled in regulation time. Jalen Seegars hit a driving shot that rattled in at the buzzer to give the Cougars a 50-48 overtime victory Friday night in another epic PACIS boys basketball game.
Greensboro Day had tied the score on a baseline jumper by Solomon Smith with 10.1 seconds to play in the extra period.High Point Christian inbounded the ball, and Seegars found the game in his hands.
“I knew we had to get a shot off quick, so as soon as I got the ball I just attacked then rim,” Seegars said. “I got the ball with like
five seconds left. I knew I was either goingn to get the foul or get the bucket. When I got the ball, I knew it was the game.”
Seegars, a transfer from Page, finished with 13 points and had the bounce in his step that had been missing since an ankle
injury early in the season. The 6-foot-5 junior scored fi ve points in the first quarter, when the Cougars (19-4, 4-1 PACIS) set the
tone for what became a physical game with their half-court man-to-man defense.
“We just had to come out with a lot of intensity,”6-10 senior forward Edrice “Bam”Adebayo said. “I couldn’t let what happened
last time affect me this time. I came out slow last time, and I felt like I was responsible for the loss. I came out with a lot of intensity and just had to be me.”
“Being me” for the Kentucky signee was blocking and altering shots, dominating the boards and scoring a game-high 17 points.
After John Newman put Greensboro Day (24-4, 4-1) in front 46-45 with 4.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Cougars inbounded the ball to Adebayo about 55 feet from the basket. He turned and dribbled hard to the hoop and was fouled by Jaquar “J.P.” Moorman with four-tenths of a second left. Adebayo swished the first free throw but missed the second.
After an Adebayo basket just 17 seconds into overtime, the teams played to a standoff until Smith tied the score and Seegarswon it for High Point Christian.
“For us to come out here and win this game, it’s much more of a testament to my guys’ character than it is our ability as a basketball team,” Cougars coach Brandon Clifford said. “We certain feel like this is a game that can springboard us for the closingstretch here. ... To come in here in a packed gym when you have every reason to lose and you fi nd a way to win anyway,I’m really proud of my guys.”
High Point Christian (OT) 50
Greensboro Day 48
BY JOE SIRERA
joe.sirera@greensboro.com
GREENSBORO _ Two games. Two dramatic finishes. Two different winners. But no losers.
Three weeks after Greensboro Day bedged High Point Christian 60-59, the rematch wasn’t even settled in regulation time. Jalen Seegars hit a driving shot that rattled in at the buzzer to give the Cougars a 50-48 overtime victory Friday night in another epic PACIS boys basketball game.
Greensboro Day had tied the score on a baseline jumper by Solomon Smith with 10.1 seconds to play in the extra period.High Point Christian inbounded the ball, and Seegars found the game in his hands.
“I knew we had to get a shot off quick, so as soon as I got the ball I just attacked then rim,” Seegars said. “I got the ball with like
five seconds left. I knew I was either goingn to get the foul or get the bucket. When I got the ball, I knew it was the game.”
Seegars, a transfer from Page, finished with 13 points and had the bounce in his step that had been missing since an ankle
injury early in the season. The 6-foot-5 junior scored fi ve points in the first quarter, when the Cougars (19-4, 4-1 PACIS) set the
tone for what became a physical game with their half-court man-to-man defense.
“We just had to come out with a lot of intensity,”6-10 senior forward Edrice “Bam”Adebayo said. “I couldn’t let what happened
last time affect me this time. I came out slow last time, and I felt like I was responsible for the loss. I came out with a lot of intensity and just had to be me.”
“Being me” for the Kentucky signee was blocking and altering shots, dominating the boards and scoring a game-high 17 points.
After John Newman put Greensboro Day (24-4, 4-1) in front 46-45 with 4.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Cougars inbounded the ball to Adebayo about 55 feet from the basket. He turned and dribbled hard to the hoop and was fouled by Jaquar “J.P.” Moorman with four-tenths of a second left. Adebayo swished the first free throw but missed the second.
After an Adebayo basket just 17 seconds into overtime, the teams played to a standoff until Smith tied the score and Seegarswon it for High Point Christian.
“For us to come out here and win this game, it’s much more of a testament to my guys’ character than it is our ability as a basketball team,” Cougars coach Brandon Clifford said. “We certain feel like this is a game that can springboard us for the closingstretch here. ... To come in here in a packed gym when you have every reason to lose and you fi nd a way to win anyway,I’m really proud of my guys.”
