Highlanders Win Double Overtime Thriller at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Senior Brandon Jeffers nailed a long three-pointer just before the buzzer in the first overtime period, and then made the go-ahead layup with 2:05 left in the second overtime to lift Radford to a thrilling 92-87 win over High Point Wednesday night in Big South Conference men's basketball action the Millis Center. (Box Score)

High Point (12-16, 7-8 Big South) trailed 63-50 with less than eight minutes left in regulation, but used a 13-1 run to rally and eventually force the second overtime game between the teams this season.

Jeffers and junior Andre Bynum each scored a career-high 21 points for the Highlanders (11-15, 6-9). Senior Jerry Echenique led HPU with a career-best 23 points. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for RU.

Junior Akeem Scott contributed 20 points and senior Zione White added 15 points for HPU, which got a double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds, plus six assists) from freshman Arizona Reid.

Sophomore Chris Oliver and senior Olumuyiwa Popoola added 14 points apiece for the victorious Highlanders. Bynum tallied a game-high seven assists.

High Point trailed 33-32 at halftime, and did not lead in regulation, but held RU without a field-goal over a five minute span late in the second half to get within 64-63 when Reid hit a layup with 2:54 left in the second half.

Radford got a free throw from Popoola for a four-point lead at 68-64 with 2:01 to go, but White hit a pair of free throws with 1:51 left and senior Danny Gathings made two foul shots with 27.3 seconds left to tie the game at 68-68.

Freshman Dan Ross missed a three from the top of the key and then Jeffers' off-balance put-back from 18 feet bounced away to send things to overtime.

High Point took its first lead of the game (70-68) on two free throws by White with 4:19 left in the first overtime. The Panthers did not trail in the first extra period, and led 79-75 with 17.7 seconds left after Scott drained a pair of free throws.

Radford freshman Josh Fox brought the Highs within 79-78 on his three from the left corner with 6.7 seconds to go, and Scott was fouled with 5.6 seconds left. He hit both his free throws for an 81-78 Panther edge, but Jeffers' tying shot from 23 feet away swished through and sent the game to a second overtime.

The lead changed hands three times in the second bonus period, and High Point claimed its final advantage when White scored on a driving layup with 2:12 to play to push the Panthers in front, 87-86. But Jeffers helped the Highlanders re-take the lead with a layup of his own at the other end, and the Panthers missed their final five shots of the contest.

Jeffers' three-pointer with 27.8 seconds left stretched it to a two-possession game, and Ross' free-throw with 14.2 seconds left iced a season sweep for Radford.

The Highlanders had claimed a wild 85-83 overtime win on Jan. 22 in the Dedmon Center in the first meeting between the teams after junior Whit Holcomb-Faye's 55-foot desperation heave at the buzzer bounced off the rim and through.

The game was the final home regular-season contest for five Panther seniors: Echenique, White, Gathings, Patrick Hilliman and Chris Meeks.

The Panthers finish the regular season Saturday at VMI (1:00 pm), while Radford entertains UNC Asheville Saturday night (7:00 pm) on Senior night at the Dedmon Center. Brackets for next week’s 2005 Advance Auto Parts Big South Tournament will be released late Saturday evening.