Dec. 31—HIGH POINT — Improving on defense in the second half and making plays down the stretch, the High Point University men’s basketball team closed out the nonconference portion of its schedule by defeating Bellarmine 90-85 on Saturday in the Qubein Center.
Kimani Hamilton led the Panthers with 23 points, the last four on two crucial baskets in the final minute. Duke Miles added 16. Abdoulaye Thiam had 14 and Kezza Giffa 12 with six assists. Trae Benham and Juslin Bodo Bodo each added 10 and Bodo Bodo pulled down nine rebounds.
HPU improved to 11-4, its best nonconference record in the Division I era. The victory was the Panthers fourth in a row and eighth and their last nine games.
Ben Johnson topped Bellarmine (4-11) with 32 points, one off his career high. He scored 21 of them in the first half on 9 of 13 shooting as the Knights shot 60 percent.
The Panthers toughened their defense in the second half, holding the Knights to just 10 of 26 as Hamilton and others kept Johnson from being much of a factor until the last two minutes.
HPU enjoyed its biggest lead in the second half at 75-64, the product of a quick 8-1 run that was capped by Miles picking a steal and driving for a layup with 8:34 left. The Knights clawed back and moved within one possession when Peter Suder canned a 3, the last of his 18 points with 1:21 left.
Hamilton responded with a baseline drive and layup. After two Bellarmine free throws, Mile responded to a double-team in the paint with a pass to Hamilton, who dropped the ball in the bucket. Johnson cut the margin to 3 again when he hit two free throws with 13.5 seconds left.
Benham hit two foul shots with 12.5 seconds to go, upping the lead to 90-85. The Knights misfired on their final possession and HPU ran out the clock.
HPU opens conference play on Wednesday at Radford.
