By Josh Noel (@Josh_DDH)
HIGH POINT, N.C. — For the first 17 minutes of Thursday night’s game, High Point was anything but automatic, systematic, or hydromatic. Yet suddenly, in a streak of greased lightning, the high-powered Panthers (4-0) roared to life and ripped off an extended 26-4 run to seize control and cruise to an 88-59 victory over Southern Utah.
The Panthers finished shooting 48.6% percent overall (35-for-72), yet once again struggled from beyond the 3-point arc (3-for-25) and at the free throw line (15-for-24).
“I’m glad of the fact that we were able to figure out a way to dominate a game without shooting the basketball,” said High Point head coach Flynn Clayman. “We didn’t start the first half with the energy we needed for the third straight game, but I know what kind of shooters we have. I think on the positive side, if we fix that, then you’re looking at a very, very special offense.”
A flash of that potential offense came off the bench in the form of Jason Rivera-Torres scoring a game-high 19 points. Rivera-Torres missed the season opener against Liberty as he recovered from offseason surgery, but has appeared in every game for the Panthers since.
“First of all, I just want to give credit to my Lord and Savior,” said Rivera-Torres. “I prayed for times like this, and it’s a credit to Coach. He’s instilled the ultimate confidence in me since he recruited me, and I just felt just the ultimate confidence in coming (to High Point).”
Recent High Point teams have made depth their calling card, and this year’s Panthers squad is no different in that regard. The differences, as Clayman will be the first to admit, lie in how to allocate minutes with so much talent across the board.
“I think last year we had a deep team, but there was clear separation,” said Clayman. “This year, that separation is a little blurrier for me. Jason is one of our best players, but he’s just working his way back in. It can be anybody’s night, so at this point we’re still trying to find a groove.”
CJ Brown added 15 points for HPU, while Utah native Isaac Garrett recorded his first double-double in a High Point uniform with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman standout Trey Pearson also reached double figures for the second time in his college career in just his fourth career game.
“He’s been building trust over these games, and that’s what freshmen have to earn, especially when they have older, proven guys in front of them,” said Clayman. “He’s just a high character kid. He’s got a great circle of people around him. His parents played college basketball, and I just can’t say enough great things about them. We needed his energy, and he brought it tonight.”
It was a Pearson layup that brought the Panthers within a possession trailing 27-25 with 4:32 remaining in the first half. An 8-0 run made entirely by Garrett and Cam’Ron Fletcher vaulted HPU to the lead for good, with an emphatic Fletcher dunk prompting a Southern Utah timeout. Conrad Martinez connected on the Panthers’ first 3-pointer of the game with 1:13 remaining, and Rivera-Torres added a jumper just before the halftime buzzer to stake High Point to a 38-31 halftime advantage.
The second half continued the Panther run, with nine of High Point’s first 11 points coming once again from Fletcher and Garrett, which forced another Thunderbird timeout. HPU’s deep bench added further highlights throughout the night, with perhaps the most eye-popping play coming from a Rivera-Torres one-handed thunderous slam in transition.
While the depth remains intact for HPU, a stark contrast between this year’s Panthers team and last year’s rendition is the current iteration’s early propensity for turning the ball over to its opponents. The Panthers and Thunderbirds both recorded 10 first-half turnovers, but HPU’s adjustments on both ends led to a 15-4 second half turnover advantage.
“I would say that us turning the ball over is a bigger concern to me right now than the shooting,” said Clayman. “I think this team has the potential to do the things last year’s team did. We will evaluate as a staff as to how we can help these guys.”
Turnovers and three-point shooting will both be paramount for the Panthers on Sunday afternoon, when they face Saint Louis at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN2. It will be a homecoming for Fletcher, who hails from Vashon High School, and a major early season test for HPU against a fellow premiere mid-major program.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to play a great team in Saint Louis,” said Rivera-Torres. “I have played them before; they’re a high tempo, fast-paced team who loves to shoot a lot of threes. It’s going to be a very fun game, and I’m just excited to showcase what this team and this university has instilled in us.”
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