MONTREAT, N.C.— In the team's first home game since before Christmas break, the Montreat men's basketball team took on the Point University Skyhawks inside McAlister Gymnasium. A tight battle needed overtime, but the Cavaliers earned a 77-72 triumph, improving to a 10-6 record overall and an 8-5 record in Appalachian Athletic Conference action.
 
A foul-filled first few minutes featured an 8-2 run as the Cavaliers started 3-for-3 from the floor to lead 8-4. Montreat eventually went up 12-6 before 12 consecutive points from the Skyhawks allowed the visitors to take an 18-12 advantage 7:52 into the half.
 
The Cavaliers cooled from the field thanks to a 2-for-13 stretch; however, Point failed to use the poor offense, building only a 6-point edge during the span. Over the ensuing minutes, the Cavs closed the gap, utilizing a pair of triples from Tyler Murray that highlighted a 10-2 run to give the home side a 27-24 lead midway through the opening period.
 
The Skyhawks immediately tied the contest and fought to level the matchup three straight times in the following moments prior to going up 34-31. As time waned in the initial frame, Montreat knocked down three free throws, but a late bucket through contact enabled the visitors to hold a 37-34 advantage at the break.
 
Point (10-8, 10-5 AAC) shot better overall due to a 43.3-percent (13-30 FG) performance through 20 minutes, while the Cavaliers made 37.9 percent (11-29 FG) of their attempts. The Cavs owned an edge in 3-point shooting, draining 38.5 percent (5-13) of their tries from deep compared to the Skyhawks' 26.7-percent (4-15) showing. In a fairly-even frame, both teams snatched 18 rebounds off the glass and hit seven of their nine free throws. Jamiel Wright led Montreat with nine points as eight different Cavaliers scored in the first 20 minutes, and Djongo-Alan Tchatchouang grabbed a team-best four boards.
 
A 3-pointer by Darius Bryant knotted the game at 37 on the opening possession of the latter half before Wright put the home team ahead by two (39-37). Though Point briefly retook the lead, Jarden Maze fueled an 8-0 run with five quick points to extend the Cavaliers' edge to its largest of the game at that point (47-40).
 
In the back-and-forth period, the Skyhawks battled to within one (51-50), but the Montreat defense stepped up its pressure, which forced Point to miss eight straight field goals over a span of 8:19 and go 1-for-13 on their shots from midway through the frame until 1:38 remaining in the contest. Both teams struggled in the latter portion of the second, committing turnovers and failing to score for three minutes. Despite the strict defense by the Cavs, a plethora of Skyhawk free throws kept the game close, and the visitors tied the matchup at 63 with their first make in almost nine minutes.
 
A fadeaway baseline jumper from behind the backboard by Mike Flenory gave the home side a 65-63 advantage with 1:07 left in regulation, but another pair of Point free throws forced overtime.
 
Both squads traded leads early in the extra period; however, two makes from the charity stripe by Wright put the Cavs up by two with 1:56 remaining, and a massive three with just under a minute left sealed the game in Montreat's favor as the home team prevailed by five.

"We needed that," noted head coach Anthony Barringer. "2023 hasn't treated us great so far, so to be in a game like this and come out with a win is big. We have been drilling into our guys about being committed to winning the day. We went 1-0 today," he concluded. 
 
Overall, the Cavaliers shot 42.2 percent (27-64 FG) from the floor and 37.0 percent (10-27 3-pt FG) from three, while the Skyhawks made just 31.3 percent (21-67 FG) of their looks, including a 28.0 percent (7-25 3-pt FG) clip from behind the arc. Point closed the shooting difference with a 23-for-30 performance at the free throw line and 15 offensive rebounds; however, Montreat grabbed more rebounds in the game (44-41).
 
Wright led all scorers with 18 points to go with his four rebounds and team-high four assists. Flenory (13) and Maze (12) also ended in double figures in scoring, while Maze secured a team-best seven boards. Elochukwu Eze and Bryant each added six rebounds, and Eze blocked a squad-high two opposing shots.
 
Men's basketball now heads on the road to take on the No. 9-ranked Union College Bulldogs on Tuesday. Tipoff is expected at 7:30 p.m.