What you missed over break: HPU Hoops Edition
Photo by Cristy Hernandez
By Ameer Tyree, Staff Writer //
The 2014-15 basketball season has continued to be a promising season for the High Point University basketball programs. Both the men and women’s teams produced positive results while students were away on holiday break.
As students headed to their cars for their drive home for break, the men’s team stayed on campus and kicked off an impressive 9-2 run on Dec. 17 with a staggering 106-48 triumph over the Ferrum Panthers. They then proceeded to rack up 7 more impressive wins over the 10 game span.
Falling only to Coastal Carolina and Radford University, HPU’s men’s team is making a concerted effort to bring back the Big South regular season conference championship home again this year.
Although HPU came out on the losing end of a 68-63 loss at Costal Carolina’s home floor, it became apparent that HPU is no joke in the Big South this season.
They sit atop the conference, tied for first place with Costal Carolina, and sporting a matching overall record of 15-5 (6-2 in conference). They’ve posted a superb 6-1 record at home and have continued to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Big South basketball.
Star forward John Brown was also named as a midseason candidate for the Lou Henson Award. The award, named after former basketball coaching legend at Hardin-Simmons and New Mexico State, acknowledges the most outstanding mid-major men’s basketball player in NCAA Division 1 basketball.
John Brown has lived up to every bit of hype when he came to HPU from Jacksonville, Florida. Brown is second in the Big South in scoring (19.0 ppg) and ranks in the top-35 nationally in scoring, field goal percentage (.552) and field goals made (128).
John Brown is a vital part to making HPU on the map as a serious Big South Conference contender. He has managed to lead the Panthers to their best start in the past 21 years.
Meanwhile, the Women’s team has gone on a 6-4 run since Dec. 18. After a rough patch in the beginning, they recovered and started a five game winning streak that ended on Jan. 24.
During this run, the Lady Panthers protected their home floor with a perfect 9-0 record at home. With an overall record of 12-7 and an 8-2 record in conference play, they are just one game back of Liberty in the Big South standings.
It has been an up-and-down season for the Lady Panthers this season. They are only one game back in the standings, but they have struggled to find any sort of consistency other than their five game win streak.
Stacia Robertson, who decided to return for her final season at High Point, is having a season to remember. She is averaging 15.5 ppg, sporting a shooting percentage of .598 and averaging 9.3 rebounds per game. On top of that, she has already been named the Big South Player of the Week.
In addition to Robertson, sophomore Kayla Keys is the other top scorer for the Lady Panthers this season. She is second on the team in scoring (15.3 ppg) and night in and night out, plays the most minutes for the team. She has struggled at times this season with her shot (only a .383 shooting percentage), but she is one of the leaders of this High Point team.
The Lady Panthers will look climb the Big South standings with two very important games this coming week. High Point will play Costal Carolina and first place Liberty University on High Point’s home floor.
Needless to say, HPU basketball is having a phenomenal campaign that may could possibly be one of the best joint efforts in the Division 1 era of High Point basketball.