MURFREESBORO — Mount Olive could not hold off a strong second-half rally by Chowan, falling 90–77 Wednesday night at the Hawks Athletic Center in Conference Carolinas men’s basketball action.
The Trojans controlled much of the opening half, building an early 11-point lead and carrying a 38–35 advantage into halftime. Mount Olive shot 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, using strong interior play and transition scoring to dictate the pace while limiting Chowan to 33.3 percent shooting.
Momentum shifted after the break as Chowan outscored Mount Olive 55–39 in the second half. The Hawks shot 51.6 percent from the floor after halftime and took advantage at the free-throw line, converting 20 of 24 attempts to pull away in the closing minutes.
Raul Perez led Mount Olive with 14 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting performance. Christian Ananaba followed with 13 points, while Shane Peterson and Dante Kiesenhofer added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Jaevian Alston rounded out the scoring effort with 10 points and three assists, giving Mount Olive five players in double figures.
The Trojans finished the game shooting 48.1 percent from the field and scored 44 points in the paint. Mount Olive also held a 20–15 edge in fast-break points, but Chowan’s advantage at the free-throw line and on the boards proved decisive.
Mount Olive will return home Saturday to face Erskine in the newly renovated Kornegay Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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