FERRUM, Va. — The Mount Olive Trojans closed out the regular season with a gritty performance Wednesday night, rallying from a second-half deficit before coming up just short in a 93–91 overtime loss to the Ferrum Panthers at Swartz Gymnasium.
Mount Olive came out firing on all cylinders, shooting better than 60 percent from the field in the first half to take a 43–36 lead into halftime. The Trojans controlled the paint and moved the ball efficiently, building a lead that stretched to 11 points early in the second half.
Ferrum answered with a strong push after the break, outscoring the Trojans 43–36 in the second half to even the contest. The Panthers capitalized on second-chance opportunities and knocked down key perimeter shots to force overtime, tying the game at 79–79 at the end of regulation.
The extra period featured multiple momentum swings. Shane Peterson sparked Mount Olive with two clutch three-pointers, and Redford Dunton added a late triple to trim the deficit to two points in the closing seconds. However, Ferrum converted from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the victory.
Peterson paced the Trojans with 18 points, going a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. Jaevian Alston added 17 points, including an 11-of-13 performance at the foul line, while Christian Ananaba contributed 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Shawn Wilson chipped in 11 points, and Matt Kirby provided 10 points off the bench.
As a team, Mount Olive shot 50.8 percent from the field, outscored Ferrum 50–46 in the paint, and held an edge in fast-break points.
The Trojans now shift their attention to postseason play as they prepare to face No. 9 ranked King Tornado in the opening round of the 2026 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship. First-round action tips off Sunday, March 1 at 5 p.m., as Mount Olive looks to carry its late-season momentum into tournament competition.
