Box Score

WEST POINT, Ga. - Javoris Cooks scored a game-high 29 points to lead four players in double figures in Thomas' 95-86 win at Point (Ga.) on Friday evening in the season opener for both squads at West Point Park Gym. 

Cooks finished 8-of-14 shooting, including 6-of-11 from deep, and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. He moved past former teammate Adonai Rogers at the 16:47 mark of the first half on a trey to become the school's all-time leading scorer before becoming the program's first member of the 1,000-point club on two made free throws with 1:13 left in the second half. Cooks now has 1,005 points.

Cooks scored the first six points for Thomas (1-0) on back-to-back 3-pointers, but neither team was able to assert itself in the first 20 minutes, a half that featured eight ties and seven lead changes. Each team's largest lead in the period was six, with the Night Hawks holding a 17-11 edge at the 14:37 mark following two D.J. Roulhac free throws.

Point (0-1) led 39-33 at the 5:17 mark, but coach Brent Crews' squad closed the period on a 15-8 spurt, as an Eric Johnson free throw gave the visitors a 48-47 edge at intermission. Cooks and Johnnel Ginnie each 13 points in the first half to lead all scorers.

"Tonight was a very hostile environment," Crews said. "We had to go to war tonight with a very hungry team that plays very hard. I'm proud of our guys because in the second half they stayed together and made plays down the stretch."

With the game tied at 52 less than three minutes into the second half, Thomas went on a 13-2 run, with included two Cooks 3s, in the span of 3:15 to open up the game. A Cooks bucket from deep with 10:18 to play pushed his team's edge to 73-59. 

The Skyhawks climbed within six at 79-73 at the 6:33 mark on a Hakeem Winters jumper, but the Night Hawks pushed the upper hand back to 10 points twice in the final 1:58.

Ginnie finished with a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. He was 8-of-11 from the floor. Roulhac pumped in 16 points on a 4-of-7 effort from 3-point range. Jerodd Blount added 10 points off the bench in only seven minutes on the floor.

Lawrence Castor tallied 16 points to lead three Point players in double figures.

The Night Hawks shot 51.7 percent (30-of-58) from the field, 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from 3 and made 20 of 28 free throws. Crews' squad dished out 17 assists on 30 made baskets.

The Skyhawks were held to just a 37.5 percent (24-of-64) clip from the floor and 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from beyond the arc but stayed in the game on the strength of 30 (30-of-35) made free throws.

"We have to continue to work and learn from each game," Crews noted.

Thomas hosts Virgin Islands on Monday, Oct. 30. Tip-off inside TU Gymnasium is set for 5 p.m. ET.