WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Thomas Night Hawks (8-6, 2-1 SSAC) battled against the Morningside University Mustangs (9-4, 5-3 GPAC) in their first game at the Keiser Classic on Tuesday.
The Night Hawks jumped out to an impressive lead early, as a 19-1 run started by a
Destiny Hill layup had Thomas on a roll.
Zyi'Kiera King hit three straight three-pointers during the run, giving Thomas a 21-4 lead with 2:48 in the first.
The Mustangs cut the lead down to 10, going on a 7-0 run to end the first quarter.
In the second, Morningside held the Night Hawks at bay while cutting the lead to four with 7:53 left.
An
Aaliyah Ringold layup and free throw ended the 6-0 run, but the Mustangs kept the pressure on.
After a minute and a half with no shots falling for either team,
Elicia Smith hit a layup to make it a seven-point lead for Thomas. However, a three from Lily Vollertsen cut it down to four with 4:15 remaining in the half.
The well ran dry again for both teams, lasting until the 1:47 mark where Vollertsen knocked down a three to make it a one-possession game.
Morningside grabbed the lead with 33 seconds left, but King drew a foul and hit both shots from the charity stripe to hold a one-point lead. Then with four seconds in the half, Vollertsen hit a layup to put the Night Hawks down one going into the locker room.
LaTarius Montgomery gave Thomas the lead back in the early stages of the third with a layup. Then a free throw from Hill brought the lead to two. However, a three from Sam Ehlers regained the lead for the Mustangs.
Montgomery made her way inside for a layup to recapture the lead, but Morningside took it right back with a three. Then
Kennedy Collins hit a three in response to tie the game at 38 all.
Next, Ringold added a three of her own to gain the lead with 5:33 to go. After the Mustangs hit another three to tie it, Collins made a layup to keep the Night Hawks ahead.
Morningside hit two free throws to knot up the game at 43, but Hill knocked down a layup off a pass from Montgomery to go back ahead. Hill then added a free throw to make it a three-point game, and later made a second layup off an assist from Collins to go up five.
A jumper from the Mustangs put them at a three-point deficit going into the final quarter.
Montgomery opened up the fourth with a midrange jumper off a dish from Hill to get the lead back to five, but Morningside refused to go away, as they made a pair of layups to make it a one-score game.
A layup from Collins eased the pressure a bit, but a Mustang three tied the game at 52 with 7:25 left. Next, Montgomery made a three the old-fashioned way by making her way to the post to draw the contact.
Unfortunately, another three from Morningside tied the game again. Both teams continued to go back-and-forth until a layup from Hill gave the Night Hawks the lead.
Hill then proceeded to take over, as she made her way into the teeth of the defense and made a layup and got the foul. Hill then knocked down the free throw to go up five with 3:01 to go. Then Hill made another layup off an assist from Montgomery to go up by seven.
The Mustangs were not out of it, as an and-one cut the lead to five. Then bad luck struck Thomas as Montgomery got her fifth foul, leaving the Night Hawks to finish the final 1:03 without their big.
However, Ringold powered her into the post to draw the foul, draining both shots at the line to bring the lead back up to seven.
After hitting a pair of free throws, Morningside came out in a press to make the Night Hawks turn the ball over. However, Thomas stayed composed and broke the press, taking 12 seconds off the clock. Ringold was fouled and while she missed both shots, the Night Hawks played lockdown defense and closed out the game for the victory.
Montgomery and Hill both finished with double-doubles, as Montgomery had a career-high 25 points, 15 rebounds, a career-high five assists, three blocks and a steal. Hill ended with 16 points, 13 boards, five assists and a steal.
Collins added seven points and 10 rebounds, while Ringold had 10 points, two steals, a rebound and an assist off the bench.
"We go into each game the same." Head coach
Jordan Booker said. "We lock in on the scout, we adjust to personnel, but at the end of the day we play our game."
"It's always good to be on the right side of history." Booker continued. "But this team is hungry and knows what we want! We have to be ready for one of the best conferences in the country (SSAC) in 2026."
The Night Hawks will end the Keiser Classic with a game against St. Ambrose (Iowa) on Wednesday, December 17 at 12:00p.m.
