BABSON PARK, Fla. - Thomas shot 57.4% from the field and held a 77-76 lead with 1:16 remaining, but Webber International scored the final four points to edge the Night Hawks 80-77 Friday afternoon.
Devon Rainey led Thomas with 17 points, five assists and two steals in 39 minutes. Maxx Martinez added 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting with eight rebounds and three steals. Yannis Woods went 6-for-6 from the floor for 12 points and two blocks off the bench.
Thomas outshot the Warriors 27-of-47 to 25-of-69, but 21 turnovers led to 20 Webber points. The Warriors also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, turning them into 17 second-chance points, and won the battle on the glass 41-28.
Rainey found Woods for a layup that gave the Night Hawks a 77-76 edge with 1:16 to play. Webber regained the lead on a putback with 32 seconds left after an offensive rebound. Thomas turned the ball over with 10 seconds remaining, and the Warriors sealed it with two free throws with four seconds left.
The Night Hawks erased deficits throughout the second half. Trailing 59-53 with 12:38 left, Thomas answered with an Oakley Lewis Jr. basket and a 3-pointer from Amren Hoard to pull within one. Martinez scored seven straight Thomas points, including a 3-pointer that cut the gap to 66-65 at the 7:37 mark. Down 73-69 inside the final five minutes, Thomas tied it at 73 on jumpers from Martinez and Woods.
Thomas opened the game with a 5-0 run on a Lewis 3-pointer and a Derald Blackmon dunk. A Martinez steal and dunk pushed the Night Hawks ahead 24-17 at the 7:26 mark, their largest lead of the day, and they led 31-25 after a Martinez layup with 5:19 left in the half. Webber answered with a 9-1 run, but Hoard's free throw with 28 seconds left tied the game at 38 at halftime.
Shane Payne hit two first-half 3-pointers for six points, and Chris Dorbor scored nine points, going 7-of-10 at the line. Thomas got 34 points from its bench and outscored Webber 34-24 in the paint.
The Night Hawks return to the court for their home opener in a rematch against Warner on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Smith-Bonvillian Gymnasium.
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