CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens fell 84-70 to the Conference Carolinas leading Mount Olive Trojans Monday afternoon in Mount Olive, N.C. The loss drops Queens to 5-9 overall and 2-5 in league play. The win extends a Mount Olive streak to to six and improves them to a perfect 8-0 in conference action and 11-4 overall.
Mount Olive saw a seven-point halftime lead narrowed down to three early in the second half before Brandon Allen's three-pointer highlighted an 11-2 run for the Trojans. Kendrick Easley capped the run with a pair of free throws to give Mount Olive a 58-45 advantage with 10:01 left in the contest.
Mount Olive still had a 12-point lead when Queens point guard Sean Eads (Greenville, S.C., Eastside) found Daniel Bailey (Irmo, S.C., Hammond ) for an alley-oop slam dunk with 8:16 remaining, triggering a series of big plays in a span of 36 seconds. Easley hit a three-pointer on Mount Olive's next possession, but Reggie Hopkins answered with a three as the Royals pulled within 64-54 with 7:40 left to play.
Queens cut the margin to single digits, but Craig Hayes muscled a shot off the left glass with 5:58 remaining after Trojan point guard Derek Staton threaded a bounce pass through three Royal defenders. Devon Seaford (Charlotte, N.C., Hope Christian Academy) cut Mount Olive's lead to 68-61 with a three-pointer, but Easley hit his fourth three-pointer of the game with 4:14 remaining and the Trojans maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.
Mount Olive built the lead to 14 points on a possession that saw the Trojans take five shots as Easley and Hayes pulled down two offensive rebounds apiece. Hayes finished with a tip-in of his own missed shot. The lead grew to as many as 15 points before both teams began emptying their benches in the final minute.
Mount Olive trailed by as many as four points midway through the first half before Allen hit a pair of three-pointers 22 seconds apart to cap an 8-0 run and give the Trojans a 20-16 lead with 10:47 left. Mount Olive built the lead to six before Andre Lockhart's (St. James, Barbados, Coleridge and Pany) layup with 4:12 remaining put Queens back on top 33-31.
Easley's three-point play on Mount Olive's next possession put the Trojans ahead to stay. Easley scored seven points in a 9-0 run to end the half and give Mount Olive a 40-33 advantage at the break.
Eads hit a pair of free throws for Queens to start the second half and Bailey's basket with 17:57 left pulled the Royals within 40-37. Queens limited Mount Olive to one field goal for the first four-plus minutes of the second half, but the margin would never fall below three points.
Allen finished with 16 points and six rebounds for Mount Olive, while Mike Holloman added 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Allen and Easley each hit four three-pointers. Staton, who shared game-high honors with five assists, pulled down six rebounds as the Trojans won the battle of the boards 52-37. Hayes was 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
Bailey led Queens with 16 points, six rebounds and a game-high four blocked shots. Hopkins added 14 points for the Royals.
Monday's contest was Mount Olive's first game against Queens since former Royal standout Akeem Miskdeen joined the Trojan coaching staff.
Queens plays host to Lees-McRae Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Carolinas action. Mount Olive returns to action Thursday as the Trojans play host to Barton in a Conference Carolinas match-up at Kornegay Arena. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.
