Walker shines with 33 points, pushes Men's Basketball past Wasps

SALISBURY, N.C. — Nick Walker notched the Catawba College men's basketball program's best individual scoring performance in three years, leading the blue and white to a 95-92 victory over Emory & Henry on Saturday night.

TEAM STATS

- Catawba (5-4, 3-3 SAC) shot 52.4 percent from the field, slightly better than Emory & Henry's (2-7, 0-5 SAC) 49.1 percent mark

- The Wasps were more efficient from three-point range, however, going 13-for-34 (38.2 percent) while the Catawba Indians hit four of their 13 attempts (30.8 percent)

- The blue and white swished more free throws by a 25-23 margin, but E&H held a 92.0-83.3 advantage in the percentage column

- Catawba demolished the Wasps on the boards, grabbing just as many defensive rebounds as E&H did on offense (17) to lead the total tally 39-24, creating a 30-7 edge in second-chance scoring

- The points off fast break (25-6) and in the paint (52-28) tallies also heavily favored the hosts

INDIVIDUAL STATS

- Walker torched E&H with 33 points, the most for a Catawba player since Caleb Robinson netted 42 on Dec. 8, 2021, while logging eight rebounds for a +14 plus-minus

- Ibra Athie extended the squad's double-double streak to five games, pouring in 18 points and 10 rebounds featuring a perfect 6-for-6 clip at the charity stripe

- Kris Robinson also cracked double figures in scoring at 11 points with three boards and three assists

- Dishing out a team-high four assists, Montraivis White collected eight points with a pair of steals

- In his first career start, Chase Daniel led the way in steals with four while recording seven points in a season-high 22 minutes

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half

- Omari Curley's three-pointer and five points from Korbin Dixon helped E&H possess the lead for the opening three minutes, but Walker kept it close with each of Catawba's first six points as Robinson splashed a three to overtake the Wasps

- Walker, Athie, and Robinson drained buckets to post a 20-13 blue and white edge at the under-12 media timeout

- A trio of treys by Draven Pilson brought the Wasps back into it, trimming the deficit to two, but Catawba received timely baskets including five Zion McDuffie points to obtain a 37-28 advantage

- The Wasps ended the half on a fiery 17-5 run including a Curley trey, hoop-and-harm conversion, and 2-for-2 trip to the foul line to slip ahead at the break, 45-42

Second Half

- Catawba ripped the lead back in less than a minute with four quick points from White, but E&H fought back as Assad Madassalia used a lay-in to stretch the gap to four with 13:10 to play

- Madassalia, the South Atlantic Conference's top shot blocker, was tabbed with foul No. 5 moments later, putting the Wasps down a big man for the contest's last quarter

- The hosts took full advantage as O'Mazeon Tinsley sank a jumper before seven points from Walker pushed the momentum back to Catawba who boasted a 68-64 edge

- The squads went blow-for-blow as E&H tied it twice, but a 13-5 flood highlighted by Walker and Daniel's three buckets apiece positioned Catawba in strong shape down the stretch

- However, the Wasps rode an 11-4 run of its own capped by Pilson's three-ball with five seconds left to slice the deficit to 93-92

- An E&H foul and two good free throws by White set up a last-chance play for the Wasps that Catawba fended off, allowing the blue and white to wrap up their third SAC win

UP NEXT

Catawba hits the road for a midweek tilt at Newberry on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.