Thrilling Finish at the HBCU Classic
In a thrilling finish at the HBCU Classic, part of the NBA All-Star festivities, North Carolina A&T triumphed over Hampton with a narrow 71-70 victory on Friday night in Inglewood, California. Trent Middleton Jr. proved to be the hero for the Aggies as he converted a layup, drew a foul, and sank the resulting free throw with only 4.5 seconds left on the clock. This moment marked the first time that North Carolina A&T had regained the lead since they initially took a slim edge at the start of the game.
Game Highlights
The matchup, which served as a conference game despite its neutral location at the Kia Forum—formerly home to the Los Angeles Lakers—saw the Aggies facing a challenging deficit of eight points with less than six minutes to go. Middleton’s tenacious defensive play in the dying moments included back-to-back steals that ignited a scoring surge for his team.
Lewis Walker led North Carolina A&T with an impressive 18 points, contributing significantly with crucial free throws that equalized the score at 68. Middleton tallied 15 points, shooting 6-for-7 from the foul line, while Will Felton came off the bench to add 12 points on an efficient 5-for-6 shooting performance.
On the other side, Hampton struggled to keep pace in the final seconds, managing only two free throws from Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt after being outscored 9-2 in the closing moments. Both Gaines-Wyatt and Xzavier Long were the top scorers for the Pirates, finishing with 17 points each, while Elijah Kennedy chipped in with 13 points from the bench. The team faced difficulties as five players found themselves in foul trouble throughout the game, including Long and Josh Ogundele who ultimately fouled out.
Cultural Celebration
The event, which has been held for five years now to celebrate Black History Month and promote historically Black colleges and universities, saw both schools bringing their bands, cheerleaders, and mascots to enhance the atmosphere. The Pack Drumline, known for performing at Chicago Bulls and Chicago Sky events, entertained the crowd prior to tip-off, and dance performances by Black fraternities and sororities added to the festive spirit. Notably, artist Chloe Bailey delivered a soulful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” along with the national anthem to open the event.
