They were tested in their home gym Tuesday night, but Hilton Head Prep’s go-to guys found a way to survive a tough battle. JJ Hayes, Sean Cusano, and Kane Eanes put up 16 points apiece in a balanced effort, and the Dolphins held off a gritty St. Andrew’s squad 56-51 to hand the Lions their first loss of the season.
Hilton Head Prep jumped out to a solid lead early, as Connor Campbell buried a Hayes feed from three-point range before Cusano pounced to the rim for a pair of layups to build the lead to 9-3. St. Andrew’s phenom guard Zyere Edwards scored the Lions’ first seven points including a crafty finish at the rim to cut the lead to 9-7, but a Hayes triple and an Eanes layup helped the Dolphins finish the first period on a 7-2 run.
The Lions turned up the defensive intensity in the second quarter and forced a rash of HHP turnovers leading to easy buckets at the other end. Zyere Edwards seized the momentum and splashed a step-back three to tie the game at 16 before brother Zayden Edwards hit one of his own for the Lions’ first lead of the contest. Hilton Head Prep jumped back ahead with a Cusano triple thanks to a Campbell assist, but St. Andrew’s closed the half on an 8-0 burst to take a 29-24 lead into the halftime break.
It didn’t take long after the intermission for the Dolphins to surge back in front, as Eanes scored on a putback before Cusano rattled off five straight points including a corner three to spring the student section to life and give his team a 36-35 edge. Then Eanes found the hot stroke from distance, draining a pair of triples to build the lead to 42-39 heading into the fourth quarter. The Dolphin defense was dialed-in to start the final period, forcing a pair of missed shots before a Ben Frey steal helped spark a pair of Eanes free throws. Frey carried his stellar effort to the offensive side with a dazzling layup, and Hayes followed it up with a thunderous two-handed dunk to thrill an electric home crowd and put his team up 50-43.
But the Lions continued to battle, and immediately found the spark they needed to get right back in the game. Zyere sank a deep three-pointer as a foul was called, and the stellar junior hit both shots of a 1-and-1 to complete a rare five-point possession and swing the momentum in the other direction. St. Andrew’s had a chance to complete the comeback, but a pair of missed jumpers kept the Dolphins in front before Cusano sank a quartet of massive free throws to go up by six. Zyere added some late drama with a triple from the top of the key, but Eanes calmly drained both free throws with 5.9 seconds left to seal the hard-fought victory.
Cusano made enormous impacts on both ends to lead the Dolphins, scoring 16 points alongside 14 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Hayes added a double-double of his own with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, while Eanes impressed with 16 points, six boards, and two assists.
Zyere Edwards showed off his terrific quickness and shooting ability all night long for St. Andrew’s, as the former Bethesda Academy Blazer led all scorers with 24 points.
Hilton Head Prep (4-1) hits the road Friday to face Augusta Christian in a weekend tournament.
By Wes Kerr
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