BEL AIR, Md. — The No. 4 seeded Fighting Owls men's basketball team delivered a dominant first-half performance and a balanced scoring effort last night to defeat No. 6 Hagerstown Community College, 87-70, in the NJCAA Region 20 Division I East District Tournament quarterfinal round Friday night at APGFCU Arena, a tournament hosted by Harford Community College.
With the victory, Harford advances to Saturday's semifinals, where the Fighting Owls will face top-seeded Monroe University at approximately 3:30 p.m. The winner will play in Sunday's championship with berth to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, on the line.
"I thought our team really came together," said Fighting Owls head coach Solomon Zurier. "All 13 guys and the coaches really bought into the style of play we've been trying to do all year. And defensively, we we're connected and when you do that on defense, the offense tends to take care of itself."
Harford (16-15) established control early and never relinquished it, using strong perimeter shooting and defensive pressure to build a commanding lead in the opening half.
After the teams traded baskets early, the Fighting Owls began to separate midway through the opening half. Tre Powell and Theo Hess each connected from beyond the arc during a decisive stretch that allowed Harford to steadily extend its advantage.
Harford's defense limited Hagerstown to just 26.9% shooting in the first half while forcing several turnovers that led to transition opportunities. The Fighting Owls capitalized on those chances, turning defensive stops into quick scoring runs.
By halftime, Harford had built a 42-18 lead after holding the Hawks to only eight made field goals in the opening 20 minutes.
Powell and Hess paced the early offensive surge. Powell knocked down three 3-pointers in the first half while Hess added two triples as Harford connected on seven shots from long range before the break.
The Fighting Owls maintained their momentum after halftime. A Powell 3-pointer midway through the second half pushed the lead beyond 20 points, and Harford continued to stretch the margin as the period progressed.
The lead grew to as many as 29 points with 8:57 remaining following a basket that capped another scoring push for the Fighting Owls.
Hagerstown (13-17) mounted a brief response behind Rafael Barcinas, who scored 15 points to lead the Hawks, but Harford answered with timely baskets to prevent the visitors from gaining sustained momentum.
Justus Stanton provided key scoring during that stretch, helping Harford maintain a comfortable cushion as the clock wound down.
Harford finished the game shooting 49.2% from the field and 40.7% from 3-point range while converting 18 of 24 free throws. The Fighting Owls also controlled the boards, outrebounding Hagerstown 44-26.
Five Harford players scored in double figures, highlighting the team's balanced offensive effort.
Hess led the Fighting Owls with 16 points while adding six rebounds. Powell finished with 12 points, and Harford's new single-season made-three-pointers record holder connected on four more from deep, while pulling down seven rebounds.
Trevon Morgan recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, providing a steady presence in the paint throughout the contest. The U.S. Army veteran and Columbia, Maryland native shot 57% from the floor.
Anthony "Tony" Pope added 11 points and dished out a game-high nine assists, helping guide Harford's offense while consistently creating opportunities for teammates.
Stanton rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.
Harford also received valuable contributions from its bench. Kehdinga "Junior" Tutuwan added eight points and four rebounds, while Donovan Peterson chipped in five points late in the contest.
Hagerstown was led by Barcinas' 15 points, including three 3-pointers in the second half. Xavier Pickett added 13 points, and Najeh Allen contributed eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Despite improving its offensive production after halftime, the Hawks were unable to overcome the early deficit created by Harford's strong defensive start.
Harford led throughout the game and never allowed Hagerstown to seriously threaten the advantage established in the first half.
The victory moves the Fighting Owls one step closer to a national tournament berth.
Harford will now face Monroe University today, at approximately 3:30 p.m., in a Region 20 Division I East District championship game, with the winner moving on tomorrow to the championship game.
