Flyers Fall at Catawba Valley

The Sandhills Flyers came up just short in a hard-fought road battle, falling 94–93 to Catawba Valley Community College on Thursday night in Hickory.

Sandhills got off to a strong start offensively, pouring in 53 first-half points to take a 53–43 lead into the break. The Flyers shot the ball efficiently early and used balanced scoring to control the tempo, but Catawba Valley slowly chipped away in the second half and edged ahead on a made three-pointer with four seconds remaining in the game.

Mylon Campbell and Titus Cunningham led the Flyers with 16 points apiece off the bench, providing a big scoring spark throughout the night. Zack Noel added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Isaiah Upchurch chipped in 11 points. Nysheed Williams scored 10 points and added three assists, as Sandhills finished with five players in double figures. The Flyers shot 46.6% from the field and won the rebounding battle 40–38, but free throws proved costly down the stretch as Sandhills went 22-of-34 from the line.

Catawba Valley was led by TJay Mills, who finished with a game-high 31 points, including key baskets late to seal the win for the Red Hawks.

Despite the narrow loss, the Flyers showed depth, toughness, and offensive balance against a strong opponent on the road.