Myliek Durham’s 37 help Northwestern boys hold off Rock Hill on Thursday night

There was a winter storm coming outside but inside Northwestern’s Myliek Durham was stirring up a heat wave Thursday night in Rock Hill.

Durham poured in 37 points for the Trojans as they defeated the Rock Hill Bearcats 86-77 in a basketball game that was moved up one day. It may take putting his hands in some snow for Durham to cool them off after his performance.

“He’s very capable of that,” Northwestern coach John Bramlett said. “And the thing about it is that our kids knew that he was in a zone right there, and they kept giving him the ball and allowing him to be in space. What you like about a kid like Myliek is none of it was selfish. It was all within the offense.”

What was an excellent back-and-forth game in the first half ended with the Trojans up 41-36 at the break. Northwestern scored the last four points of the half to account for their five-point halftime edge.

The visitors went on a 12-2 spurt in the middle of the third quarter to push out to a comfortable working margin. Durham got fouled shooting a three from the left wing during that run and hit all three free throws. In addition to that, he also hit four 3-pointers on the night.

Rock Hill was able to get as close as six at 78-72 with 46.4 seconds remaining in the game, but the Trojans hit all eight of their free throws from that point on to hold the Bearcats off. Durham was 8-for-9 from the line in the fourth quarter and 13-for-14 for the game. Northwestern was 18-for-22 as a team from the charity stripe in the fourth. Rock Hill hit five threes in the fourth as they tried to close in.

Andrew Barber had 11 of his team-high 28 in the first period to lead the Bearcats to a 22-18 advantage after one.

Turning point

The game was still tight at 47-41 when Durham hit a three and started a 12-2 run that put the Trojans up 59-43 midway through the third period. Northwestern still led 64-51 at the end of the quarter and it was a game of catch-up from there on for Rock Hill.

Critical

The Trojans staved off any attempt at a Bearcat comeback by calmly stroking their free throws in the final eight minutes. They sank 18-of-22 in the quarter, led by Durham’s 8-for-9.

Star contributors

Durham stole the show with his 37 points, but three other Trojans joined him in double figures. Jaquarius Clowney had 13, Desmond Walls 11, and Zay Martin 10 for Northwestern. Barber was almost as hot for Rock Hill with 28 points of his own. He had 11 in both the first and fourth quarters and matched Durham’s four threes in the game, three coming in the last period. Japree Perry had 13 for the Bearcats and Lance Crayton tossed in 10.

Overheard

“We had a lot of energy coming out of halftime and that’s something that we have been lacking,” Bramlett said.

“One thing that I’ve found out very quickly is you’re not going to go into a game and out-coach anybody in our region,” Bramlett said of his first time through the region as boys’ coach.

On deck

Northwestern goes to Gaffney on Tuesday and the Bearcats will head on the road to Nation Ford on Friday.

Box score Northwestern 86, Rock Hill 77

This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Myliek Durham’s 37 help Northwestern boys hold off Rock Hill on Thursday night."