Williams’ 33 powers Reinhardt past Montreat in 70-69 comeback win

WALESKA, Ga. — Reinhardt University erased a double-digit second-half deficit behind a dominant performance from Tee Williams, edging Montreat 70-69 on Saturday afternoon at Brown Athletic Center in a nonconference thriller.

Williams delivered a game-high 33 points and 12 rebounds, capping his night with a driving layup that gave the Eagles a 69-65 lead with 1:10 remaining. After Montreat’s Mike Wade answered with a 3-pointer to pull the visitors within 69-68 with 54 seconds left, Reinhardt’s late-game composure at the free-throw line proved decisive. AJ Shaw sank two foul shots with 16 seconds remaining to push the margin to 70-68, and the Eagles held on after Montreat’s final possession came up empty.

Montreat controlled much of the afternoon, building a 33-28 halftime lead and stretching the advantage to 40-30 early in the second half on two Wade free throws at the 17:03 mark. The Cavaliers used perimeter shooting and late first-half execution to seize momentum, with Owen Stewart’s 3-pointer pushing the lead to 30-23 and Amare Elshoush knocking down a jumper to make it 33-26 before the break.

Reinhardt responded after halftime by tightening up defensively and attacking the glass. The Eagles forced 15 Montreat turnovers while committing just nine and finished with a 39-34 rebounding edge, including 13 offensive boards that helped extend key possessions. Williams and Derrick Brown were central to that surge, combining for 23 rebounds and repeatedly converting second-chance opportunities to chip away at the deficit.

Brown posted a double-double of his own with 12 points and 11 rebounds, adding two blocks and two steals while going 6-for-6 at the foul line. As a team, Reinhardt capitalized at the stripe, hitting 22 of 25 free throws (88 percent) to offset a cold night from beyond the arc, where the Eagles were just 2-for-18. Williams, in particular, was nearly automatic, finishing 11-for-12 at the line and 10-for-17 from the field, including 2-for-3 on 3-pointers in 37 minutes.

Montreat countered with balanced scoring and efficient shooting, going 45.5 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from 3-point range. Stewart led the Cavaliers with 16 points and three 3-pointers, while Wade added 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. Lawrence Cole scored 15 points and went 9-for-12 at the line, including a free throw with 12 seconds left that cut Reinhardt’s lead to 70-69, but Montreat could not convert a go-ahead basket in the closing seconds.

In front of an announced crowd of 250, Reinhardt’s late defensive stands and interior presence turned what appeared to be a comfortable Montreat advantage into a statement comeback. The Eagles outscored the Cavaliers 42-36 in the second half, using physical play inside, timely stops and Williams’ go-to scoring to secure the one-point win at home.