Voorhees Rallies Past Carolina (N.C.) 69-65 Behind Late-Game Defense

DENMARK, S.C. — Voorhees University used a late defensive stand and clutch free throws to erase a halftime deficit and edge Carolina (N.C.) 69-65 on Wednesday night in Denmark.

Trailing 35-30 at the break, the Tigers outscored Carolina 39-30 in the second half and sealed the win in the closing seconds. After Carolina’s DJ Evans sank two free throws with five seconds remaining to trim the margin to 68-65, Voorhees guard Darius Elkins knocked down a late free throw to push the lead back to four. On Carolina’s final possession, Xavier Finney stepped into the passing lane for a steal at the buzzer, denying any chance at a last-second comeback.

Elkins led a balanced Tigers attack with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a 3-pointer and 4-of-6 from the line. Fellow guard Jermarquis Johnson added 11 points and was perfect at the stripe, converting all four of his free-throw attempts while also connecting from long range. Voorhees finished 25-of-52 (48.1%) from the field and 5-of-12 (41.7%) from beyond the arc, using efficient shooting to offset a significant rebounding disadvantage.

The turning point came early in the second half after Carolina closed the first period with momentum, punctuated by a buzzer-beating dunk from Hugo Maury that sent the visitors into halftime up five. Finney sparked the Tigers shortly after the break with a jumper that cut the deficit to 35-32, helping ignite a sustained surge. As Voorhees’ defense tightened, the Tigers turned stops into transition opportunities and gradually flipped the scoreboard, eventually building a double-digit lead before Carolina mounted its late push.

Carolina relied heavily on Evans, who poured in a game-high 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting, going 6-of-7 at the line and adding three rebounds. Enock Rosil chipped in 7 points, 8 rebounds and a block, helping Carolina control the glass as it posted a 33-18 edge in total boards, including 11 offensive rebounds. Jason Danso directed the offense with six assists and added a basket on his only shot attempt, but Carolina’s 24 turnovers proved costly down the stretch.

Despite the rebounding gap, Voorhees compensated with ball pressure and bench production. The Tigers forced 24 turnovers and turned them into scoring chances while committing just 16 giveaways. Voorhees also held a 32-21 advantage in bench points and collected seven steals and four blocks, with the final steal from Finney closing out the contest. Carolina shot an efficient 50% from the field and 50% from 3-point range, but frequent miscues limited its ability to capitalize on those percentages.

The home victory adds a key early-January boost for the Tigers, who showed composure in a physical second half that featured multiple lead changes. With Elkins and Johnson pacing the scoring and Finney delivering in the final seconds, Voorhees demonstrated depth in the backcourt and an ability to finish tight games that should serve the team well as the season progresses.