Staff report

SALISBURY — Wingate’s men’s basketball team made 18 of 20 free throws and 13 3-pointers — and still lost.

That’s how good the Catawba Indians were on Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym.

Catawba shot 53 percent from the field and took an exciting 96-95 South Atlantic Conference battle between two upper-tier teams.

Unfortunately the students were on break, and only 62 fans witnessed it.

The decisive points for the Indians (7-4, 3-1), who bounced back from a disappointing home loss to Coker, came on a dunk by Adrian Scarborough with 21 seconds left. Javeon Jones made the pass.

DeAngelo Epps scored 21 for the Indians.O’Mazeon Tinsley scored 12, Ray Kowalski had 11, and Jones and Jerom Bivins had 10 each.

Wingate led early, but after a 9-0 run turned things around, Catawba pushed to a 51-44 halftime lead.

Wingate trailed by double digits early in the second half, but made a run and tied the game at 85-all with 5:45 left. A 3-pointer by Andreas Wilson gave the Bulldogs (5-4, 3-1) an 88-85 lead with 4:53 left.

The Bulldogs led 94-93 when Scarborough made his go-ahead dunk for the Indians.

Wingate didn’t score in the last 1:19.

Sean Elmore made six 3-pointers and scored 20 for the Bulldogs.

Catawba will return from the Christmas break with a home game against Virginia Union on Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.

Wingate 44  51   — 95

Catawba  51  45  — 96

Wingate — Elmore 20, Clark 18, Wilson 13, Roberts 12, Cottingham 11, Greenidge 10, Nixon 7, Lettino 4.

Catawba — Epps 21, Tinsley 12, Kowalski 11, Scarborough 10, Jones 10, Bivins 10, Gerald 8, Wallace 6, Nelson 5, Robinson 3.