Hamilton Heights defeated American Basketball Institute (ABI), a post-grad program from Atlanta coached by former University of Georgia and NBA star Litterial Green, by 88-73 on Tuesday night.
The game was marred by 41 fouls and 69 free throws.
The Hawks’ highly touted post, 6-foot-11-inch Addulhakim Ado, was saddled with foul trouble most of the game and was held to six points in about six minutes of playing time.
ABI opened a 10-5 early in the first quarter, but the Hawks went on a 13-2 run and never looked back.
The Hawks opened a 22-point lead late in the third quarter, but ABI was able to cut the spread to eight with just under three minutes to play.
A put-back dunk by Joan Duran and two free throws by Milos Andjelic enabled the Hawks to regain a double-digit lead and went on to post the 15-point victory.
Hamilton Heights was led by junior shooting guard Ezekiel Balogun’s 20 points.
Sophomore Silas Adheke added 19 points and senior Strahinja Micakovic had 14, including four 3-pointers.
Summary
American Basketball Institute 12 16 16 19 – 73
Hamilton Heights 18 22 25 23 – 88
ABI (73) – Padam, Kyle Wallace 17, Burgess 5, Medina 9, Brandon Miller 15, Jarrod Hamilton 19, Beatty 6, Manfield, Jamersen 2.
Hamilton Heights (88) – Duran 6, Banys, Ado 6, Ezekiel Balogun 20, Strahinja Micakovic 14, McCartney 5, Andjelic 8, Olatunji 6, Silas Adheke 19, Massengill 4, Abubakar.
3-Point Goals: ABI 3 (Wallace 3), Hamilton Heights 6 (Micakovic 4, Adheke, Massengill).
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)