HIRAM, Ohio – December 18, 2024 – The frenetic energy inside Price Gymnasium reached a new level on Wednesday evening, as Jaden Hameed sunk a go-ahead layup with 3.3 seconds remaining to lift Hiram to an 83-82 win over Adrian.

Hameed capped off one of the closest games in recent Hiram history, with neither team leading by more than 8 points for the entirety of the game. There were a combined 41 fouls between the two teams, with both defenses fighting relentlessly to earn a non-conference win before the holiday break.

The passionate performance by both teams ultimately fell in favor of the Terriers, who trailed 67-59 with 8:00 remaining and 80-75 with 2:45 remaining before Hameed took over in the most critical moments.

The freshman from Cleveland, Ohio played a critical role in his first full collegiate game, scoring 11 of 13 points in the second half alone. With Hiram trailing 82-79 with 42 seconds remaining, Hameed drew a foul and made both of his free throws to pull his team within one point. One possession later, Collin Jones forced a turnover on the defensive end as the shot clock was expiring to give Hiram the ball with just over 10 seconds on the clock – a golden opportunity for a memorable finish.

Hameed conquered that moment, attacking the left lane with his off hand before crossing over to the middle of the painted area and finishing at the rim to give the Terriers an 83-82 lead with 3.3 seconds remaining. Adrian's Nick Seifert fired off one last shot at the buzzer, which clanged off the rim and secured the home team its first win of the month.

"I had to go in and get the bucket for us," Hameed said following the game.

Trent Jakacki led Hiram with 21 points, seven rebounds four assists and two blocks, while Jones was steady all night long as well (17 points, four rebounds, three steals). Beyond the individual contributions, the Terriers had a stellar night at the charity stripe, shooting 28-32 from the free-throw line.

All 28 of those free throws were necessary to earn the win.

The entirety of the first half was a two-possession game (five-or-fewer points), with both offenses trying to find their form against stingy defenses. The Terriers balanced out their production between Jakacki, Jones and Brock Makrancy to take a 35-34 lead into the intermission.

The Bulldogs grabbed that aforementioned lead of eight points just past the halfway point of the second half, but Hiram quickly got back on track thanks to its ability to draw contact, earn its way into the double-bonus and make nearly every single free throw it attempted (21-23 in the second half).

"I knew we were in the double bonus, so I let my teammates know that we had to be aggressive," Hameed said.

Hameed was the catalyst for that approach, as he drove to the hoop at will and finished 9-10 at the free throw line. He scored six points in the final two minutes alone, with the late free throws and go-ahead layup being just enough to seal the win in front of a home crowd that roared shortly after the final buzzer.

"It's a great feeling," Hameed said. "It'll give us some good momentum moving into Saturday."

The Terriers will look to ride that momentum on Saturday, when they host Bluffton at 3 p.m. inside Price Gymnasium in Hiram, Ohio.