HOUGHTON, NY— With four seconds left on the clock, AJ Bass slipped an inbounds pass to Jajuan Preaster for the final two of his team-high 17 points, icing a 68-64 Houghton Highlanders victory over the visiting Elmira Soaring Eagles. 
 
A 6-0 Houghton run in the first half gave the Highlanders a lead they would not relinquish before the teams went into the break.  Houghton led by as many as nine in the first 20 minutes, but would settle for a six point advantage, 37-31, at the half.
 
The Highlander maintained their lead deep into the second half, and a Luke Cole jumper put them up by 10 with 6:56 left to play.
 
Elmira, however, would quickly erase their deficit, reeling off an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to take a one-point lead on a pair of free throws by Rashaad Nurse.
 
Jordan Holmes responded a three from the corner, then sank a layup, followed by another layup by Preston Bax, and Houghton once again led by six with just over a minute left on the clock.
 
A three by Elmira's Bryan Adams, followed by a Houghton turnover and a jumper from Nurse once again made it a one point game. 
 
Following the Nurse basket the Soaring Eagles immediately pressed, but Bass connected with a court-long pass to Bax, who took a hard flagrant foul, sending him to the line with eight second remaining and allowing Houghton to retain possession. 
 
After Bax converted his second free throw to give Houghton a two-point lead, the Highlanders struggled to find an open man on the ensuing inbounds play, subsequently burning through three straight timeouts. 
 
Eventually the Highlanders found the remedy, as Bass found Preaster with a no-look pass under the basket to seal the game.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 68 | Elmira – 64
Records: Houghton: 2-17 (2-8 Empire 8) | Elmira: 5-14 (3-7 Empire 8)
Venue: Dix Family Court, The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 248

NOTABLE STATS
>> Houghton outshot Elmira from the floor, 48%-to-39%, knocking down five more baskets than their opponent.  The Soaring Eagles, however, remained in contention by converting 10-of-14 from the line, while the Highlanders made only 4-of-7.
 
>> In addition to his 17 points, Preaster added a career-high five steals, while Bax added 13 points and two steals.
 
>> Jordan Holmes scored 12 points for the Highlanders, giving him 1265 career points, moving him within 85 points of Harold Spooner (1970-74) and seventh place on the all-time Houghton scoring list.
 
>> Elmira freshman Bryan Adams posted 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals, while Kyle Kokoskie and Nurse added 14 and 12 points apiece, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to Dix Family Court tomorrow afternoon when they host the Keuka Wolves at 4:00 p.m for their first meeting of the season.