MOUNT OLIVE – With the game hanging in the balance and just 0.2 seconds remaining,
Matt Kirby delivered a moment the University of Mount Olive men's basketball team won't soon forget, knocking down the game-winning shot to lift the Trojans to an electrifying 89-86 victory over Shaw on Monday night inside Kornegay Arena.
In a back-and-forth season opener, the Trojans (1-0) found themselves in a tight battle with the Bears (0-1) throughout the night before Kirby's late-game heroics sealed the victory in dramatic fashion.
Mount Olive entered the halftime break with a 40-31 advantage after taking control in the opening 20 minutes. The Trojans continued to build on that momentum in the second half, but Shaw refused to go away, steadily chipping into the deficit and setting up a dramatic finish.
The Bears eventually evened the contest at 86-86 in the closing seconds, setting the stage for Kirby to become the hero. With just two-tenths of a second remaining, Kirby connected on the game-winner, sending Kornegay Arena into a frenzy and securing the Trojans' first victory of the season.
Kirby finished with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor, including a three-pointer, while converting all four of his free-throw attempts. He also collected four rebounds and dished out an assist.
Christian Ananaba led the Trojans with 19 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Chaise Smith added 16 points, going 8-of-11 from the charity stripe, while Chase Williams contributed 12 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting performance. Dante Kiesenhofer chipped in nine points.
As a team, Mount Olive shot 51.8 percent (29-of-56) from the field and capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 29 of 39 attempts. The Trojans also held a 37-34 advantage on the glass and scored 37 points off the bench.
For Shaw, Darius Abraham paced the Bears with 20 points, while Alijah England added 15 points and Daniel Lans finished with 14. Tamari Rowland recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The victory gives Mount Olive a 1-0 start to the 2026-27 campaign, with Kirby's last-second heroics providing an unforgettable opening chapter to the season.
The Trojans return to action in the 45-Classic against Augusta University in Wilson, N.C. in a 5 p.m. start.
