LOS ANGELES – From a rough night to a great night, Trent Middleton Jr. never let his struggles define his performance.
Despite shooting 4-for-13 from the field, North Carolina A&T’s junior guard never lost his aggression, never lost his confidence, and most importantly, never lost his readiness for the moment that gave the Aggies a 71-70 victory over Hampton University in the fifth HBCU Classic during NBA All-Star Weekend.
With under a minute remaining and North Carolina A&T still searching for its first lead since the opening seconds, Middleton delivered on both ends of the Kia Forum floor. He jumped a passing lane and came away with one of the Aggies’ most critical steals of the night, igniting the defensive pressure that quickly kept them alive after trailing by eight points in the closing minutes.
Moments later, with the defense scrambling and the clock working against the Aggies, Middleton attacked the rim at full speed. Absorbing contact in midair, he elevated and finished an acrobatic go-ahead layup that gave the Aggies their first lead since the 41 seconds into the game – and ultimately, the win. His free throw completed the decisive three-point play with 4.5 seconds left on the clock.
“I practice those types of aerial layups all the time,” Middleton said. “When I was going to the rim, I had my eyes on it the whole time. I knew I had to finish through the contact.”
It was a defining sequence in a game where Middleton’s impact went far beyond his shooting numbers. While the stat sheet showed his poor shooting, it couldn’t measure the defensive intensity and resilience he displayed down the stretch to help force Hampton into mistakes at the worst possible time.
The Aggies’ full-court press became their greatest weapon when they needed it most. They applied relentless pressure that resulted in three forced turnovers in the closing moments. Middleton accounted for two of them, while redshirt freshman Lewis Walker delivered another crucial steal that helped set the stage for the comeback.
Walker, who has been the Aggies’ most reliable offensive presence all season, demonstrated why he has earned that trust. As a redshirt freshman, he has already established himself as the team’s go-to scorer, leading North Carolina A&T in scoring in 18 of their 24 games.
Just days earlier, he cemented his place in program history by breaking the record for most points scored by a freshman. But his performance wasn’t defined by scoring alone. His defensive awareness, composure, and ability to execute under pressure reflected a maturity beyond his years.
For nearly the entire game, North Carolina A&T found itself fighting uphill. Their only lead before Middleton’s late heroics came just seconds after tip-off. Yet possession after possession, stop after stop, they remained within striking distance. There was no panic, only persistence.
Additionally, head coach Monte Ross saw that resolve in his team from start to finish.
“We didn’t let our offense be affected by our defense,” he said. “We signed up for 40 minutes, and that’s what we’re going to give every single night.”
The steals. The stops. Middleton’s fearless drive to the rim. In the game’s defining moments, North Carolina A&T didn’t fold under pressure; they rose to meet it.
Copy edited by Professor Ron Thomas.
