PALATINE, Ill. - The Harper College men's basketball team led with less than five minutes left in the first half but a 13-2 run to finish the half allowed Olive-Harvey College (5-7) to pull away for an 87-73 victory over the Hawks, who suffered their sixth setback in a row.
 
Harper (5-8) led early on, taking their biggest lead at 13-9 on a bucket from Connor Miklasz (Mt. Prospect, Ill., Hersey) almost five minutes into the game.  After the Panthers took a brief 25-23 lead, the Hawks responded with two free throws from Kyler Market (Lombard, Ill., Willowbrook) and a three-pointer from Brian Echols (Flint, Mich., Hamady).  Harper took their final lead of the game at 32-30 when Louis Erkins (Schaumburg, Ill., Glenbard South) found a cutting William Payne (Hillside, Ill., Fenton) for a layup with 4:30 remaining in the first half.
 
From there, Olive-Harvey closed the half on a 13-2 run to lead 43-34 at halftime.  After the break, Market found Brian Battaglia (Elk Grove, Ill., Elk Grove) for a layup and then scored Harper's next six points to try to keep the team in the game.
 
Trailing 66-46 with 11:46 left in the game, the Hawks made one final push to get back into the game, outscoring the Panthers 8-0 over the next 3:06.  Market had three free throws during the stretch while John Lorenz (Elk Grove Village, Ill., Elk Grove) added a steal and a basket, Simeon Handy (Chicago, Ill., Farragut Academy) took a rebound and went coast to coast for a layup and Echols knocked in a free throw.
 
Market led Harper with 24 points and four assists.  Miklasz was the only double-figure scorer with ten points, while Horace Grant, Jr. (Deerfield, Ill., Deerfield) added seven.  Lorenz pulled down seven rebounds and Handy and Battaglia each had six points and four rebounds.
 
The Hawks return to the court on Thursday for their final home game for over a month.  Harper hosts Waubonsee Community College (6-4).  Tipoff is slated for 7:00 PM.