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GREENSBORO -- Is there ever a safe lead when you are playing Dudley on their home court? Northern Guilford's Stan Kowalewski knows the answer to that after Friday night's Piedmont Triad 3-A showdown.

The Panthers overcame a frustrating shooting night and a 13-point second half deficit to defeat the Nighthawks 61-60. The winning point came on a free throw by Trey Godette with six seconds to play.

"We're still a young team, but we've already had two games just like this. We had won one and lost one," said Dudley coach David Price. "That was probably the biggest free throw of his career. But he had stepped to the line with confidence like that before this year."

After holding a 34-27 halftime lead, Northern Guilford started the third quarter with a 6-0 run and a 40-27 lead. Dudley (11-1 overall, 4-0 Triad 3-A) was having trouble matching the Nighthawks intensity on offense, defense and on the boards.

But a steal and a layup by Panthers point guard Brennan Wyatt and a 3-pointer by Chris Whitsett ignited a Dudley rally late in the third quarter. And when Godette hit a short jumper as time expired in the quarter the cut the Northern lead to 48-44, the Dudley crowd went crazy.

Still, the Panthers had to face the prospect of playing much of the fourth quarter without leading scorer P.J. Hairston, who picked up his fourth foul with 34 seconds to play in the third. But Price wasn't about to sit Hairston at that moment.

"He just told me to play smart," Hairston said, who was 4-of-12 from the field. "It was frustrating, but I started feeling it. I always start feeling it (his shooting touch) in close games. I don't know why."

Hairston had an immediate impact at the start of the final period. He made a quick jumper and then after a Northern missed shot, sank a 3-pointer, cutting the lead to 50-49 and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

"He missed some tough shots and had some foul trouble, but he's a player." Price said. "We just told him to keep playing, keep shooting."

The Nighthawks (9-3, 3-1) pushed the lead back to 57-52, but Dudley wasn't about to let them off the hook after fighting back from 13 points down.

The Panthers took their first lead since the opening minutes of the game when a driving layup by Brandon Pennix with 2:23 to play made the score 58-57. A basket by Reggie Dillard pushed the lead to 60-57 and after a Northern turnover, Dudley had possession.

But having possession and getting the ball inbounds are two different matters. The Nighthawks' Micheal Neal stole the long inbounds pass near midcourt and sprinted in for a layup. He was fouled on the play and sank the ensuing free throw to tie the score at 60 with 1:15 to play.

Dudley held the ball and called time with nine seconds to play.

The Panthers got the ball inbounds and eventually it ended up in the hands of Godette, who was fouled from behind. He sank the first one and Northern called a timeout. The second shot bounced around the rim and out.

Northern had one last chance, but the half-court shot at the buzzer was off.

"No matter what kind of lead you have, when you are playing Dudley on their court it is never over," Kowalewski said. "There are no moral victories. We've got to get better and finish basketball games against good teams."

Northern Guilford (9-3, 3-1) -- Chris McCain 12, Jacob Lawson 11, Asad Lamot 10, Micheal Neal 10, John McBeth 7, Jonathan Frye 6.

Dudley (11-1, 4-0) -- Brennan Wyatt 15, Brandon Pennix 14, P.J. Hairston 13, Reggie Dillard 9, Trey Godette 5, Chris Whitsett 3, Barry Scoggins 2.