Late Run Propels Haverford Past Brandywine

MEDIA, Pa. -- The game was tied 80-80 with under six miuntes to play, but Haverford closed the contest by scoring the final 13 points and bested the Penn State Brandywine men's basketball team 93-80 on Wednesday night during the Lions' first game following a two-week layoff.

Terrence Brown's (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) layup with 5:36 to play knotted the score at 80, but would be the Lions' final points of the evening. Brandywine missed its final nine shots after shooting 47 percent from the field during the game's first 35 minutes. Overall, Brandywine made 39 percent of its field goal attempts, while Haverford shot 50 percent from the floor.

Both teams were hot from the field during the opening half as they combined for 105 points through 20 minutes. After the Lions scored the game's first five points, the Fords responded by netting 15-straight points in a span of just over two minutes.

Brandywine countered with eight consecutive points as James Fisher (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Darby) capped the spurt with a three-pointer, making the score 15-13. Two minutes later, the Lions tied the game following Ameer Staggs' (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) pair of free throws. Anthony Lattanzi (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) and Donte Winfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) added baskets, giving Brandywine a 22-17 edge.

Haverford climbed to within one by the 8:05 mark, but Brandywine turned up the defense, turning three turnovers into layups in the span of just 20 seconds.

Brandywine grew its lead as large as 10 points following Fisher's triple with 6:54 to play, but Haverford rebounded to tie the score at 41-41 just over two minutes later. Jonathan Logan gave the Fords the lead by knocking down a triple and another three-pointer, this one from Joe Scibelli, just before the buzzer sent Haverford into the halftime break with a 57-48 edge.

Brandywine climbed within four points twice during the early minutes of the second half before a 9-2 spurt put the Lions back in the lead at 74-72. Winfield converted a three-point play and followed with a pair of baskets to tie the score, while Quentin Beasley (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) sent the Lions into the lead with a jumper near the midpoint of the stanza.

Logan helped Haverford once again tie the score and the teams would trade baskets over the next five minutes before the Lions went cold from the field during the final five minutes.

Fisher buried seven three-pointers and led all scorers with 23 points. His 23-point performance pushed him into fourth on Brandywine's all-time scoring list, jumping two spots on Wednesday night, as he now owns 1,061 career points.

Winfield, Staggs and Brown also reached double figures in scoring as Winfield poured in 17 points, Brown tallied 14 and Staggs added 12. Staggs tallied the second double-double of his career by pulling down 10 rebounds, while also producing four steals. Fisher grabbed five steals, helping the Brandywine defense force 24 turnovers, while Winfield dished out four assists.

Brandywine (7-4) looks to rebound Friday night at Bryn Athyn (5:00 pm).