Box Score

Reading, PA (Nov. 19, 2005) – Senior guard Lamar Brickus (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) nailed a pair of free throws and came up with a last second steal that sealed a 66-63 win for Alvernia College over Montclair State in the final of the Tom Masano Auto Group Tip-Off Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Center.

            Alvernia senior Zach Straining (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) tallied 11 points, three boards, and four assists and earned MVP honors for two days of consistent effort.

            Montclair St. (1-1) nearly overcame an eight point deficit in the final minute of play to stun the Crusaders (2-0), but Brickus knocked down two free throws with 4.3 seconds left and stole a pass at midcourt as the Crusaders won their own tip-off tournament for the fourth time in eight years and third in the last four.

            Senior forward Chris Talley (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) dropped in a layup with 54 seconds left to put Alvernia up eight, 63-55.  MSU senior Gian Paul Gonzalez (N. Haledon, NJ/Manchester Reg.), who represented Montclair St. along with freshman Jonathan Arthur (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) on the All-Tournament Team, scored five straight points in 24 seconds to pull the Red Hawks within three with half a minute to play.  Alvernia senior Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) made one of two free throws to push the gap to four, but Montclair junior James Kosior (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Reg.) nailed a 3 from the right corner to cut the lead to a point, 64-63, with 14 seconds left.  The Red Hawks played for a steal on the Crusaders’ last possession before fouling Brickus in the Crusaders’ frontcourt.

            Neither team held a lead over four points for the opening 10 minutes before the Red Hawks nailed three 3s in a four minute stretch to build an eight point edge at 34-26 with 5:21 left in the first half.  Brock hit one of his four 3s a minute later and the Crusaders scored the final six points of the half to pull within two, 34-32, at the break.

            Brock opened the second with another 3 and the Crusaders had their first lead at 35-34 since a 17-15 edge midway through the first.  Three ties ensued before Alvernia took its largest lead of the game with an 11-2 run that put the hosts up 50-41 with 7:34 to play.  Montclair cut the lead to three on two occasions with just over three minutes to go, but Talley and junior Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin), the heroes of Friday night’s win, combined for seven of the next nine points and Alvernia had the eight point edge with 54 seconds to play.

Tournament MVP:  Zach Straining (Alv)

All-Tournament Team:  Lamar Brickus (Alv), Gian Paul Gonzalez (MSU), Jonathan Arthur (MSU), Seward Joway (PSU-Berks), Charlie Holiday (Newport News)

Alvernia 66, Montclair St. 63

MONTCLAIR ST (1-1)

Gian Paul Gonzalez 7-10 4-5 19; Jonathan Arthur 5-8 2-2 12; Nick Aldiero 3-7

0-0 9; Cliff Schafer 1-3 6-7 8; James Kosior 2-4 2-2 7; Jamal Ford 1-5 0-0

3; Garan Dickson 1-2 0-0 3; Elliot Solop 1-2 0-0 2; Eric Sylvester 0-1 0-0

0; Omar Mieses 0-1 0-0 0; Arthur Elam 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-45 14-16 63.

ALVERNIA COLLEGE (2-0)

Mike Brock 6-9 0-0 16; Zach Straining 3-8 5-8 11; Lamar Brickus 3-6 4-5 10;

Garrett Etzel 3-6 3-4 10; Damon Bogan 4-9 0-0 9; Chris Talley 3-5 0-0 6;

Tyrone Bradley 1-2 1-2 3; Ryan Finger 0-1 1-2 1; Sam Green 0-1 0-0 0. Totals

23-47 14-21 66.

Montclair St..................   34   29  -   63

Alvernia College..............   32   34  -   66

3-point goals-Montclair St 7-17 (Nick Aldiero 3-7; Jamal Ford 1-4; James

Kosior 1-3; Gian Paul Gonzalez 1-1; Garan Dickson 1-1; Elliot Solop 0-1),

Alvernia College 6-17 (Mike Brock 4-7; Damon Bogan 1-3; Garrett Etzel 1-4;

Chris Talley 0-1; Sam Green 0-1; Lamar Brickus 0-1). Fouled out--Montclair

St-Gian Paul Gonzalez; Cliff Schafer, Alvernia College-None.

Rebounds-Montclair St 30 (Jonathan Arthur 12), Alvernia College 24 (Damon

Bogan 7). Assists-Montclair St 9 (Jonathan Arthur 5), Alvernia College 13

(Zach Straining 4; Garrett Etzel 4). Total fouls-Montclair St 22, Alvernia

College 16. A-357

Championship game of the 2005 Tom Masano Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Alvernia

All Tournament Team: Seward Joway (PSU-Berks), Charles Holiday (NNA), Gian

Paul Gonzalez (MSU), Jonathan Arthur (MSU), Lamar Brickus (Alv)

Tournament MVP: Zach Straining (Alv)