BOX SCORE
Reading, Pa. (Dec. 16, 2006) – Senior guard Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) scored 15 of his 19 points after halftime as the Crusaders scored 51 second-half points in a 93-85 win over crosstown rival Albright College Saturday afternoon at the Bollman Center.
Alvernia hit 22-of-32 shots in the second half helped by Etzel’s 7-for-8 effort. The 6-foot guard sparked a 10-0 Alvernia run midway through the second half that turned a three point deficit into a seven point lead, and the Crusaders lead by five or more the rest of the way. Etzel force the seventh tie of the day, 69-all with 9:05 to go on his second 3 of the day and dropped in a layup on a baseline inbounds play to give Alvernia the lead. His jumper on the ensuing possession push the gap to four and Matt King (Phoenixville, PA/St. Pius X) hit a 3 to put the Crusaders up seven, 76-69.
Albright senior Shane Harvey (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) and junior Albert Medoro (Exton, PA/West Chester Henderson) could only answer Alvernia buckets over the next three minutes and King’s 3 from the right elbow left the Crusaders up 10, 87-77 with 2:16 to play. King added a block on Harvey in the post and the Lions missed six of their final seven from the floor.
Both teams went through hot and cold shooting streaks in the first half, with Alvernia battling back from an 11-point deficit to head to the break in a tie. Albright opened up with the hot hand sinking its first three shot attempts and taking an early five point lead, 7-2, but then went cold, 1-for-6 over the next three minutes, as Alvernia tied the score at 9-all on a Tyrone Bradley (Chester, PA/Chester) layup at the 14:32 mark.
The gap stayed within a possession over the next four minutes until Albright hit 4-of-6 from the flooring including three from long range to build an 11-point lead, 28-17 with 7:40 left in the half. Sophomore reserve Phil Hall (Northampton, PA/Northampton) hit his only two 3s of the half during the stretch and Andre Murphy (Philadelphia, PA/Engineering & Sciences) finished the run with a 3, his only bucket of the half.
Alvernia freshman Zach Westmoreland (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West) converted a 3-point play on the break to cut the deficit under double figures, and sparked a 7-0 run by the guests that pull the Crusaders within four. Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) closed the run with a jumper and a pair of free throws.
Albright answered with a pair of 3s during a short 8-5 run that pushed the gap back to seven points, 36-29 with 4:40 on the first half clock. Bradley scored again in the post and the Crusaders hit 4-of-5 from the floor taking their first lead of the day, 40-38, on Westmoreland’s second 3 of the run and seventh straight point. Michael Boles (Philadelphia, PA/Penn Charter) tied the score at 40-all and Bradley and Boles traded the final two buckets of the half sending the teams to the break tied at 42-all.
Albright finished the half 16-of-34 from the floor while the Crusaders hit 16-of-30. Rebounds and points in the paint were virtually even, but Alvernia held a 7-0 advantage in second-chance points and a 10-0 lead in fast break points.
Both teams combined on a 22-for-33 shooting exhibition over the first part of the second half prior to Etzel’s 3 with 9:05 to play.
Alvernia will continue the non-conference schedule on Tuesday when it hosts Franklin & Marshall College at the PEC at 7:30 p.m.
Alvernia 93, Albright 85
