BOX SCORE
Reading, Pa. (February 23, 2007) – Senior guard Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) and sophomore forward Terrence Shawell (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) combined to shoot 7-for-9 from 3-point range to lead top-seeded Alvernia College to a 70-55 win over #3 Immaculata University Friday evening in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Championship Final at the Physical Education Center.
Etzel finished the night with 18 points and earned Most Valuable Player honors for the Championship. Shawell hit a game-sealing 3 with 3:15 to play and finished the night with a game-high 19 points. Freshman forward Matt King (Phoenixville, PA/St. Pius X) was also hot from long range hitting 3-for-5 from long range, two of which came in the opening two-plus minutes of the second half as the Crusaders scored the first eight points of the half to open up a two-point halftime lead. Alvernia ran its home win streak to a record 24 games, and could continue the home schedule if the NCAA selection committee awards it one of 11 four-team regionals next weekend.
King knocked down a 3 on the opening possession of the second half and when his third 3 of the night went down two minutes later the Crusaders (23-4) were up 10 points, 38-28. Immaculata (12-16) trimmed the lead to eight points on a Robert Jones (Wynnewood, PA/Lower Merion) jumper and a minute later Etzel and Shawell hit back-to-back 3s to push the lead to 14. The gap remained double digits until a Scott Marston (Norristown, PA/Kennedy Kenrick) dunk capped a 4-0 spurt to cut the lead to nine, 57-48, with 3:51 to play.
Alvernia worked time off the clock on its next possession and Shawell made a move near the right elbow and buried a 3 that sealed the Crusaders ticket to the NCAA Championship for the sixth time. Alvernia will await the committee’s decision on location and opponent for its first round game which will likely be next Friday.
Alvernia broke a tie at 13-all midway thru the first half to take a 21-13 lead as King and Etzel each hit 3s during an 8-0 run. Immaculata answered with an 8-1 run just before the half to tie the game at 28 before a Shawell jumper gave the hosts a 30-28 lead at the break.
Shawell totaled his game-high on 7-of-15 shooting including three triples and added seven rebounds. Etzel tallied 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from downtown, while King and senior Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) each totaled 11 points. Finger also dished out a game-high eight assists, his seventh game of eight or more helpers this season.
Immaculata pounded the glass for a 41-31 advantage led by Jayson Hyman (Philadelphia, PA/Penn Wood) and Jones who grabbed 13 and 11 caroms respectively. Jones recorded the only double-double of the evening adding 10 points. Marston finished with a team-best 17 points.
Alvernia finished the game shooting 46.9 percent from the field and committed just 11 turnovers for the game. The Mighty Macs converted just 35.5 percent and out-rebounded the Crusaders, 41-31, but were 0-for-6 beyond the arc as compared to 10-of-16 for the Crusaders.
#1 Alvernia 70, #3 Immaculata 55
