BOX SCORE
Reading, Pa. (Feb. 3, 2007) – Sophomore forward Terrence Shawell (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) scored 20 points and senior Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) added 18 to lead Alvernia College to its 20th straight home victory with a 71-59 decision over Neumann College Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men’s basketball action at the Physical Education Center. It was the fourth straight game Shawell scored exactly 20 points.
Etzel hit a big 3 at the top of the key to build on a one-point lead with 4:24 left, and Shawell, who scored 15 second-half points, saved a pass that was headed out of bounds and hit a fading 15-footer for a six-point lead. Neumann junior Dehran Patrick (Chester, PA/Chester), who finished with a game-high 28, ended a three minute field goal drought for the Knights (11-10, 8-6 PAC) with a layup at 1:56, but Alvernia hit 10 free throws in the final 90 seconds to salt away the win.
The Crusaders (16-4, 11-2 PAC) avenged a one-point loss down at Neumann earlier this season, and will look to pay back their only other conference loss when Gwynedd-Mercy visits the PEC on Monday.
Alvernia scored the first eight points of the game, but the Knights stormed back with supersub Patrick knocking down two of his game-high four 3s during a 9-1 run. Patrick nailed another 3 just past the midway point of the half to pull Neumann within two, 16-14, but the Knights couldn’t knot the game with Alvernia freshman Matt King (Phoenixville, PA/St. Pius X) hitting two 3s and throwing in a dunk to keep them at bay.
Sophomore Marcel Roane (Philadelphia, PA/George Washington) hit a pair of free throws and dunked an offensive rebound to push the gap to seven, 28-21. King followed with a 3 and Alvernia held its largest lead of the half at 31-21 with 2:56 left. Neumann quickly trimmed it to six and a pair of DJ Fritz (Cheltenham, MD/MacNamara) free throws sent the Knights to the locker room facing a five-point deficit, 34-29.
Fritz hit a 3 to open the second half and the Knights finally tied the score on a Patrick jumper with 14:18 to play. Shawell answered with seven straight points for a 45-38 lead with 11:51 to play, and the Knights slowly cut the lead back down to one, 54-53 before Etzel’s 3.
King finished the day with 11 points and senior Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) added eight points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Neumann sophomore Mike Hitchens (Ardsley, PA/Abington) also reached double figures for the Knights with 11.
Alvernia 71, Neumann 59
