CHESTNUT HILL RALLIES TO DOWN KING'S, 72-69
WILKES-BARRE -- Visiting Chestnut Hill College overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to post a 72-69 comeback victory over King's College Monday in Scandlon Gymnasium.
With the win, Chestnut Hill improved to 3-2 while King's suffered its first loss in slipping to 3-1.
The Monarchs trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half but put together a 29-6 spurt to take a 42-30 lead into the half-time break. The Monarchs would eventually take its biggest lead of the game (14 points) when a Vince Scalzo basket gave King's a 54-40 lead with 13:36 remaining.
Chestnut Hill chipped away and came to within eight points when Shawn Bolling's basket brought the score to 59-51, but Thomas Moore would answer for King's to up the advantage to 61-51 with 7:46 remaining.
The Monarchs, however, would resort to taking poor shots and began to turn the ball over as Chestnut Hill crept back into the game. The biggest play of the game would follow when Mike Devine was fouled while connecting on a long three-pointer and converted the foul shot as the four-point play knotted the game at 65-65 with 2:49 remaining.
Isaac Greer would then score on a steal and layup to give the Griffins a 67-65 lead with 2:00 remaining.
With the Monarchs trailing 70-68, King's star Brian Horgan was fouled with 0:06 left in regulation and went to the foul line with a chance to tie the score. Horgan made the first shot but missed the game-tying second shot. Greer rebounded and was fouled, then made both charity tosses to bring the score to 72-69.
King's then threw a length-of-the-court pass which Horgan snagged just inside the three-point line. The Monarch senior got off the shot at the buzzer but the ball rattled off the rim as the Griffins held on for the victory.
Horgan topped King's with 23 points and seven rebounds. Marty O'Hora added 16 points but scored just two in the second half. The Monarchs also committed 11 turnovers in the second half
Chestnut Hill was paced by Greer with 22 points while Bolling added 19.
King's will host Wilkes Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in Scandlon Gymnasium.