Albright senior guard Elu Lawrence was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Lawrence scored 14 points in the contest, but more importantly, blanketed Dutchmen All-American J.D. Byers all night. Byers, who averages 22.6 points per game, finished with 20, but shot just 6-16 from the floor, including 3-8 from three-point land. He hit two long three's in the final minute to get him to 20 points. The Lions had four players in double figures in the contest, led by senior Ben Gallagher with 17. Lawrence was next with his 14, while sophomore Mike Boles had 13 off the bench and sophomore Matt Kieselowsky added 12.
The first half was dead even for the first nine minutes. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm offensively, as Gallagher's jumper tied the game at 10 with 11:59 showing on the clock. After a Brad Stigelman lay-up put the Dutchmen back in front by two, the Lions ran off 10 straight points as Boles asserted himself off the bench. He completed a three-point play to give the Lions a 13-12 lead, then, after an LVC turnover, converted a lay-up off a feed from Gallagher. Boles then came up with a steal to start a fast break that Gallagher ended with a lay-up. Gallagher was fouled on the play and converted the free throw to put the Lions ahead by six, 18-12. Boles then hit another jumper to give the Lions an eight point edge, and after another Stigelman bucket, he drained another basket for his ninth point in just two minutes as Albright led 22-14. Lebanon Valley responded with a 10-2 run, five coming from Byers, to tie the score at 24 with 3:37 left before the break. Sophomore Greg Conroy stopped the bleeding for Albright with a three on the next possession, and the Lions eventually took a four-point lead, 31-27, to the locker room at the half. Gallagher and Boles each had 11 points for Albright at half-time, while Byers led LVC with nine.
Gallagher opened the second half for Albright with a three-point basket, giving the Lions a quick seven point edge. Back-to-back baskets from Steve Buzinski and Jimmy Curran pulled the Dutchmen within three, but Albright was ready for another run. Kieselowsky drained a three to put the Lions up six, 37-31, and after a Lee Walter steal, Lawrence also nailed a three to give the Lions their biggest lead of the night. 40-31. Lawrence then put the Lions lead into double-figures with a steal and lay-up, making the score 42-31 with 15:57 left in the game. Byers kept LVC in the game, scoring five points in a 7-2 run that got the Dutchmen within six, 44-38, at the 12 minute mark. Sophomore Shane Harvey then stepped up for the Lions, scoring in the paint on three consecutive possessions to put Albright back in front by 12 at the midway point of the second half. The Albright lead stood between 9 and 12 for the next five minutes, as Curran hit a triple for the Dutchmen to make the score 59-50 with 5:28 left in the contest. Lawrence answered with another three for the Lions, and a minute later a Kieselowsky lay-up gave Albright its largest lead of the evening, 66-51, with four minutes to play. The Lions sealed the championship at the foul line, making 13 of 14 free throws over the final 2:20 to prevent any type of an LVC rally. Junior Trevor Deeter and sophomore Greg Conroy were each 4-4 from the line in the final minutes. After Byers missed another long three with 20 seconds left, Lawrence dribbled out the clock, setting off a raucous celebration in the Bollman Center.
Albright shot 56% from the field in the second half, including 5-9 from three-point land. For the game the Lions shot 48% from the floor against a Lebanon Valley team that entered the game holding its opponents to just 35% from the field, the best figure in the nation. Albright out-rebounded the Dutchmen 34-26, led by 10 from Gallagher to complete his double-double. Kieselowsky and Harvey each had four assists for the Lions, who turned the ball over just 11 times in the game. For Lebanon Valley, Curran and Buzinski each had 13 points to back Byers' 20. Byers had a team-high four assists, and Dan Hogan led the team with six rebounds. The Dutchmen shot 52% from the field in the game, but we just 4-13 from long distance.
Lebanon Valley vs Albright 2/26/05 7:30 pm at Bollman Center - Reading, PA At Bollman Center - Reading, PA ALBRIGHT 81, LEBANON VALLEY 68 LEBANON VALLEY (19-6) J.D. Byers 6-16 5-6 20; Jimmy Curran 5-10 2-3 13; Steve Buzinski 5-8 3-8 13; Billy Orr 3-3 3-5 9; Brad Stigelman 3-6 0-0 6; Dan Hogan 2-4 1-2 5; Matt Polinsky 1-1 0-0 2; Brian Wolensky 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-48 14-24 68. ALBRIGHT (20-6) Ben Gallagher 6-12 4-5 17; Elu Lawrence 5-11 1-3 14; Michael Boles 5-7 3-3 13; Matt Kieselowsky 4-6 2-2 12; Trevor Deeter 1-7 7-8 9; Greg Conroy 1-4 4-4 7; Shane Harvey 3-4 1-3 7; Lee Walter 1-2 0-0 2; Andy Winebrenner 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-54 22-28 81. Lebanon Valley................ 27 41 - 68 Albright....................... 31 50 - 81 3-point goals-Lebanon Valley 4-13 (J.D. Byers 3-8; Jimmy Curran 1-5), Albright 7-19 (Elu Lawrence 3-7; Matt Kieselowsky 2-2; Greg Conroy 1-4; Ben Gallagher 1-4; Andy Winebrenner 0-1; Trevor Deeter 0-1). Fouled out--Lebanon Valley-Billy Orr, Albright-Shane Harvey. Rebounds-Lebanon Valley 26 (Dan Hogan 6), Albright 34 (Ben Gallagher 10). Assists-Lebanon Valley 8 (J.D. Byers 4), Albright 17 (Matt Kieselowsky 4; Shane Harvey 4). Total fouls-Lebanon Valley 24, Albright 22. A-2215 Commonwealth Conference Championship Game