CENTER VALLEY, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team fell to William Paterson, 67-58, in the Al Senavistis Memorial Tournament at DeSales University, Saturday afternoon.
Marcus Hall (York, Pa. / Trinity) snagged an offensive rebound in traffic and found Cameron Keck (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro) alone at the three-point line and he drilled it. The Pioneers scored on a jumper and a layup following a steal before Nathan Markey (York, Pa. / Central York) split a pair of foul shots to knot things at 4-4. William Patterson converted another jumper and led 6-4.
The Eagles didn't score for nearly four minutes before another Keck three off a pass from Filippo Baldo (Easton, Pa. / Notre Dame Green Pond H.S.) which made it 12-7. The Pioneers pushed their lead to 11 as Juniata struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive end. Jake Holsopple (Duncansville, Pa. / Hollidaysburg)found Markey for a jumper as the teams went back and forth for the next several minutes.
A Hall free throw, a John Kelly (Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic High School) layup off an inside pass from Holsopple followed by a Holsopple layup off a nice dish from Kelly made it 24-16. Nate DaCanal (Johnsonburg, Pa. / Elk County Catholic) took the ball strong to the rim and scored off the glass to bring the Eagles within six.
The Pioneers made a free throw, Hall found DaCanal for another bucket and the Eagles got a few more stops down the stretch. Holsopple scored off a nice pass from DaCanal as Juniata got within three, but the Pioneers scored on a layup in the final 40 seconds as the Eagles trailed by five at halftime.
Holsopple found Hall for a layup to kick off the second half. The teams traded teams as Keck and Holsopple scored for the Eagles. JC got a stop and Keck swished another triple to knot things at 31-31 with just under 17 minutes to go in the game. Two free throws from DaCanal gave Juniata the lead for the first time since early in the first half.
An 8-0 run by the Pioneers over the next three minutes allowed William Patterson to go back up by six before Kelly sunk a jump shot off a pass from Griffin LaCarte (Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon).
Markey nailed another three with 10 and a half minutes to go pulled JC back within four as Juniata continued to hang around. Keck found Holsopple for another three to bring the Eagles within one, but the Pioneers answered with a three of their own. DaCanal managed to get loose inside for another layup of another Holsopple assist and Hall made a free throw to make it 45-44.
William Patterson rattled off another 8-0 run with two quick three's and a layup. Hall found Keck on the wing for a three, but the Pioneers answered from the left corner with another three. Two more Hall free throws cut the lead to seven with three and half minutes to go in the game, but the Eagles got no closer the rest of the way.
Juniata will take on Bryn Athyn in the consolation game, tomorrow at 2:00