HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team had a shot to tie in the final seconds, but it went long as the Eagles lost to visiting Elizabethtown, 49-45, Wednesday evening inside Memorial Gymnasium.  

The Blue Jays went ahead 5-0 while the Eagles couldn't find the bottom of the net over the first five minutes of the game until Charles Somerville III (Hagerstown, Md. / St. Maria Goretti H.S.) stole the ball, went the length of the floor and laid it in on the other end. A few possessions later, he drove and kicked it to Cameron Keck (Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro) who drilled a three to make it 7-5. The Blue Jays scored another seven straight before Marcus Hall (York, Pa. / Trinity) found John Kelly (Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic High School) inside for a layup. After a stop, Nathan Markey (York, Pa. / Central York) found Kelly for bucket and Nick Rigby (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon H.S.) scored on a runner that caught the back rim and rolled in to make it 14-11. 

Elizabethtown went on a 10-0 run over as their lead went to 13 prior to back to back layups by Hall and Jake Holsopple (Duncansville, Pa. / Hollidaysburg) got the deficit back to single digits. Keck drilled a jumper right before the shot clock sounded, Markey hit Holsopple for a three as JC got within four with a minute and a half to go. Two Blue Jay free throws were the final points of the half as  Juniata trailed by six heading into the locker room.  

The Eagles hung around in the first few minutes of the half as the teams traded buckets. A layup by Somerville and a Holsopple layup off a pass from Rigby brought JC within six. Another Rigby layup off a Griffin LaCarte (Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon) assist a few plays later made it 37-32 with under 11 minutes to go. 

A Holsopple three from the left wing off a pass from Keck cut the deficit to four. Following a stop, Holsopple got fouled and made both free throws. The Blue Jays scored on a layup in traffic with just over a minute to go and the Eagles called timeout. Kelly was hacked on the other side and he made both two bring the Eagles back within two. Juniata forced a stop and went up the floor before calling timeout when they couldn't get a quick bucket. After the time out, Keck got the ball on the wing, he blew past his defender and pulled up along the right baseline, but his shot went long. 

The Eagles will host Drew, Saturday at 2:00.