HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker to the University of Scranton, 55-54, Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium. 

Tyler Lapetina had 15 points to go with five rebounds and two steals, while Ty Kocak totaled 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Malcolm Griffith added 10 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block off the bench. Mason Hardy tallied nine points, four rebounds, and four assists. 

The game was a back-and-forth battle that featured 12 lead changes and six ties. 

Lapetina made his second shot of the game in dramatic fashion, draining a fadeaway jumper to give the Eagles the lead going into the half.

Griffith, Hardy, and Lapetina helped anchor the Eagles' offense in the second half, scoring 20 of the 28 points.

The Eagles were also active defensively, with Jayden Bilger's strong hustle to throw a loose ball off a Royal, resulting in the Eagles reclaiming position. Morris Ivery met a Royal at the rim and got a block early in the second half, where Griffith scored on the other end.

Down the stretch, Hardy found Griffith for a layup with just over two to play, but the Royals answered with a layup of their own to make it 55-54. 

In the final minute, the teams traded turnovers before JC forced a miss and grabbed the rebound. The Eagles raced down the floor, and Hardy found Griffith on the block with a mismatch. His short jumper went off the backboard, caught the front of the rim, and rattled out as Scranton escaped Huntingdon with a win. 

At halftime, the Eagles recognized the seniors of the 2023-2024 team that won the ECAC Championship and gave Chase Husted his 1000-point ball. 

Juniata returns to action on the road as they take on Elizabethtown on Wednesday at 7:00.