LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Gannon men’s basketball team has a knack for winning the close ones this season. The Golden Knights held an opponent under 50 points for the third time this season while earning a defensive 51-48 victory at Lock Haven Saturday night.
In the process, Gannon improved to 5-0 in games decided by four points or less. The Golden Knights also moved to 16-0 all-time against Lock Haven, including a 3-0 mark at the Thomas Fieldhouse.
Neither team was able to create much breathing room in a game that featured four lead changes and three ties. Gannon’s eight-point advantage midway through the second half represented the largest lead for either team.
George Johnson (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) nailed a three-pointer eight seconds into the contest, kick starting a game-opening 10-6 run.
Travis Brannen (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira Free Academy) capped the mini-run with a lay-up 5:20 into the game.
Lock Haven’s largest first-half lead came at 17-13 on Eric Brennan’s three-point play with 9:13 showing on the clock. Gannon responded with a 9-2 run, forging back ahead 22-19 with 6:42 left in the first half.
Steve Piotrowicz’s (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) three-pointer ignited the blitz and a pair of
Tanner Furno (Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone) free throws gave the Golden Knights the three-point lead.
Gannon led 27-24 when Andres Carpio hit a three-pointer at the first-half buzzer, sending the two teams to the intermission tied at 27.
Head coach John T. Reilly’s squad never trailed in the second half, but was never able to pull away from the scrappy Bald Eagles. Gannon held Lock Haven without a field goal for the first 4:35 of the second half and grabbed a 32-27 lead. Following a Carpio three-pointer, the Golden Knights scored four more points on a Piotrowicz lay-up and two Johnson free throws for a 36-30 lead with 13:13 to play.
Lock Haven cut the deficit to two points again, before Gannon responded with six consecutive points.
Larry Swann (Columbus, Ohio/Brookhaven) sandwiched an
Alfonso Scandrett (Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford) lay-up between four points of his own, extending the GU advantage to 44-36 at the 8:42 mark.
The home squad slowly chipped away at the lead, cutting the deficit to 49-48 on Eli Hanna’s three-pointer with eight seconds left. Johnson followed with two free throws with four seconds remaining, before the Bald Eagles missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Johnson led all scorers with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. The junior guard went 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Brannen was the only other Golden Knight in double digits with 10 points and seven rebounds. Piotrowicz had another solid outing at point guard with seven points, four rebounds and zero turnovers in 32 minutes.
Gannon shot 34.7 percent (17-49) from the field, 21.4 percent (3-14) from three-point range and 70 percent (14-20) from the free throw line.
Carpio headlined the Lock Haven attack with 14 points off the bench, converting 4-of-11 three-pointers. Brennan and Dalexis Pena added 11 points each.
Lock Haven shot 32.7 percent (16-49) from the floor, 24 percent (6-25) from behind the arc and 52.6 percent (10-19) from the charity stripe.
Gannon moved to the .500 mark for the first time since being 4-4 after a victory against Taylor (Ind.) in the Porreco Cup consolation game. The Golden Knights moved to 9-9 overall and remained in third place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division with a 4-2 conference mark. Lock Haven dropped to 5-12 overall and 2-4 in the PSAC Western Division.
Gannon returns to action Wednesday, February 3 at rival Mercyhurst. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
For a complete box score from Saturday’s Gannon-Lock Haven men’s basketball game, please
click here.