Chestnut Hill Pulls Ahead Late as Tigers Fall, 73-63

BOX SCORE


Philadelphia, Pa. - The Holy Family University men's basketball team saw its four-game winning streak come to an end as Chestnut Hill College defeated the Tigers by the score of 73-63 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contest Wednesday night at the Sorgenti Arena.
 
Holy Family is now 10-8 overall and 6-3 in the CACC, while Chestnut Hill improves to 9-8 overall and 5-3 in conference action.
 
Junior Ervin Ezell (Deptford, N.J./Deptford High) led the Holy Family offense with a team-high 22 points after shooting 8-of-18 from the field.  Ezell also grabbed a team best nine rebounds to go along with two steals and one block on the defensive end.   
 
Senior Angel Ayala (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) came off the bench and scored 14 points for the Tigers and came one rebound shy of a double-double after grabbing nine boards.  Ayala also recorded a pair of steals.  Junior Alberto Munoz (Morrisville, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) also scored in double-figures as he contributed 13 points.  Munoz is now 13 points away from becoming the 22nd player in program history to score at least 1,000 points in a career.  He will enter Saturday's game with 987 career-points. 
 
Freshman Isaiah Gans (Philadelphia, Pa./Redemption Christian Academy) finished with eight points and eight rebounds for the Tigers. 
 
For Chestnut Hill, senior Mark DiRugeris, Jr. scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Griffins.  DiRugeris knocked down a game-high four three-pointers and converted 8-of-9 from the free throw line.  Sophomore Alssene  Saintilus finished with 19 points after shooting 9-of-12 from the field, while junior Jakeem Bogans added 12 points. 
 
Holy Family fell behind early on as Chestnut Hill opened the game with a 10-3 run.  The Griffins would go on to lead by as many as 13 points (24-11) midway through the half after DiRugeris scored a layup and then converted a free throw after being fouled with 8:54 to play until halftime.
 
Holy Family responded and used a 14-2 run over the next five-plus minutes to come within one point of the Griffins' lead.  Freshman Tuhran Griffin (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin Learning Center) converted a pair of free throws to make the score 26-25.  Chestnut Hill would go on to take a two-point advantage into halftime, leading 30-28. 
 
In the second half, Chestnut Hill maintained its lead and even increased the Tigers' deficit back to double-digits after a jumper by Saintilus made the score 48-38 at the 13:53 mark of the half. 
 
Despite falling behind by double-figures, the Tigers came soaring back using a 9-0 run to once again come within one point of the Griffins' lead.  A jumper by Munoz made the score 48-47 with 11:21 to play.
 
As the half progressed, Holy Family eventually tied the game after a three-point play by Ezell made the score 54-54 with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.  Chestnut Hill quickly broke the tie on its ensuing possession as DiRugeris drained a three-pointer to make the score 57-54. 
 
From that point on, Chestnut Hill held on to the lead and went on to outscore the Tigers, 16-9, the final seven minutes to hold on to the victory.  The Griffins increased the lead to nine points down the stretch by the score of 65-56 with 2:28 to play. 
 
Holy Family is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 26 as the Tigers host Bloomfield College in a CACC contest.  Game time is slated for 3 p.m.
 
  - HFU -