AMHERST, N.Y. - Junior Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) and senior Uchechi Ogbonna (Hicksville, N.Y./Erie CC) both recorded double-doubles, as the Daemen College men's basketball team gutted out a 59-56 win today over Goldey-Beacom College in second-round action of the 2013 Knee Center of Western New York Tip-Off Classic.

The Wildcats managed to pick up their 24^th straight home win despite playing without last season's leading scorer Casey Sheehan (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena), senior point guard Mark Coppola (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South), and senior forward Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) who all missed the game due to injuries.

Beverly finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double of the young season en route to earning M.V.P. honors for the Knee Center Classic. Ogbonna joined him on the All-Tournament Team as he recorded his second double-double of the year with 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds (11 defensive). Junior forward Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) made his presence known, as he drilled two three-pointers and totaled 18 points, while sophomore Supreme Hannah (Rochester, N.Y. / Eastridge HS) added six points and a team-high of five assists.

Juniors Kyle Steinbergin and Chris Gebhart both paced the Goldey-Beacom Lightening with 13 points while freshman teammate Parris Ridgeway-Higgs chipped in 10 points and four assists.

Both teams struggled to score as the Wildcats connected on 20-of-54 shots (37-percent) while the Lightning just shot 19-for-55 (35-percent) for the game. GBC drained 12-of-27 shots (44-percent) in the first half and made 5-of-11 three pointers en route to a 31-27 halftime lead.

The Wildcats started off strong with a 7-0 lead three minutes into the first half when a three-pointer by Greene capped the run. Goldey-Beacom then tied the game 11-11 with back-to-back-to-back three-pointers from Jarrel Lane and Steinbergin. Later, the visitors took their largest lead of the half, 23-16, following another triple by freshman Donte McGill with 8:18 remaining in the period. The teams then traded baskets, before the Wildcats closed the gap with four straight points over the final few minutes of the half leaving the Wildcats down by four at the break.

Daemen picked up the pace at the start of the second half, which resulted in a 5-0 run for the hosts who found themselves up one with 17:38 left to play in the game. Goldey-Beacom's Derrick Archie then hit a three-pointer to put the visitors back on top. Two free throws by Beverly with 15:21 left would tie the game 34-34, and Daemen rattled off seven more unanswered to establish a 41-34 lead.  A tip-in by Ogbonna ignited the run and Greene made back-to-back jumpers including his second triple of the game to cap the run at the 13:10 mark. 

Greene the put the Wildcats up nine with a rebound and layup - two of his 14 second-half points - at the 7:11 mark, making the score 52-43.

A three-pointer by GBC's Ridgeway-Higgs and a layup by Lane cut the Daemen lead to one with a minute and a half left, 57-56, but the Wildcats held on as junior Aaron Davis (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) stepped up with a strong take to the basket to leave the final margin at 59-56. GBC shot just 25-percent (7-for-28) in the second half while Daemen connected on 12-of-35 shots (34-percent) in the period.

Daemen finished with a 30-22 edge in points in the paint and dominated the glass, 46-31. The Wildcats hauled in 17 offensive rebounds, which resulted in a 15-8 edge in second-chance points.

In the other second-round game, Roberts Wesleyan (1-1) posted an 80-72 victory over Ohio Valley University (0-2). Junior forward Isaac Medeiros tallied a double-double for the Redhawks as he scored a team-high 21 points and added 17 rebounds to lead RWC. Jerry Macon led the Fighting Scots with 15 points and three steals while teammate Sequan Lawrence totaled 14 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort for Ohio Valley.

RWC's Medeiros and OVU's Lawrence joined Beverly and Ogbonna, as well as GBC's Steinbergin and Ridgeway-Higgs on the All-Tournament Team.

Daemen will play its next two games on the road as they will travel to California this upcoming weekend. The Wildcats will face the University of California-San Diego on Friday at 7 p.m. and take on California State University-San Marcos Saturday at 7:30 p.m.


2013 Knee Center of WNY Tip-Off Classic

First Round - Nov. 8
Goldey-Beacom 59, Roberts Wesleyan 48
Daemen 111, Ohio Valley 90

Second Round-Nov. 9
Roberts Wesleyan 80, Ohio Valley 72
Daemen 59, Goldey-Beacom 56

All-Tournament Team
Gerald Beverly - Daemen (MVP)
Uchechi Ogbonna - Daemen
Kyle Steinbergin - Goldey-Beacom
Parris Ridgeway-Higgs - Goldey-Beacom
Sequan Lawrence - Ohio Valley
Isaac Medeiros - Roberts Wesleyan