PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Junior forward Derrick Stewart (Philadelphia, Pa.) paced a balanced attack with 14 points to lead Holy Family University to a 68-59 victory over Daemen College here today in non-conference men's basketball action. The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season and dropped to 2-1. Holy Family recorded its second-straight win and improved to 2-1.
Daemen, which averaged 86.5 points and shot 54-percent from the field overall and 46-percent (16-35) from three-point land during two home wins last weekend, connected on just 23-of-75 shots (31%) this afternoon and made just 4-of-26 from behind the arc. It also marked just the fourth time since the start of the 2013-14 season (31 games) that Daemen has failed to score 60 or more points in a game. The Wildcats are just 1-3 in those games.
Senior Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) paced the Wildcats with 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. It was the 28th career double-double for the 2014-15 East Coast Conference co-preseason player of the year. He also recorded at least one block for the 36th-straight game and he now has 228 career blocks. He now stands just six blocks shy of replacing 2006 graduate Ron Wright as the program's leader in career blocks. It also marked the 33rd consecutive game with at least 10 points for Beverly. Fellow senior Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Gelns Falls) helped the Daemen cause with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Stewart was one of four starters that scored in double figures for the host Tigers. Junior guard Reggie Charles (Philadelphia, Pa.) totaled 12 points and five assists, while junior forward Isaiah Gans (Philadelphia, Pa.) added 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Both teams struggled to score in the first half, as HFU held a 13-11 lead midway through the half and the game was tied at 22-22 with under three minutes to play before intermission. The Tigers scored eight unanswered points for a 30-22 lead, but Beverly closed out the first half scoring when he tipped in a Greene miss just before the halftime buzzer.
HFU took its first double-digit lead of the game, 36-26, two minutes into the second half and the hosts later took their largest lead of the game, 53-39, following a three-point play by Charles with 10:36 left to play. Daemen responded with nine unanswered points and cut the lead to five points, 53-48, following a three-point play by Greene with 7:40 left. HFU scored the next six points to regain a double-digit lead, before Daemen put together one final rally and cut the lead back to five points, 60-55, following a triple by junior Supreme Hannah (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) with 1:54 left.
HFU was off the mark with a three-pointer at the other end and after Beverly was fouled on Daemen's next possession the Wildcats had the chance to make it a one possession game. Beverly was off the mark on his first free throw attempt, HFU secured the rebound and junior guard Turhan Griffin (Philadelphia, Pa.) drained a three-pointer from the corner with 58 seconds left to give the hosts a 63-55 lead. Daemen came no closer than six points down the stretch.
HFU shot 48-percent (14-29) from the field in the second half and finished 24-for-57 (42%) overall. The Tigers made just 7-of-24 from three-point land.
Daemen dominated the boards (56-40) and collected 27 offensive rebounds which resulted in a 23-14 advantage in second chance points. HFU finished with the advantage in points in the paint (34/26), points off turnovers (16/9) and bench points (20/5).
The Wildcats return to The Quaker State Tuesday (Nov. 25) for a non-league tilt against Mercyhurst University of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
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