ROCHESTER, NY- Elijah Laird (Deltona, FL/Florida Memorial University) scored a team-high 12 points, and Keystone College received 23 points from its bench in a 75–55 setback against Muhlenberg College on Saturday afternoon at Robert A. Kidera Gym.
The Giants put 11 players in the scoring column and generated 16 second-chance points behind 12 offensive rebounds. Keystone moved to 0–2 on the season, while Muhlenberg improved to 1–1.
Laird finished with two three-pointers and two steals. Daryl Coleman (Allentown, PA/Southern Lehigh) added eight points and a team-leading five rebounds, while Ethan Sakwa (Tobyhanna, PA/Pocono Mountain West) contributed seven points, four rebounds, two steals and an assist in 13 minutes off the bench.
Ahmodrion Jones (Wilmington, DE/Delcastle Tech) supplied six points, three rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal, converting all four of his free-throw attempts. Nick Williams (Dallas, PA/Dallas) chipped in five points, three rebounds and a block, while Izeir Mayben (Troy, NY/Elevation Prep) finished with four points, two assists and two steals.
Keystone responded to an early Muhlenberg advantage with a productive stretch midway through the opening half. Lamaj Mapp (Darby, PA/Penn Wood) and Mayben opened the Giants' scoring before Williams added a putback and a free throw. Coleman then connected from beyond the arc to bring Keystone within 11–10.
A pair of free throws from Jones gave the Giants their first lead, and Niame Scott (Philadelphia, PA/Mount Pleasant) followed with a three-pointer to extend the advantage to 15–11 with 12:31 remaining in the half.
After Muhlenberg moved back in front, Keystone stayed close behind another Coleman three-pointer and a steal and fastbreak layup from Laird, trimming the margin to 21–20 with 9:37 left. Coleman, Williams and PJ Murphy (Scranton, PA/Scranton) added baskets later in the period, and Laird knocked down a three-pointer with 1:20 remaining as the Giants entered halftime trailing 43–29.
Sakwa provided a spark during the second half, scoring seven points during a 9–0 Keystone run. He opened the stretch with an offensive rebound and putback, then came away with a steal and finished on the break. Gillian Narbutas (Zurich, Switzerland/Gold Coast) added a layup off a Jones assist before Sakwa connected from three-point range to bring the Giants within 58–40 with 11:14 remaining.
Keystone continued to work its way closer as Josh Brown (Phillipsburg, NJ/Bethlehem Catholic) scored on a second-chance opportunity and Jones converted a fastbreak layup following another Sakwa steal. Laird later added a putback dunk, and Brown followed with another basket before Laird's second three-pointer cut the deficit to 66–51 with 5:45 to play.
Muhlenberg answered with four free throws and maintained its advantage through the closing minutes. Jones and Mayben each converted a pair at the line down the stretch for Keystone.
Brown finished with four points, two rebounds and an assist. Scott added three points, Narbutas and Murphy scored two apiece, and Mapp contributed two points and four rebounds.
The Giants held a 23–7 advantage in bench scoring, a 16–10 edge in second-chance points and a 10–6 advantage in fastbreak points. Keystone also collected seven steals and scored 26 points in the paint.
