Box Score

A 15-1 Lions run featured points from six different players as the Albright College men's basketball team defeated Berkeley-NJ 84-61, Thursday in a Crowne Plaza Holiday Tournament semifinal.

Albright's lead was in single-digits when sophomore point guard Sam Marrella hit two free throws to make it 52-41 with 13:18 remaining in the game. Big men Shane Irwin and Derek Hall added layups, and sophomore Kyle Jordan finished off his second three-point play of the half to put the Lions up 59-41.

The team effort continued as reserves Devin Brown and Pedro Perez scored baskets to continue the surge. When Berkeley's Andrew Webber scored with just over six minutes to play, it ended a stretch of 7:39 without a field goal for the visitors.

Jordan ended up with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and added six assists and no turnovers in an incredibly efficient effort. Marrella finished with 11 points, all in the second half, and made all three of his three-point attempts. Hall (10 points, 11 rebounds) had a double-double, while Irwin and Perez each contributed 10 points as well.

Berkeley's Gary William Jr. converted an and-one early in the second half, but Jordan answered with one of his own less than two minutes later.

Marrella then took over, scoring all 11 of his points in a span of 3:40 to open up Albright's advantage. Three-pointers on successive possessions were followed by his free throws that not only started the Lions' decisive scoring run, but also gave the sophomore eight points in a furious forty-second stretch.

There were seven ties and ten lead changes in the first half as Albright couldn't shake its smaller but aggressive opponent before halftime.

Jordan opened things up with a three-pointer, but Berkeley soon led 9-7 after free throws from Daniel Waynick (two) and William Jr.

The game was tied at 13, 14, 18, 21, 23 and 25 before the Lions went on a mini 10-2 run to open up the largest advantage of the period at 35-27.

Berkeley got to within four at the break but could have been closer- the Knights hit a pair of long twos with a foot on the line but went 1-for-7 from behind the arc in the first half. They also shot just 46.2% from the free throw line in the opening period.

William Jr. finished with a game-high 19 points, while Webber had an impressive stat line with 14 points, 15 rebounds (despite lining up at guard), five assists and four steals.

Albright improves to 7-2 and will play Richard Stockton at 4 PM in tomorrow's championship game. In the tournament's first semifinal, Stockton defeated Medgar Evers 76-70. Medgar Evers' Winston Douglas was the story of the opening day with 28 points and 20 rebounds in a losing effort.