Box Score
Albright College centers
Derek Hall and
Zach Benjamin each had big halves as the Lions won their fourth consecutive Commonwealth Conference game, 72-67 at Lebanon Valley on Saturday.
Hall was 4-of-5 for 12 points and four rebounds after halftime. He finished with 16 points on the afternoon. Benjamin had seven points (on 3-of-4 shooting) and five rebounds in 11 minutes of first half action.
Pedro Perez and
Kyle Jordan each had 12 points total, and
Dave Singleton was also in double-figures with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Albright (15-8, 6-6) is now just a half game behind Alvernia for the final playoff spot, with the Crusaders set to host Elizabethtown later today. Lebanon Valley, the defending league finalist and ECAC champion, is on the verge of elimination at 11-12, 4-8.
The Red and White answered a 17-7 Dutchmen run in the second half with a crucial 7-0 streak of their own.
Joe Meehan's three-point play got LVC back to within single-digits at 55-46, and
Danny Brooks' hoop in transition forced Albright to call timeout with 9:11 remaining.
A Lebanon Valley free throw made it 56-52, but Sam Marrella hit a big jumper as Albright responded. Free throws from Hall and Jordan made it 61-52, and Perez's reverse lay-up then put the gap back into double-digits with 6:20 left to play.
Jordan Stewart's three after a pair of missed free throws from Albright kept the Dutchmen alive, down 66-61 with 54 seconds remaining. Brooks fouled Hall hard on a dunk attempt, but the senior hit both to make it a three-possession game.
Stewart was then fouled behind the arc and made all three shots, giving him six points in a span of 13 seconds, but Hall got out alone down the floor for a dunk that was the final nail in the coffin.
Benjamin keyed a first half that ended with the Lions up 37-27. The big man hit Singleton with a cross court pass and he was fouled with 0.4 seconds remaining, hitting one for a 10-point lead at the break.
The teams had traded baskets early, with neither side leading by more than four until Benjamin drained a three-pointer to put the Lions ahead 26-21. He then hit a jumper that stretched an Albright run to 12-2.
Tom Paul was good for two and a 30-21 lead, before Benjamin hit a nice hook shot from the right baseline to make it 32-21 and complete a 16-2 Albright run. Brooks got LVC back into the game with four consecutive points.
Perez had gotten his team on the board by draining a two with a toe on the line to make it 2-2. Lebanon Valley missed a pair of early layups on the break, and Marrella put the Lions ahead 8-6 with a pull-up jumper.
LVC celebrated its Senior Day and honored Meehan, Stewart and Cameron Prince. Stewart (22 points) and Meehan (16 points) were in double-figures, along with Brooks (16 points, 10 rebounds).
Albright returns home for its final two games of the season. The Lions host Arcadia on Tuesday night as they look to continue their rally back into playoff contention.
