SAN JUAN, P.R. – The Albright men's basketball team trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half of its game with Chatham in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, but the Lions rallied late to pull the game to within two points before losing, 70-68.
Garrett Oplinger led the team with 13 points.
Jayson Clark scored 12 and
DeJuan Smith added 10 points.
Chatham held its largest lead at 52-37 with 15:38 to play in the second half. Albright cut the deficit to single digits on a three-point play by Clark with 5:35 to play to make it 61-53. Oplinger scored four of Albright's six-straight points to cut it to a two-point game with 1:13 remaining. His jumper made it 67-65 in favor of Chatham.
A jumper and a free throw for Chatham pushed it back to a five-point lead, 70-65, with less than a minute to play.
Damon Stern hit a three pointer with less than 10 seconds to play to make it 70-68, but the Lions didn't get an opportunity to get the ball back for a chance to tie or win the game in regulation.
Albright had 10 players record points.
Calvert Gantz had seven points and six rebounds.
Brandon Lindsay had a team-high five assists.
Albright returns to action after Christmas at home in the Crowne Plaza Holiday Tournament on Dec. 29-30. Albright will face Misericordia in the second game of day one Dec. 29 at 4 p.m.
