La Plume, PA – Cairn men's basketball won their eighth game of the season on Saturday afternoon at Keystone College; their highest season, win total since joining the CSAC. The Highlanders won 74-69 after outscoring the Giants 40-26 in the second half and shooting 70% from beyond the arc.
 
Overall, the Highlanders shot 56.5% (13-23) from the three-point line and 43.9% from the floor. Leading the team in points (21) and three-point shots (5-6) in the game was Gerroid Doughty II. However, Julian Collazo was just one rebound and one assist away from a triple double; Collazo scored 13 points in the game, while grabbing nine rebounds and had nine assists.
 
JD Zamroz also scored 13 points for the Highlanders coming off the bench; Zamroz was also 4-4 from the free throw line. Zachary Jackson hit eight points, going 3-4 from the floor, with two assists and two steals.
 
Previously this season, the Highlanders lost a heart-breaker at home to the Giants, 69-66. In the last four games, including this one, the Highlanders have trailed their opponents at the half. Despite that, Cairn came back to play one of their best halves of the season.
 
"Overall our defense in the second half was great," explained head coach Jason O'Connell after the game. "Several guys stepped up in the second half and made big plays; we only had five turnovers in the second half, and we held them to 30% from the floor and 15% from three."
 
Devin Williams led the Giants in the game with 17 points off the bench, followed by Deion Monroe with 11 points. ShaShawn Drayton led Keystone in rebounding with nine boards. Overall, the Giants shot 43.9% from the floor and just 22.2% from three-point range.
 
After trailing by nine at the halftime break, Cairn took the lead in the second half at 16:48 on a three-pointer by Zachary Jackson. Following that basket, the Highlanders went on a 10-1 run to lead 58-47. The Giants cut the deficit from there to as little as four but Cairn's defense was able to keep Keystone from getting any closer.
 
With the win, Cairn improved to 8-13 overall and 4-10 in the conference. Keystone fell to 4-17 overall and 4-10 in the conference with the loss. As mentioned, the win gives Cairn their best ever season while competing in the CSAC; in overall record and conference record.
 
The Highlanders will next host Marywood University on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m.