LANGHORNE, PA- After an OT loss last week to Washington College (MD), and a last second loss to Marywood University the Highlanders entered last night's contest in dire need of a win. After a scintillating back-and-forth contest, the Highlanders pulled out victory by the slimmest of margins when sophomore guard Malachi Hall's heave at the buzzer found nothing but net.
 
Cairn was blitzed by the Blue Jay offense to start, as Elizabethtown scored the first 8 points of the game; but after a timeout, the Highlanders got on the board with two Antoine Nunnally free throws and both teams were off and running. Cairn trailed by as much as 11 in the first half, but due to two Eric Jacobs three's as well as 8 key points from Malachi Hall, the Highlanders were able to regain the lead and ended the first half leading 36-34. Both teams shot the ball at a torrid clip as the Blue Jays shot 56% from the field in the first half and Cairn managed 48.1%.
 
After the break, both teams flexed their offensive abilities, with Elizabethtown's Bryce Green and Connor Moffatt netting countless jumpers, and the Highlanders inside-outside tandem of Malachi Hall and Josh Decker combining for 28 points of their own. While Decker's shooting expertise and Hall's slashing ability kept the Highlanders in the game, the Highlanders turned to jack-of-all trades guard Julian Collazo. The junior was held scoreless for the first 12 minutes of the second half, but contributed all the same with 10 rebounds and 3 assists over that time. As the game's intensity ratcheted up, Collazo began to exert his influence, repeatedly breaking defenders down one-on-one and finishing at the rim for 8 truly essential points down the stretch. After two Elizabethtown free throws, Cairn trailed 83-80 with 22 seconds remaining. On the very next possession, Malachi Hall muscled his way to the rim finishing through contact and draining the resulting free throw to tie the game 83-83. With 13 seconds to go, Elizabethtown turned to offensive specialist Ethan Dubois who splashed home a clutch fadeaway jumper, giving the Blue Jays a 2 point lead with 2 seconds to go. The last 2 seconds passed in slow-motion as Hall picked up the rolling inbound pass, took two dribbles past a charging defender, and lofted the game winner towards the rafters from midcourt. Never leaving the center of the rim, Hall's prayer swooshed through the bottom of net, sparking euphoria from the Cairn Crazies and breaking the Highlanders two-game losing streak!
 
Hall finished with 22 points, Collazo stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Decker added 14 second half points to give the Highlanders a much needed edge. Cairn will be back in action when the Highlanders host the Cabrini Cavaliers this Wednesday at 8:00 PM.