LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn University Men's Basketball team took on Saint Elizabeth University on Saturday afternoon, holding off the Eagles 90-75.
Cairn (10-5 / 5-2 United East Skye Division) won the tip and got right to work as senior guard
Aytor Alberto (Willemstad, Curraçao / Clarks Summit University) drained a triple, assisted by junior guard
Christian Rivera (Cayey, Puerto Rico / Central Bucks East). Cairn never looked back as the offense was rolling with momentum through the first half. Alberto found junior guard
Jonathan Desir (Feasterville, PA / Neshaminy) for a three to make the lead 18 points after pulling up for his own shot in the paint. The Highlander defense kept Saint Elizabeth (7-9 / 4-2 United East Skye Division) in single digits for a majority of the half, eventually getting back on pace and closing the half town by twenty, 40-20 in favor of Cairn.
As the Eagles showed glimpses of a comeback, senior forward
Derian Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) knocked in four points to keep the lead above twenty. With Saint Elizabeth coming back to within 15, Rivera was fouled on a pull-up jumper in the paint, knocking down the shot and hitting the free throw to keep the pace for Cairn. With ten minutes to play and counting, Saint Elizabeth pushed to get back into the game, getting to within 11 points. As desperation set in, the Eagles took deep shots, hitting a handful yet Cairn kept their distance. With time running out, the Eagles put Rivera on the line for in the bonus as he knocked down five free throws to seal the game, 90-75.
Alberto's 33 points and 13 rebounds put him on conversation for Offensive Player of the Week. He shot 50% from the floor (10-20) as well as from three point land (3-6), flushing 10-12 free throws on the afternoon. Rivera finished with a career-high 18 points and assisting seven.
Cairn closes their home stand on Tuesday as they host the Wilson College Phoenix at 7 p.m. inside the Mason Activity Center.
