LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn University Men's Basketball wrapped up the doubleheader action on Wednesday night, getting back in the win column as they ran past Clarks Summit at home, 80-69.
Cairn (12-8 / 6-3 United East Skye Division) hopped out to a quick 12-point lead behind threes from senior guard
Aytor Alberto (Willemstad, Curraçao / Clarks Summit University) and junior guard
Christian Rivera (Cayey, Puerto Rico / Central Bucks East). Clarks Summit (4-19 / 2-10) came back to take a 19-15 lead midway through the first half as the Highlander offense went cold leading to a 17-1 run for the Defenders. Freshman guard
Jake Zawacki (Kenilworth, NJ / David Brearly) made a put back layup and was found by sophomore guard
Moses Ilodigwe (Wilmington, DE / Lycoming College) for a three to make it a one-possession game. Freshman center
Donne Midamba (Nairobi, Kenya / Doane Academy) made his layup off an offensive rebound to give Cairn the lead back, 23-21. Ilodigwe added a triple of his own to keep the Highlanders in control. Senior guard
Owen Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) made a layup, following up with a turnaround jumper while getting fouled and completing the three-point play. It would then be time for Alberto to get hot, knocking down another three and connecting with Rivera on an alley-oop dunk flying in from the short corner to end the first half with an exclamation point.
Opening the second half, Alberto would find his stroke from deep, nailing trifecta of triples, including an and-one to mark a four-point play, to get the lead back up to double figures. Later, Alberto would knock down another as Ilodigwe also got hot from behind the arc, hitting two more from downrange. With the Defenders looking to scratch back into the game, Bradford went to work in the paint, making three buckets in the closing minutes. Clarks Summit would come as far as eleven before time ran out and the Highlanders took this one 80-69.
Alberto led with 27 points, knocking down 6 three-pointers, tying his season-high for triples. Owen and senior forward
Derian Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) would each have 15 points, Derian grabbing 12 rebounds as well and dishing out 5 assists. Ilodigwe had nine by way of three makes from distance while Rivera handed out 7 assists and scored four points.
Cairn Men's Basketball travels to Rosemont on Saturday to face the Ravens for the second time this season at 3 p.m.
