LANGHORNE, PA – Cairn Men's Basketball picked up their first conference win against Valley Forge on Tuesday night, easily handing the Patriots a loss, 95-82.
 
Cairn (3-2 / 1-0 UNITED EAST) scored twelve unanswered points off of the tip as the hot hand of graduate forward Josiah Hardy (Ashburn, VA / Hampden-Sydney) splashed a three out of the gate. Senior guard Ashton West (Newport Beach, CA / Clarks Summit University) then made a layup, getting fouled and making the free throw. Hardy then picked up a steal, defending his title as reigning United East Defensive Player of the Week, as graduate guard Jaylon Simpson (Atlanta, GA / Belmont Abbey) ran the floor, picking up the offensive rebound and tip in on the fastbreak.
 
Valley Forge (3-6 / 0-1 UNITED EAST) finally scored their first points after being held scoreless for five minutes, briefly cutting the lead to single digits before the Highlander offense rolled on, extending their lead as far as 18 points on big three pointers from Hardy, junior guard Moses Ilodigwe (Wilmington, DE / Lycoming College), and fifth year forward Isaiah Coleman (Fontana, CA / Clarks Summit University). The Patriots tried to wake their offense but were faced with back-to-back threes from graduate guard Corey Baldwin (Henderson, NC / Averett) and a senior guard Christian Rivera (Cayey, Puerto Rico / Central Bucks East) layup. Cairn took a 52-36 lead into the break.
 
The Highlanders got the led up to twenty-one points early in the second half on a jumper by Baldwin and another three-point play from West who got fouled. Coleman hit again from behind the arc as he and Simpson would bank in layups to keep the lead right where it was. Senior guard Jonathan Desir (Feasterville, PA / Neshaminy) cleaned up on the offensive boards with a tip in layup before Coleman made another three. Cairn powered forward to the finish, keeping Valley Forge Away, 95-82.
 
Cairn held the lead for all but 14 seconds of the game, scoring 24 points off of Valley Forge turnovers while shooting 52.7% (39-74) from the floor. Hardy and Coleman led the squad in scoring, each with 18 points. Hardy finished with a team-high four assists and grabbed 8 rebounds. Coleman shot 3-4 from three-point land and 7-10 from the floor. Simpson added a double-double of 17 points and ten rebounds. West also had 17 points.
 
The Highlanders will host St. Joseph's University – Long Island on Saturday in non-conference play at 3 p.m. before Bryn Athyn College comes to town on Wednesday for the Christmas Game at 7 p.m.