LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn University Men's Basketball team took down the Bryn Athyn Lions at home Thursday night, closing their regular season on a high note as won 80-78.
Cairn (14-11 / 8-8 United East Skye Division) won the tip and started things off with a layup by senior forward
Derian Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge). The Lions answered back, taking the lead. Bradford tied the game at 13-13 with junior guard
Jonathan Desir (Feasterville, PA / Neshaminy) knocking down his first three of the night to grab the lead back. The Highlanders held on to their six point lead until Bryn Athyn (17-8 / 12-4 United East Skye Division) rallied back on a quick three and layup. Desir would strike twice more from deep as the second half came to a close with Cairn in front by eleven, 47-36.
The Lions came out of the break hot, making a pair of threes and turning up the head to take the lead back from down by thirteen. Sophomore guard
Moses Ilodigwe (Wilmington, DE / Lycoming College) knocked down a pair of threes himself to answer back. Cairn climbed back into the driver seat behind a pair of layup and three pointer from Desir, adding a pair of buckets from Bradford and fifth year guard
Josh Forker (Telford, PA / Faith Christian Academy). The Lions would put senior guard
Aytor Alberto (Willemstad, Curraçao / Clarks Summit University) on the free throw line as he would try to pull up for a jump shot, making both free throws paired with a layup by Forker to grow the lead to four. Bryn Athyn responded with a pair of contested layups before Cairn would get the ball back in a tied game with 52 seconds to play. Bradford would be forced to pull up for three from about 28 feet, tipping the rim and being rebounded by Desir as the Highlanders called timeout to set up their last shot. The ball would find Alberto's hands as he drove to the paint, nailing the off balance layup with 4.8 seconds remaining.
Bryn Athyn called a timeout to draw up a final play but Alberto's shot would be the dagger as Cairn held on for the 80-78 victory.
Alberto led the Highlanders with 20 points and the game-winner. Bradford followed with 19 points along with 16 points out of Desir on 4-5 shooting from deep. Senior forward
Owen Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) was also in double figures with 12 points. The Highlanders shot 51.6% from the floor, including 63.3% in the first half alone.
The Highlanders await the Skye Division side seeding of the United East Men's Basketball Championship tournament with a few teams wrapping up the regular season on Wednesday night.
