LANGHORNE, PA – Men's Basketball found a way to get the job done, improving to 3-0 as they came back to defeat Manor College, 87-76.
 
Manor College got the game underway with seven-straight points putting the pressure on the Highlanders to find a spark. Graduate guard Chris Hill (Charlotte, NC / St. Augustine's University) was that spark, answering with a three and layup, followed by a rejection from senior forward Andre Burrell, Jr. (Philadelphia, PA / Burlington Co. Tech) to keep the momentum rolling, and three from the hand of graduate guard Corey Baldwin (Henderson, NC / Averett). It turned into another three-point shooting night for Cairn (3-0 / UNITED EAST) as graduate guard Byron Gaskins (Woodbridge, VA / Carlow University), fifth year Jonathan Desir (Feasterville, PA / Neshaminy), and Baldwin all splashed three-balls to put the Highlanders in the driver's seat 21-17.
 
The Bluejays took their turn, hitting a three and a layup to turn the table before sophomore guard Andrew DaCosta (Bordentown, NJ / Bordentown Regional) threw up a put-back layup and Gaskins hit from three again. With the Highlanders staying close, Manor converted on a pair of three pointers and a three-point-play to run the lead back up to seven to close the half, 44-37.
 
Cairn made two pairs of free throws to open the half, cutting the lead with mid-range shots by Hill and Baldwin. DaCosta made a three followed by another jumper by Baldwin to make it a one-possession game. Hill then got fouled and continued his perfect streak of free throw shooting for the game and scoring a jumper on the next Highlander possession. Baldwin continued to fire from deep as Hill tied the game again on a four-shot trip to the free throw line thanks to a technical foul. Burrell, Jr. banked a putback layup as DaCosta took the lead on his next trip to the charity stripe.
 
Graduate guard Jaylon Simpson (Atlanta, GA / Belmont Abbey) got working from deep as DaCosta followed, and Simpson made a layup to extend the Cairn lead up to nine. Baldwin made back-to-back three to give Manor a double-digit hill to climb with four and a half minutes to play. Manor struggled to respond as graduate guard Ron Ayers (Prince George's Co., MD / Stevenson University) made the next two buckets for the Highlanders and Simpson sealed the deal on a free throw with 38 seconds remaining. Manor would have two looks from deep to end the game but fail to convert either.
 
Baldwin was unstoppable once again, tying a game-high 24 points on 50% (8-16) shooting from the field and five three-pointers. He impacted the game on all sides with eight boards, four assists, four steals, and a block to add. Hill had 17 points and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line as the Highlanders shot 72.7% (16-22) from the line. DaCosta had a night with 12 points scored, seven rebounds, and a pair of threes. Simpson rounded out double-digit scorers with an even ten points. Cairn's comeback efforts were led by 28 bench points while converting second-chance opportunities in the second half.
 
Cairn will have a quick turnaround, heading up to William Paterson on Friday night for a 7 p.m. contest with the Pioneers in Wayne, NJ.