LANGHORNE, PA – Cairn Men's Basketball celebrated their senior day on Saturday before a tight matchup with Penn St. Abington which they ultimately dropped, 80-76
 
Before tipoff, seniors Christian Rivera (Cayey, Puerto Rico / Central Bucks East), Jadon Cepeda (West New York, NJ / William Paterson), Chris Eelman (North Haledon, NJ / Hawthorne Christian), Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, NY / SUNY Potsdam), Josiah Hardy (Ashburn, VA / Hampden-Sydney), Isaiah Coleman (Fontana, CA / Clarks Summit University), Derrick Dolan (Berlin, NJ / Conwell-Egan), and Ashton West (Newport Beach, CA / Clarks Summit University) were honored for their contributions over their playing careers. Pregame festivities also included honoring the game officials as part of Division III Officials Appreciation Week and a brief ceremony for Coaches vs Cancer.
 
Off the tip, the Highlanders found themselves in control thanks to a pair of threes from West and Dolan. Graduate guard Jaylon Simpson (Atlanta, GA / Belmont Abbey) got going to fend off an attack by Penn St. Abington (3-18 / 2-10 UNITED EAST) until a three-pointer tied the game 18-18 and the Nittany Lions began to build a lead in the later part of the first half. A 14-4 created a double-digit deficit for Cairn (10-11 / 7-5 UNITED EAST) to which sophomore guard Luke Cughan (Bloomsburg, PA / Columbia County Christian) responded with a three to end the half.
 
To start the second half, Hardy created a three-point-play through contact, but the Nittany Lions kept scoring to stay ahead. Eelman would put back an offensive board and Cepeda assisting Dolan for a triple to answer. Eelman put back another as Hardy added two layups to cut the lead to ten. Coleman banked in a layup after Dolan picked up a steal and Cepeda added three points with a fastbreak layup and free throw, drawing the foul. Coleman then took off on the fastbreak with a layup and free throw in a now two-point game. Three deep shots came up empty before Coleman struck from long range to tie and Eelman a layup to reclaim the lead. As Penn St. Abington made free throws, Coleman hit another three before the Nittany Lions took control again and put away the game sinking free throws. Cairn went 0-5 to close out the final minutes allowing the free throw shooting by Abington to decide the game.
 
Coleman finished with 18 on his senior day to lead all Cairn scorers. Hardy had 16 with 7 boards and a pair of blocked shots. Dolan scored eleven with a trio of triples while Simpson added ten.
 
The Highlanders look to end their three-game slide on Wednesday heading out to Lancaster Bible College to face the Chargers at 7 p.m.