BOXSCORE |
CUMULATIVE STATSYORK, Pa. -- Senior guard Joe Canori scored a game-high 22 points Saturday as Nazareth rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Messiah, 69-66, in the men's basketball championship game of the White Rose City Classic hosted by York College.
The Golden Flyers won for the fifth straight time to improve to 7-1 overall. Messiah is 5-4. Nazareth resumes its Empire 8 Conference schedule Friday at home against Alfred at 8 p.m. Nazareth also hosts Stevens Saturday at 4 p.m.
Nazareth, a 20-point winner over York on Friday, got off to a slow start against Messiah as the Falcons built a 16-point advantage, 24-8, with 9:38 to play in the first half. Messiah eventually settled for a 10-point lead, 35-25, at halftime as Nazareth committed 15 turnovers in the first 20 minutes, including an uncharacteristic eight by sophomore point guard Corey McAdam.
"They were a very physical team and they beat us up pretty good in the first half," said Nazareth Coach Mike Daley. "We settled down and played better defensively and took care of the ball in the second half."
Nazareth staged a dramatic second-half rally, fueled by Canori, who made a three-pointer with 11:13 left to draw Nazareth to within 41-39. Two minutes later, he hit a pair of free throws to give Nazareth its first lead of the half, 44-43.
Messiah regained the lead and the Falcons stretched the lead to four points, 56-52, on two free throws by Darryl Brown with 4:55 left. Nazareth then regained the lead for good as Canori drilled two more three-pointers and sophomore Rayvon Higdon dropped in a pair of free throws to make the score 60-57 Nazareth with 3:42 left.
Messiah had several chances in the next two minutes, but the Falcons missed six foul shots (four by Andy Hawk and two by Josh Curtin) to enable the Golden Flyers to stay ahead. A basket by Ryan McAdam and two free throws by Corey McAdam stretched Nazareth's lead to five, 64-59, with :39 left. Corey McAdam made three more free throws and Higdon made two in the closing second to help the Golden Flyers prevail.
Corey McAdam committed 11 turnovers, but overcame that stat with 17 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and five assists. Higdon and Ryan McAdam each finished with 10 points and senior center Tyler Smith had eight points and 11 rebounds.
"These are two solid road wins," said Daley. "It wasn't easy, but we stayed under control and took it one possession at a time."