MBSK1-14-01

ESU-Lock Haven Men's Basketball

East Stroudsburg, Pa. - Ahead by ten points, 26-16, with three minutes left in the first half, East Stroudsburg University seemingly was in control of a men's basketball game against Lock Haven Sunday. Then it all fell apart.

The Bald Eagles (8-7) took complete charge of the game over the last 23 minutes to shock ESU, 67-50, before a stunned Koehler Fieldhouse crowd. Many of the same fans had seen the Warriors battle highly-regarded Clarion down to the wire in an intense 91-89 loss Saturday.

Perhaps that game and the defeat took something out of Coach Mike Power's team. The 50 points were the team's lowest of the season and not a single ESU player scored in double figures.

Rico Abbondanza keyed the Lock Haven comeback with a 3-pointer and Jason Lucas and Cedric Hameed followed with baskets to cut ESU's halftime margin to three points at 26-23. That was only a preview of the second half, however.

The Warriors (7-7) scored the first four points of the half, but the Eagles then went on a 16-4 tear with Abbondanza capping the run with a slam dunk following a steal. That made it, 39-34, with 10:29 left.

ESU's Kyle Kostic hit a runner to make it a three-point game, but Lock Haven poured in 17 points to ESU's one over the next five minutes to soar ahead, 56-37, with only 4:48 left. Lucas did the early damage with a pair of reverse layups and then Kevin DeVan took charge with a three-pointer and a jump shot.

Abbondanza took game scoring honors with 16 points followed by Lucas with 15, DeVan 13 and Hameed ten. Juwan Justice, who had scored 63 points in the last two games, was ESU's top scorer with nine points.

Lock Haven made 58 percent of its shots (14 for 24) in the second half compared to ESU's 25 percent mark (9 for 36). For the game, the Eagles had a 55 percent shooting average (23 for 43) while ESU connected on only 29 percent of its shots (18 for 62).

Abdur-Rahkman 4 0-1 8, Majeski 0 0-0 0, Smith 1 0-0 3, Justice 3 2-2 9, Kostic 1 0-0 2, Bishop 2 2-3 7, Fedorka 1 0-1 2, Kehoe 2 2-4 8, Kelley 0 2-2 2, Collins 0 0-0 0,

Boehret 1 0-0 2, Wimmer 1 0-0 2, Georges 1 1-2 3, Driscoll 1 0-0 2 Totals: 18 9-15 50

Hanna 0 1-2 1, Krystopa 0 0-0 0, Holtzer 2 2-4 7, Yetter 0 0-0 0, Hameed 4 2-4 10, Lucas 5 5-7 15, Argust 0 1-2 1, DeVan 4 4-5 13, Ruff 2 0-0 4, Rieben 0 0-0 0,

Abbondanza 6 3-8 16, Chancey 0 0-0 0 Totals: 23 18-32 67

Three Point Field Goals: ESU - Kehoe 2, Justice, Bishop, Smith; Lock Haven - Holtzer, DeVan, Abbondanza

Halftime: ESU, 26-23