CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – DeSales University received 41 points from its bench and the Bulldogs defeated the Hamilton College Continentals 72-62 in DeSales' Al Senavitis Memorial Tournament inside Billera Hall on Friday, Dec. 29.
Season Update
- Hamilton (4-6 overall) was going for its third straight win.
- The Bulldogs (8-2), who are members of the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom, were playing the Continentals for the first time.
How It Happened
- There were nine lead changes and two ties in the first five minutes of the second half. Caleb Gibbs put DeSales in front for good at 40-39 on a free throw with 15:08 left. That was part of an 8-2 Bulldogs spurt, the last six points of which were scored by Elijah Eberly for a 46-41 advantage with 12:09 remaining.
- Two free throws by Teja Singh '25 pulled Hamilton within three points at 53-50 with 8:20 to go. The Continentals then went almost four minutes without scoring.
- An 8-3 mini-run by DeSales – capped by a two-handed slam dunk by Eberly – gave the Bulldogs their largest lead up to that point of eight points at 61-53 with 3:34 left.
- Hamilton didn't get closer than five points down the stretch. DeSales went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line in the final three minutes.
- In the first half the Bulldogs led by as many as seven points and 27-21 with 4:14 remaining. The Continentals closed the half on a 9-2 run and went into the break holding a 30-29 edge. Will Holmes '27 started the spurt with a free throw, Singh swished a 3-pointer, Jalen Reese '27 added a layup, and Hank Morgan '25 knocked down a shot from beyond the arc with 39 seconds to go.
Notes
- Morgan paced Hamilton with 23 points and six rebounds. He is second in the NESCAC in scoring with 18.0 points per game. This is the third time he's scored more than 20 points in a game this season.
- Singh chipped in 12 points and Holmes dropped in a season-high 10 off the bench.
- The Continentals committed just six turnovers but were outrebounded 36-26.
- Eberly led DeSales with 16 points. Jordan Holmqvist registered 13 including a 3-pointer that made it 68-60 with 90 seconds left. Ryan Boylan added 10. All three players came off the bench.
- Caleb Gibbs led all players with eight boards and Mason Barnes handed out a game-high four assists.
- The Bulldogs shot 50 percent (22-44) from the field, including 6 of 15 from long range. DeSales made more free throws (22) than Hamilton attempted (12).
Next Game
The Continentals take on Muhlenberg College (3-6) in the second and final day of DeSales' tournament on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m.
