Haverford Knocks Off Garnet Men 71-48 in Season Finale
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Visiting Haverford (11-13, 9-9) used big runs at the end of the first half and beginning of the second to break open a tight game with the Swarthmore College men's basketball team (7-18, 6-12), as the Garnet fell to the Fords 71-48 on Senior Day from Tarble Pavilion.
Freshman Will Gates capped one of the best freshman campaigns in program history by leading all scorers with 21 points and seven rebounds. Gates finishes the season averaging 16.1 ppg, the second-best scoring average for a freshman in Centennial Conference history.
Allen finished with 5 points in his final game from Tarble Pavilion
Haverford's Cameron Baker scored 20 points to lead the Fords - who outscored the Garnet 32-8 in the paint. Ian Goldberg (13) also scored in double figures, while Doug Edelman recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The difference in game was the second half. Ahead just 30-29 exiting the locker room, the Fords outscored the Garnet 41-19 in the second half while holding Swat to just 20 percent shooting from the floor. The Garnet were off target all game long, shooting just 26.7 percent for the game.
Still - as is expected in any great rivalry - the game was tight throughout the first half - and Swarthmore even looked as it could break the game open late in the first. Back-to-back three-pointers from Gates and senior captain Matt Allen - playing his final game as a member of the Garnet - gave Swat it's largest lead of the game at 27-21 with 2:59 remaining to play in the half.
Despite the swing in momentum, the Fords would respond in a big way, ending the half on a 9-2 run to seize the lead right before the half. A lay-up from Haverford's Michael Gabriel with :29 to play gave the Fords a 30-29 lead at the half.
The Fords carried that momentum right into the second half, while the Garnet seemed to leave its offense in the locker room. Haverford opened the second half on a 7-0, thanks in part the Garnet's offensive struggles: Swat open the half missing its first seven shots and was held scoreless until junior Ryan Carmichael's jumper at the 13:37 mark.
Despite the Carmichael make, the Fords continued to pour it on, scoring the next eight points of the game to complete a 15-2 run to put the Fords in complete control. A three-pointer from Haverford's Bo Friddell - which came following his offensive rebounded - brought the Fords' lead to double-digits at 41-31 and appeared to take the wind out of the Garnet's sails.
From that point, the Garnet would never again get within single digits, as the Fords won 71-48.
The victory is Haverford's seventh consecutive in the series; however, Swat still leads the overall series 90-68.
Freshman Jordan Martinez scored nine points and added six assists. Sophomore Marc Rogalski had 10 rebounds off the bench.
The game marked the final game for Swarthmore seniors Allen and Danny Walker. Allen finished with five points, and Walker with two.
Swarthmore finishes the season at 7-18 (6-12 CC).