CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. - The Rosemont Ravens (5-3, 3-1 CSAC) blew open a close game to start the second half and held off the host Summit University Defenders (1-8, 1-3 CSAC) tonight by a final score of 97-81. The two teams slogged it out over the first half with neither team able to break away with more than a seven-point lead. The half ended with the score tied, 39-39.
The second half started out with a good omen for the Ravens when Khai Roberts was fouled on a three-point shot attempt and converted all three from the charity stripe to take a 42-39 lead. The Ravens never trailed after that point, opening the second stanza on a 17-4 run to grab a 13-point lead, 56-43 after a Marcus Thomas dunk with 15:48 left in the game. Rosemont would eventually open up their largest lead of the game, 22 points, after Mekhi Clemons drained a trey with 4:09 left, to give the Ravens a 94-72 advantage.
It was the Raven's balanced offensive attack, with five different players scoring in double-figures that overcame two big individual efforts from Summit.
Kyle Lafferty had a big first half to help keep his team to stay level with the Defenders, eventually leading the Ravens in scoring with 20 points. Marcus Thomas scored 17, while Khai Roberts added 15, Itay Levy scored 11, and Clayton Wolfe put 10 points on the board.
Summit's two big scorers were Abe Valentine (38 points) and Dan Decker (22 points). Decker would hit his career 1,000-point plateau for the Defenders in the game's second half.
A big difference in the game was in the turnover department, where the Ravens forced 25 Summit turnovers; more than twice the number of turnovers from Rosemont (12). Rosemont had 14 steals compared to five from Summit. Both teams shot well from the floor, with Summit overall shooting 60.8% and Rosemont 54.2%.
It was the second straight win for the Ravens from CSAC opponents in Northeastern Pennsylvania, having defeated Keystone at La Plume in a 75-73 thriller on Saturday.
The Ravens go into the Winter Break with their next game coming in 13 days when they return home for a non-conference tilt to host the Ursinus Bears on Tuesday, 12/22 at 2:00pm in a rare mid-week afternoon game.
