Bryn Athyn Holds Off Brandywine 79-62

MEDIA, Pa. -- A 19-2 run was the difference in the game as Bryn Athyn held off Penn State Brandywine 79-62 in United East Conference men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon.

The teams were even at 22-all through 15 minutes of play before the visitors closed the first half with 16 of the final 18 points during the last 4:56 to build a 38-24 halftime edge.

Jakir Hampton knocked down a three-pointer to begin the second half, extending the Bryn Athyn lead to 17 points before Brandywine began to chip away.

Amari Little (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) buried a triple and Alexander Derkits (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) added four points before Jamar Wright (Wilmington, Del./Conrad School of Science) sank a bucket during a 9-0 Brandywine surge that brought the score to 41-33 with 16 minutes to go.

Bryn Athyn responded with a 13-4 run that swelled the lead back to 17, but Brandywine made one more push. Little and Derkits combined for all nine points during a 9-3 spurt that got the Lions within 11 just past the mid-point of the half. Two minutes later, Little converted a three-point play to bring Brandywine's deficit to nine.

The teams traded baskets during the next six minutes with Brandywine again closing the margin to nine at the 2:37 mark when Joey Brusha (Abington, Pa./Abington) canned a triple; however, Bryn Athyn scored the next seven points to put the game out of reach.

Little netted a team-high 18 points and grabbed four rebounds, while Derkits shot 7-of-11 from the field and contributed 16 points. Wright added 10 points and Damir Shelley (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) handed out a team-high four assists.

Brandywine shot 41 percent from the field, while allowing Bryn Athyn to shoot 56 percent. The visitors held a 32-25 edge on the boards.

Brandywine (2-8, 0-3 UEC) will play its final two non-conference games next week beginning with a road contest Wednesday at Rosemont.