Box Score Philadelphia, Pa. – (1/23/2013) – A rollercoaster first half saw Chestnut Hill College lead Holy Family University by as many as 13 points, 24-11, before taking a two-point lead, 30-28, to the break. As emotions ran high in Sorgenti Arena the Griffins kept their feathers cool with senior guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) and sophomore forward Alssene Saintilus (Irvington N.J) leading the home team to a 73-63 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) triumph. DiRugeris headlined four Griffins in double figures with a game-high 24 points while Saintilus came off the bench for 15 second-half points in a career-high 19-point effort.
 
Chestnut Hill College (9-8, 5-3) started the game with a 10-3 run and built their lead to as many as 13 points, 24-11, on a DiRugeris Jr. three-point play with 8:54 left in the first half. Holy Family University (10-8, 6-3) gradually battled back with junior guard Ervin Ezell (Deptford, N.J.) trimming the halftime spread to two points, 30-28. After intermission, the Griffins went back on the offensive, with DiRugeris and junior guard Jakeem Bogans (Philadelphia, Pa.) both hitting from long range before an intentional foul and a technical foul to the Tiger bench left the home team up nine points, 43-34. Junior guard Alberto Munoz (Morrisville, N.C.) led the Tigers reprisal, which returned the contest to a one-point affair, 50-49, with 10:20 to play. Play remained close until Saintilus caught fire. Finding the open space under the hoop, Saintilus sparked an 11-2 run that reestablished the Griffins lead at nine points, 65-56, and left the Tigers chasing the rest of the way, 73-63.
 
The Tigers were led by Ezell's 22 points; he also recorded nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Senior forward Angel Ayala (Allentown, Pa.) came off the bench for 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while Munoz finished the night as the third Tiger in double digits with 13 points.
 
DiRugeris hit four of his six field goals (6-of-14, 42.9%) from three point range (4-of-11, 36.4%) and added an 8-of-9 (88.9%) clip from the foul line while Saintilus sealed the deal with a 9-of-12 (75.0%) shooting effort, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks off the Griffin bench. Providing scoring in slow stretches, Bogans finished with 12 points and sophomore guard Luke Dickson (Pittman, N.J.) recorded ten points.
 
The men's basketball team continues their CACC schedule on Saturday, January 26, with a 3:00 p.m. contest at Dominican College.