Box Score Philadelphia, Pa. - (1/13/2018) – For the second time in their last three contests, Chestnut Hill College engaged in overtime play as Nyack College stole an 81-79 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) win from the Griffins thanks to the clutch play of senior guard Imran Ritchie (Uniondale, N.Y.). The Warrior point scored a game-high 23 points, including eight of Nyack College's 12 overtime points to earn the visitors the victory. Chestnut Hill College controlled the first half behind senior guard Demetrius Isaac (Philadelphia, Pa.), who finished with 22 points in excess of three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

 

Chestnut Hill College (1-14, 0-8) shot well all night (29-of-53, .547), but it was their first-half defense that held Nyack College (3-12, 3-5) to a 35.5% (11-of-31) shooting performance and force 10 Warrior turnovers. The Griffins established the first significant lead of the affair, seizing a nine-point, 18-9, edge on a put-back from junior forward Roman Letterlough (Harrisburg, Pa.) at 11:51. Nyack College responded with a 10-0 run that earned them a one point, 19-18, lead a little more than two minutes later (9:33), but the lead changed hands three more times over the next four minutes, leaving Chestnut Hill College with the edge, 24-23, on an Isaac jumper at 4:46. He scored the next two points, 26-23 (4:16), after a Warrior turnover and an old fashion three-point play from senior center Chris Evans (Norristown, Pa.) (30-23, 2:06) helped the Griffins to an eventual 35-27 halftime lead.
 
Junior forward Tony Toplyn Jr. (Sicklerville, N.J.) gained Chestnut Hill College a double digit lead, opening the second half with an and-one (38-27, 19:42) and completing another Isaac pass at 17:32, 44-33. Seven minutes later (10:44), Letterlough gave the Griffins' their largest lead of the contest, 57-45. But thanks to Ritchie, the 12-point advantage gradually wore to none, 69-69, as he triggered a final Warrior push with his bucket at 3:18 (63-58) and found junior guard Elijah Farley (Orlando, Fla.) for the game-tying shot with 31 seconds (0:31) remaining.

Ritchie and Letterlough went point-for-point at the start of the overtime period, but Nyack College grabbed a three-point, 78-75, lead on a long range basket from junior forward Carl Balthazar (Montreal, Canada) at 2:24. A Letterlough jumper (78-77, 1:49) and a pair of Toplyn free throws returned Chestnut Hill College to the lead, 79-78, at 1:08, but Ritchie made one more timely layup, giving the Warriors an enduring 80-79 (0:08) edge.
 
Ritchie was 9-of-13 (.692) from the floor and 4-of-4 (1.000) at the free throw line, while providing a rebound and seven assists. Farley totaled 20 points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Balthazar offered 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
 
In a similar effort, Isaac was 9-of-15 (.600) from the floor and 4-of-4 (1.000) at the free throw line. Toplyn totaled 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and five blocks as the captain of the Chestnut Hill College defense. Letterlough finished with 16 points, three rebounds, and a steal as the Griffins' top reserve. Evans and junior guard Liban Awl (Manassas, Va.) were factors as well; the former offered nine points, nine rebounds, and two assists, while the latter contributed four points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
 
The Chestnut Hill College men's basketball team returns to Sorgenti Arena on Tuesday, January 16, when they host Dominican College in an 8:00 p.m. CACC contest.