A game-winning basket at the buzzer Shippensburg spoiled the Chestnut Hill college men's Basketball team's home opener as the Raiders rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Griffins 71-69 Monday night at Sorgenti Arena

The Griffins fall to 0-5 on the season while the Raiders improve to 3-1.

Chestnut Hill put four players in double figures with Alejandro Redondo Cybak leading the way with 19 points (8-12 FG, 3-4 3FG).  Noah Charles added 13 points while Donald-James Imo chipped in 12.  Neal Hill recorded a double-double with ten points and 11 rebounds.  Cybak, Charles and Hill all had three assists.

Trailing by one at the half, the Griffins immediately retook the lead with a 19-7 run to open the second half and hold a 56-45 lead.  Imo and Lucas Dunn had two baskets apiece to complete the run.  Chestnut Hill expanded the lead to 60-47 following a Cybak layup with 9:41 remaining.  The Raiders then scored seven straight points to cut the lead to six before Dunn sank a three-pointer with 6:29 left to push the lead back to nine.  A 10-2 uprising from Shippensburg whittled the lead down to one with 2:40 left. 

The lead was still one with 1:22 left when a three-pointer by SU's Satchel Ball gave the Raiders their first lead since the end of the first half, 69-67. Imo's putback with 7.1 seconds left tied the game at 69-69.  Hill blocked the Raiders first attempt at breaking the tie, leaving 1.3 seconds for the Raiders to shoot and score.  Markus Frank caught the inbounds pass and launched a jumper from the right side that went through the net as the buzzer sounded to give Shippensburg a 71-69 win.

The comeback was the second time the Raiders recovered from a double digit deficit.  In the first half, Chestnut Hill built a 30-17 lead only to see it disappear by halftime with a 21-7 spurt from the Raiders.  The Griffins went without a field goal for a four minute stretch towards the end of the half following a dunk by Cybak that put CHC ahead 32-28.  The Griffins next and last field goal of the half was a three-point bucket from Argel Pettit IV, giving the Griffins a 37-36 lead before Ty Crespo hit a basket to put the raiders ahead by one 38-37 at the break.

For the game, Chestnut Hill had a slightly better shooting percentage, making 30 of 68 shots (44.1%) from the field to SU's 43.4% (23-53).  The Raiders made one more three point basket and also dominated on the foul line, outscoring the Griffins 17-2.  Chestnut Hill made just two of seven free throws in the game.  CHC held a slim 39-38 advantage on the boards and committed three fewer turnovers (12-15)

The men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, November 25, 2023, when they host West Chester University in an early afternoon contest starting at 5:30 p.m.