Baldarelli, Bluford lead Hounds past Holy Family in OT

December 30, 2009

Assumption 100, Holy Family 94, overtime

PHILADELPHIA, PA. --- Junior forward/captain MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name) scored a season-high 26 points with nine rebounds and senior guard/captain COURTLAND BLUFORD (Fort Washington, MD/Saint Vincent Pallotti) added 20 points and five steals to lead Assumption College past Holy Family University, 100-94, in overtime in the second round of the East Regional Classic.

Sophomore guard KEVIN DONAHUE (Pawcatuck, CT/Stonington) (18 points, four assists, four steals), freshman forward RONSON QUICK (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) (15 points, five rebounds) and senior center SAVOY FRAINE (Grenada Hills, CA/Grenada Hills) (14 points, seven rebounds, two blocked shots) all played well in support roles for the Greyhounds, now 7-3 overall.

Sophomore forward JUSTIN SWIDOWSKI (Cinnaminson, NJ/Holy Cross) finished with a game-high 28 points, 20 rebounds and six blocked shots for the Tigers, while freshman guard KHIRY HANKINS (Cincinnati, OH/Summit Country) added 21 points. Junior forward RICKIE CREWS (Westville, NJ/Deptford) scored 18 points and five blocked shots and sophomore forward SAM MUSHMAN (Hackettstown, NJ/Pope John XXIII) had 13 points, 10 rebounds.

The Greyhounds moved to a 45-38 halftime lead as Donahue scorched the nets for 16 points including four-of-five from three-point territory. They moved to a quick 12-point lead, 26-14, as Quick drilled a corner three-pointer from freshman guard KEL HAYNES (Holden, MA/Wachusett). It reached a 15-point advantage as Donahue made a three-pointer with 7:23 left in the half.

Three-pointers by Hankins and Crews and a dunk by Swidowski keyed a late run by the Tigers as they closed to within seven points at the halftime break. It was a half of the Hounds scoring 11 points off turnovers, while the Tigers capitalized on second-chance opportunities with 14 points.

When sophomore guard BEN BADEEN (Newport, ME/Maine Central) made a three-pointer with 9:31 left in the second half the Tigers had moved to a six-point lead, 62-56.

Bluford made a corner three-pointer, Baldarelli converted an inside move and Bluford then made two free throws to put the Greyhounds back in front, 62-61 with 8:57 left.

The teams would play back and forth until the Tigers' Hankins tied it 82-82 with 22 seconds left in regulation.

Crews gave the Tigers their final advantage at 89-88 with a pair of free throws with 3:19 left in overtime. Quick put the Hounds in front to stay with a turnaround jumper in the lane and Baldarelli buried a three-pointer from the top-of-the-circle to make it, 93-89, with 2:15 left.

Junior forward TOBIN HAASE (Southold, NY/Ridgwood, NJ) and Baldarelli each made two free throws in the final seconds to ice the win.

The Greyhounds are next in action in a Northeast-10 Conference rival Pace University Saturday.

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