For the first time since before the iPhone was released, the Lancaster Bible College men's basketball team dropped a game to Cairn, as the Chargers fell, 75-72 to the Highlanders at Horst Athletic Center. The loss sends the Chargers to 13-8 overall, while the Highlanders improved to 15-6.
 
How it Happened: The teams needed no introduction to one another on Monday, as the teams played the 89th game in the series history, and both were ready, as the teams went bucket-for-bucket in the early going. Freshman Jordan Shewbridge opened the scoring for the Chargers with a 3-pointer, and minutes later, junior Luke Beers put the home team up 9-6 with a layup.
 
Unfazed, the Highlanders went on a 15-6 run, and took a 21-15 lead after a four-point play from senior Josh Decker who was fouled after draining a 3-pointer. The Cairn lead grew to 23-15, but two baskets from senior Quentin Davis sandwiched around a basket from fellow senior Alex Whitt, cut the Chargers' deficit to 23-21 with 8:59 to play in the opening half.
 
Lancaster Bible finally tied it 4:33 later, as freshman Benny Raymond drained a 3-pointer to make it 28-28. The teams again went back-and-forth, and Whitt converted a layup with 24 seconds left to give Lancaster Bible a 38-37 lead at halftime.
 
After exchanging buckets to open the second half, Cairn went on a huge run, and turned a 43-42 lead into a 60-47 advantage after a 17-5 scoring run. Julian Collazo was key to the run, as he had nine points, and his fastbreak layup ended the run that put the Highlanders up 13.
 
It was Lancaster Bible's turn to buckle down and battle back, and they did, as the Chargers scored on their next four possessions, and sophomore Tyler Norris brought Lancaster Bible back to within five with a 3-pointer with 12:41 to play. Another 3-pointer from Shewbridge followed, as did a jumper from Davis, before sophomore Britton Beachy's layup ended a 15-0 run, and gave the Chargers a 62-60 lead.
 
The scoring slowed down from there, and after Cairn re-took the lead, Lancaster Bible tied it again at 66-66 on a jumper from Beers with 1:54 to play. Collazo immediately went down the floor and handed the ball to Decker who splashed a deep 3-pointer to restore Cairn's lead, 69-66.
 
The Chargers hung around, and cut the deficit to two, 74-72, after a three-point play from Davis with 14 seconds to play, and after Jeremiah Harris hit one-of-two free throws on the other end, Lancaster Bible had a chance to tie. Cairn tightly guarded the Chargers, and Lancaster Bible could only manage a deep 3-pointer from Beachy which clanked off the front of the rim, and sealed the Highlanders' victory.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible shot 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from floor, including 8-of-23 from 3-point range, while the Highlanders shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field, including 8-of-15 from beyond the arc…Davis led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and also added nine saves…Shewbridge finished with 17 points, and Luke Beers was the final player in double figures with 11 points, while also adding five rebounds and three assists…Alex Whitt chipped in with eight points and six boards, while Britton Beachy had seven points, eight assists and four steals…Decker led the Highlanders with 18 points, while Collazo added 17 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five rebounds.
 
The Coach Says: "I thought Cairn played tough defense on us tonight, but also thought we beat ourselves a bit due to little mistakes that plagued us all night," Lancaster Bible Head Coach Andrew Wingreen said. "Those little things add up, and while some of our mistakes were forced by Cairn, we need to make sure we are converting layups or hanging onto the ball."
 
On the Positives: "It's obviously no fun to lose, but tonight showed us a few more things we need to work on, specifically our end-of-game scenarios," Wingreen said. "We haven't had a game this year where it's been a one possession game, and we are trailing, so I think we had a little trouble tonight, and that is something we need to be better prepared for, coaches and players, heading into the NEAC Playoffs."
 
Information Hodge Podge: Lancaster Bible is now 29-60 all-time against Cairn…The last time the Chargers lost to the Highlanders was Feb. 15, 2007…This was the first time the teams played one another since Dec. 11, 2015 when the Chargers defeated the Highlanders, 97-93 in Langhorne, Pa…Monday marked the fourth time in five games that Shewbridge has had five or more 3-pointers…Lancaster Bible is now 8-3 at Horst Athletic Center this season…Monday was the fourth straight game the Chargers have made under 10 free throws in a game (Lancaster Bible is 2-2 in those games)…Cairn has won eight straight games, and hasn't lost since a Jan. 2 setback at Messiah.
 
Up Next: The Chargers travel to upstate New York this weekend, and will face Wells on Saturday at 3 p.m., before battling Keuka on Sunday at 2 p.m.