Lancaster Bible 96, SUNY Morrisville 83
 
SUNY Morrisville Starters
Arroyo, Smith, Brennan, Hall & Walker
 
LBC Starters
Tyler Hilton, Grant Sareyka, Ethan Beachy, Jordan Shewbridge & Adam Stoltzfus
 
How It Happened
The Lancaster Bible College men's basketball team opened United East Conference play by defeating SUNY Morrisville by a score of 96-83 on Friday, December 3.
 
The Chargers (3-3 Overall, 1-0 United East) took an early lead when Tyler Hilton swished back-to-back corner 3-pointers, putting LBC ahead 6-0. After SUNY Morrisville (2-5 Overall, 0-1 United East) cut the Chargers' lead back to three, Adam Stoltzfus hit a layup in the paint. Jordan Shewbridge made his presences known for the first time, driving to the paint for back-to-back layups, putting LBC ahead by nine points. The Mustangs answered back, scoring five straight points to close back within four points. Seth Beers slowed the run by hitting a 3-pointer, but SUNY Morrisville continued to close the deficit pulling within two points. Shewbridge put LBC back ahead by five points by knocking down his first 3-pointer of the game. With 9:17 remaining in the first half, Shewbridge drew a foul, completing a three-point play to put LBC ahead by eight points. The Mustangs continued to fight back behind leading scoring Brison Hall, going on an 11-4 run to take a 33-31 lead late in the first half. Hall scored 15 of his team high 22 points in the first half. LBC had an immediate answer, with Jordan Praylow swishing a 3-pointer to put LBC back ahead by one point. Trailing by three points late in closing seconds of the half, Beers drew a foul on a three-point attempt and hit all three free throws to send the game into the half tied at 37.
 
Shewbridge started the second half fast, hitting a jumper and a 3-pointer to help LBC retake a four-point lead. After Grant Sareyka finished a layup, Shewbridge drained another 3-pointer to put the Chargers ahead by seven points. Shewbridge scored 39 points which is a career high, and he also set a program record for points in a single game in the Division III era. Shewbridge continued to power the offense adding another 3-pointer and an old fashion three-point play to keep LBC ahead by eight points. SUNY Morrisville closed within four points with 12:48 remaining, before Shewbridge converted another three-point play to put LBC ahead 60-53. The Mustangs chipped away at the deficit, closing within two points with 6:23 remaining in the game. Sareyka answered back with a 3-pointer to give LBC a five-point lead. Late in the half, LBC went on an 8-0 run to take a 12-point lead and seize the momentum. The Chargers stretched their lead to as many as 15 points, eventually capturing the 96-83 win.
 
Inside The Numbers
- Jordan Shewbridge scored a career high 39 points, hitting six times from beyond the arc. Shewbridge set the program record of points scored in a single game in the Division III era, and his 39 points are the 15^th most in game in program history.
- Tyler Hilton finished with 14 points, connecting twice from beyond the arc
- Grant Sareyka reached double figures scoring 13 points. He also dished four assists
- Seth Beers came off the bench to score 11 points
- Adam Stoltzfus returned to the lineup, scoring 10 points, and gathering seven rebounds
- SUNY Morrisville was led by Brison Hall who scored 22 points and gathered in 12 rebounds
- LBC shared the basketball, dishing 19 assists
 
Coaching Points
"First off, hats off to Morrisville. They played with great effort on both ends tonight. I thought they were very good at getting to their offensive spots and executing," said head coach Jon Mack. "I thought we played with a lot of grit and urgency on both ends for most of the game. We did have stretches of turnovers and missed lay ups that really hindered us from extending several runs which allowed Morrisville to convert at a high clip. I thought the key difference besides Jordan's amazing performance, was our ability to disrupt their offense with our pressure and get out in transition. We also did a better job in the second half of moving and sharing the ball that led to 19 assists. Tomorrow will be another tough challenge against a dangerous Wells team."
 
Who's Next
The men's basketball team will have a quick turnaround, as they face Wells College on Saturday, December 4 at 1:00 p.m.
 
Stay Connected
Be sure to follow LBC Athletics on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage of Charger athletics.