SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Kahlil Garnes poured in 23 points for the Haverford College men's basketball team on Wednesday evening; however, it was not enough to overcome Hood Trophy rival Swarthmore in an 89-63 defeat on the road. The Garnet came into the contest tied for first place in the conference and receiving votes in the national poll.
In addition to Garnes, Jonathan Lang just missed his season high in scoring with a 13 point night after tying his season high with 14 points on Monday against Rutgers-Camden. Swarthmore got a pair of 20 point performances from Cam Wiley (26 points) and Zack Yonda (20 points) to pace its offensive night.
Both halves were seemingly split with each team making runs during each 20 minute period. The Garnet raced out to sizeable advantages during the opening minutes of each half. Haverford kept pace early with the Garnet as the Fords found themselves trailing 6-5 after Sam Stogdon collected an offensive rebound and got a tip-in at the 16:57 mark. Nevertheless, the Garnet scored 16 of the next 21 points to claim an 11 point advantage.
Swarthmore was holding a 12 point advantage, its largest of the half, before the Fords came storming back in the final five minutes. A layup from Garnes on the fast break started a 13-4 run for Haverford that brought the game within two points, 33-31, with four seconds remaining in the half. Garnes also capped the run with a pair of free throws, but a three-pointer from Wiley at the buzzer gave the Garnet a 36-31 edge at the break.
The Garnet made their second big run of the night during the opening minutes of the second half. The two rivals played to a basically even score during the final 10 minutes, but that huge run at the start of the second half put Haverford in an inescapable hole.
Despite Swarthmore shooting 55 percent in the second half, the Fords were able to come up with nine steals on the defensive end. Matt Sherman, Stogdon, and Garnes each had two takeaways on the night, while Stogdon also blocked two shots.
Tonight's contest marked the halfway point of Centennial Conference play around the league. After playing five games during the previous nine days, the Fords will begin their second trip through the conference opposition this Saturday as they travel to Franklin & Marshall. That game will follow the women's tip at 1 p.m. and is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.