HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's basketball team scored the opening basket of the game and owned the edge over visiting Gettysburg College for nearly the entire first half, but an early second-half surge from the Bullets opened up a lead the Fords were unable to overcome in Saturday afternoon's 65-54 Centennial Conference loss.
Ian Goldberg's hard-driving lay-up from the right side gave Haverford (6-11, 4-6 CC) the game's initial lead and the Fords stretched the advantage to as many as eight during the first half against the Bullets (8-9, 5-5).
Gettysburg whittled away at the lead until tying the score at 28 then snuck ahead, 30-28, with a little less than three minutes remaining in the half. Goldberg nailed a three-pointer with 53 ticks left to move Haverford back in front but a successful lay-up and subsequent free throw after a Fords foul on the shot by the Bullets' Derek Brooks gave the visitors a 33-31 halftime lead.
A Cam Baker three-pointer stopped a quick 4-0 Gettysburg spurt to start the second half, but the Bullets tore through a 15-5 run after Baker's basket to take a commanding 52-39 lead at the 8:44 mark.
The Fords stayed in the battle and drew within eight on another Goldberg trey with 2:04 left in the game. A Gettysburg turnover put the ball back in Haverford's hands with the opportunity to cut into the lead even more, but a missed three-point effort was off the mark and the Bullets were able to close out the road win over a gritty Haverford squad.
Goldberg ended up finishing with a game-high 19 points and added a team-high six assists in the loss. Baker chipped in with 13 and Louis Cipriano added 10 points.
Benjamin Constable led Gettysburg's winning efforts with 18 points and received help from Brendan Trelease's 17 points, all of which came during second-half play.
Gettysburg owned a solid advantage on the glass for the day pulling down 41 rebounds compared to 18 by the Fords. Haverford did generate 17 points from 15 Bullets turnovers in the loss.
A three-game conference road trip is next on the slate for the Fords beginning Wednesday night with an 8 p.m. contest at Muhlenberg College.