HAVERFORD, Pa. – In a defensive battle during which neither team's high scorer notched better than 13 points, Haverford College fell to visiting Johns Hopkins University, 66-59, in Centennial Conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Gooding Arena.
The Fords (6-11, 2-10 CC) were led by Gibby Graves' 13 points while Hopkins (11-8, 8-4) was paced by Gene Williams who equaled Graves' 13 point outing.
Saturday's match-up ended with the Blue Jays being held to six points below their season average while the Fords were held to five fewer than their average total. Only two other players, Hopkins' Jimmy Hammer with 12 points and Haverford's Lucas Colombo with 11, beyond Williams and Graves reached double-figures in scoring.
Trailing by eight with 13:53 left to play, Haverford fought back with a 17-5 run over the next 5:30 to grab it's first lead of the game, 46-45, at the 8:23 mark.
Baskets from Matt Sherman, Garrett Johnson, Anthony Reyes and Colombo fueled the run to bring Haverford to within two points at 45-43.
Hopkins maintained possession after a loose ball in their offensive end and was inbounding from just to the right of the basket. However, Brett Cohen stole the inbounds pass then whirled around to see Graves streaking down the right side of the court.
The outlet pass was perfect allowing Graves to glide toward the basket for a layup which he converted even though fouled by the Blue Jays' Omar Randall. The layup tied the game and Graves' free throw gave the Fords their first lead of the contest.
The next time down court Williams missed a three-pointer for Hopkins and Johnson pulled down the rebound for Haverford. A few passes later put the ball back in Johnson's hands at the top of the key and he drained a three-pointer to push the home team's advantage to four, at 49-45.
The Fords would own the lead for the next four minutes before a jumper from Hammer put Hopkins back in front. Cohen dropped in a short jumper from the right to regain the edge for Haverford but that would be the last lead of the day for the Fords as Hopkins held off the home team over the final three minutes of action.
Haverford out rebounded the Blue Jays, 34-33, and limited the visitors to just five offensive rebounds in the contest. The Fords also helped cause 17 Hopkins turnovers and converted the miscues into 21 points for the home team.
The difference-maker in the contest was most likely a chilly opening 20 minutes for Haverford in which it shot 31 percent from the floor while Hopkins sailed through the first half at a 46 percent clip. Though Haverford battled back with a strong second half, the six-point halftime deficit proved too large to overcome with the visitors improving to 65 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes.
Cohen, who finished with eight points and seven rebounds, also collected four steals which gives him 143 for his career, seventh-most in program history.
The Fords continue their finishing stretch of the season Wednesday night at home in an 8 p.m. conference contest against visiting Muhlenberg College.