BRYN MAWR, Pa. - Making the short trip up Lancaster Avenue to Rosemont College, the Haverford College men's basketball team (1-2) was defeated 74-69 by the homestanding Ravens (2-1) inside Alumnae Hall on Wednesday evening. Harry Johnson paced all scorers with 18 points off the bench, adding eight rebounds, while Ryan Trotter was the only other Haverford player to reach double-digit scoring, pouring in 10. Jackson Ryan made his season debut with eight points in just 18 minutes.
Haverford struggled to find consistency in the first half, jetting out on an early 11-5 run and eventually expanding that early advantage to 17-8 after a jumper from Ryan with 10:35 to play. However, Rosemont then exploded on an 8-0 run, pulling back to within one at 17-16 following a jumper from Damian Rawls.
Fatayn Wesley tied the score at 19-19, as Rosemont unleashed a 12-0 run to wrestle control of the contest, suddenly up 28-19 with 5:28 to play in the first. Dhruv Mehrotra poured in a three to cut the lead to six, and Ryan brought the Fords back within two possessions with his triple with 4:02 showing on the first-half clock. Mehrotra made it a one-score game with his two with 3:38 to play, but Rosemont again proved its mettle with a 9-0 run to close the half, capitalizing on some Haverford turnovers and pushing the tempo.
With 16:23 remaining in the second, Trotter brought the Fords back within four as he connected from long-range as Haverford was down just 45-41. Haverford pulled to within three at 48-45 following a layup from Johnson, and Ryan connected from three-point land to cut the lead to 52-50 with 9:56 left in regulation. The Ravens rallied back with a 4-0 run, prompting a Haverford timeout with 8:48 to play.
A pair of layups from Brandon Banadda and Johnson cut the lead to just three with under six to go, but Rosemont responded on the other end, with Rawls connecting to prompt a timeout, firing up the home crowd. Josh Love connected from deep to cut the lead to just two with 4:31 to go, as suddenly Haverford had all the momentum back within two and building.
Johnson drilled a floater to tie the score at 61-61 with under three minutes remaining, but Mike Herrin was in position to restore the lead for the hosts on the other side of the court. Rosemont went on a 6-0 stretch to take a 67-61 lead, but Haverford was not done yet, as Zaire Mitchell missed one of two from the charity stripe and Kerkorian connected from long range to pull Haverford back to within two with just 30 seconds to play. After Mitchell knocked down both of his free throws, Kerkorian again connected from deep, as Haverford was suddenly within just one point.
Wesley hit both of his free-throws calmly on the other end after Haverford fouled on the ensuing Rosemont inbounds, and Haverford was unable to connect on its last two three-point attempts in the waning seconds as Rosemont escaped with the home win.
Rebounds were largely even on the night, with Rosemont holding a 41-40 edge in that category. Rosemont staked its advantage by getting to the free-throw line and holding the edge in points int the paint.
The Fords now continue non-conference play close to home as Haverford faces off with Eastern in St Davids, Pa. on Saturday (2 p.m.) - The contest will be the final non-conference test prior to Tuesday's conference opener at home against Washington College inside Gooding '84 Arena.