HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's basketball team (3-4) faced a tightly contested battle with visiting Neumann University (8-4) on Saturday afternoon at Gooding Arena, ultimately falling 85-79 in non-conference play. Despite a spirited second-half effort, the Fords could not overcome a balanced Neumann squad.
Ali Kaan Bek ignited the Haverford offense, leading all scorers with a career-high 25 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting performance, including three triples. Luke Phillips and Gaven Marr each contributed 13 points, while Christian Uremovich added a strong 16-point effort along with four blocks, providing a significant defensive presence in the paint for the hosts.
The Fords shot 41.9 percent from the field and 20 percent from beyond the arc, but their six made three-pointers weren't enough to match Neumann's balanced scoring attack. All five Knights starters reached double figures, with Gary Francis (18 points) and Bryan Etienne (22 points) leading the way. Jarrell Keel also chipped in nine points for the visitors in a reserve role.
The first half saw both teams trading short runs. Phillips nailed a three-pointer to give Haverford a 13-11 lead at the 12:35 mark, but Neumann answered to claim a 24-18 advantage following a Francis fast-break layup. Kaan Bek kept the Fords in the game, scoring four consecutive points, and a driving layup from him with under three minutes remaining cut the deficit to a single possession. However, Neumann pushed ahead as Etienne extended the lead to 11 points with 1:07 left. A quick 4-0 Haverford run narrowed the gap to 42-35 at halftime.
In the second half, Haverford outscored Neumann 44-43, showing resilience and designs on a comeback victory. Etienne opened the period with two free throws, extending Neumann's lead to 12, and later added a fast-break dunk to make it 57-43 inf avor of the Knights. Haverford fought back, led by Uremovich, Kaan Bek, and Marr, who combined for critical buckets to keep the Fords firmly in the contest.
Kian Nixon's three-pointer restored a 10-point cushion for Neumann at 68-58, but a 9-1 run by the Fords, capped by a Kaan Bek three-pointer, brought the home crowd to life as Haverford cut the deficit to just one point with 6:49 remaining.
However, key defensive lapses allowed Neumann to stay in control during crunch time. A second-chance basket from Etienne extended the Knights' lead to eight with 3:57 to play, and DJ Earl's three-pointer with 1:39 left made it 83-75. Although Uremovich capitalized on a Neumann turnover to bring Haverford back within four at 80-76, Etienne and Lewis were steady at the free-throw line to seal the win.
Haverford excelled in points off turnovers (21) and blocks (8), but Neumann edged the Fords in rebounds (44-42) and points in the paint (40-26).
The two Delaware County programs faced off for the first time since the 1994 season. Haverford returns to action on Wednesday, December 11, as Messiah visits Gooding '84 Arena to conclude a five-game homestand. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m., following the women's team matchup against PSU Brandywine at 6 p.m.