Yellow Jackets pull away from ‘Berg

DEFIANCE, Ohio—The Defiance College men’s basketball team ran away from the Student Princes of Heidelberg, 87-66, at the Karl H. Weaner Center on Tuesday evening.

Curt Croy hit for 27 points in the home debut of the Jackets, who improve to 2-1 with the win. The senior hit five triples, while going 10-for-11 from the free-throw line. Freshman Anthony Jackson hit clutch shots down the stretch to preserve DC’s lead and ended with 16 points and two assists. Sophomore C.J. Johnson totaled a team-high four assists while scoring 14 points, going 6-for-6 from the stripe.

Freshman Robert Kisabeth and sophomore Ryan Carthage each added eight points to the Jacket attack, while sophomore Matt Muratori led all players with nine boards and also scored six points. The ‘Berg was led by Ron Higgins’ 14 points with Andrew Lemmon adding 11 points.

Defiance hit exactly 50% from both the floor and the three-point line, while hitting 87% from the charity stripe. DC did commit 19 turnovers, but overcame that by winning the battle of the boards, 39-27.

The hosts jumped out to an 18-4 lead six minutes into the game when Carthage hit a lay-up off a Johnson assist. Heidelberg eventually closed the gap to 18-11 on a Lemmon triple, but the Jackets, on the strength of three triples and a jumper from Croy, took a 43-24 lead and went into the half with a 43-26 advantage.

The second half saw DC never let the Princes get closer than 13. Jackson hit three triples from the corner as the Jackets endure the ‘Berg’s press and come away with the 21-point win.

The Jackets (2-1, 0-0 HCAC) will next travel to Oberlin College on Wednesday, November 30.