Croy, Johnson Help Jackets Claim Championship
DC Takes 31st Annual Purple and Gold Financial Tournament Title

DEFIANCE, Ohio – In the championship game of the 31st annual Purple and Gold Financial Tournament, Defiance downed visiting Bethel to claim the title by a score of 81-73. Senior Curt Croy finished with a game-high 27 points and added three steals and three assists. DC improves to 5-1 on the season, while BC falls to 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the MCC.

With 6:38 left in the first half, Bethel took its largest lead of nine and capped a 7-1 run to make the score 37-26. Both teams played back and forth for the remainder of the half before a Matt Muratori tip cut the DC deficit to only five, 44-39, at the break.

Croy would finish the half with 11 points on 4-8 from the field and 3-6 from deep, while Muratori added five boards in the half.

DC came out storming in the second half mounting a 12-0 run over a 3:03 stretch to grab its largest lead up to that point at 58-51 with 14:26 remaining. The run would provide all the Yellow Jackets would need as they would not trail the rest of the contest. Croy sparked the run by providing five of the 12 points and added an assist to classmate Matt Laudick for an easy layup.

The Pilots would battle back and cut the Jacket lead to only one at 60-59 before two Muratori layups pushed the lead back to 66-59 with 9:34 remaining in the contest.

A 2:11 drought would ensue with both teams bearing down on defense. Bethel’s William Walker would end the lull with a layup before DC’s C.J. Johnson quickly answered with a layup of his own on the next trip down the court.

DC would provide the final blow with 3:51 remaining in the game as Croy nailed a deep three to put Defiance up 10 at 76-66. Clutch free throws down the stretch would seal the game and a layup by Bryan Post with three seconds left would cap off a 5-0 run to end the contest.

Croy led Defiance with a game-high 27 points, while finishing 9-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-13 from distance. Johnson ended with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. Muratori led DC on the board after grabbing eight and chipping in 11 points. Laudick rounded

out the Jackets in double figures as the senior ended with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

DC’s Johnson earned tournament MVP honors and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Croy and Laudick. Bethel’s Jon Zeser and Robbie Lightfoot, UC-Clermont’s Stefan Dunn and IU-East’s Bob Beshears were also selected to the all-tournament team. Defiance’s Anthony Jackson received the Gerry Boomer Sportsmanship award.

The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Wednesday, December 7, as they travel to Ohio Northern to take on the Polar Bears. The tip is slated for 7:30 pm at the ONU Sports Center.