Box Score
EAST STROUDSBURG - Ralph Hegamin had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead four West Chester players in double figures as the Golden Rams outlasted East Stroudsburg University for a 73-68 win in PSAC East men's basketball at Koehler Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
Neither team led by more than three points over the final nine minutes of the game until Sandy Tanner made two free throws with 15 seconds left and Sam Scott made 1-of-2 from the line to put the game away.
In between, ESU (12-7, 3-3) led most of the way down the stretch and took a 65-62 lead on a three-pointer by junior guard Andy Heimbach with 3:08 left. Hegamin had a layup to pull West Chester (13-6, 4-2) within one and Kenneth St. George gave the Golden Rams the lead for good with two free throws with 2:16 left.
Scott hit a jumper to give West Chester a 68-65 lead with 1:27 remaining, and the rest of the scoring would come from the foul line. ESU senior forward Chris Bach was fouled and made both free throws with 1:13 to play, and the Warriors forced a miss at the end of the shot clock but Scott came up with the offensive rebound.
Kehinde Roberts sank two free throws and Bach made 1-of-2 at the other end to bring ESU within 70-68 with 22 seconds on the clock. Tanner made both of his foul shots and sophomore guard Mike DeMarco missed a three that would have closed the margin to one with seven seconds left.
ESU's 36-30 lead at the end of the first half was the largest for either team in an opening 20 minutes that had six ties and three lead changes. Junior guard Robby Pines hit a trio of three-pointers early in the second half and assisted on a three-point play by freshman forward Eric Bryan that put the Warriors ahead 50-41 with 12:59 remaining.
St. George and Tanner keyed a quick stretch that got West Chester back within striking distance, and it was a one-possession game over the final nine minutes before the Golden Rams pulled it out in the end. St. George (15 points), Roberts (14) and Tanner (12) joined Hegamin in double figures for West Chester. Scott had eight points and 11 boards.
Pines had a season-high in scoring for the second straight game, finishing with 12 points, and senior forward Aaron Pinckney had eight of his team-high 13 points in the first half. Bach had 10 points, reaching double figures in every game this year, but was limited to a 1-of-4 performance from the field. He was 8-of-13 at the foul line and blocked five shots.
ESU will look to break a three-game losing streak when it hosts Millersville on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse.
