Box Score
EAST STROUDSBURG - Senior forward Chris Bach scored 22 points, including the go-ahead free throw with 2:01 remaining, as East Stroudsburg University outlasted Shippensburg for a 64-63 PSAC East men's basketball win on Saturday.
The Warriors took a 45-30 lead into halftime after shooting 62.5 percent from the field and forcing 13 turnovers in the first half. Junior guard Andy Heimbach shot 4-of-5 from three-point range, scoring 14 points to lead ESU at the break.
Shippensburg outscored the Warriors 30-19 in the second half, highlighted by an 18-2 run over a 9:36 stretch. The run was keyed by Daziah Miller (7 points) and Brian Oleksiak (6 points), who made two three-pointers, including one to tie the game at 63-all with 2:34 remaining.
A foul on Oleksiak 33 seconds later sent Bach to the foul line with just over two minutes left. After missing his first, he made the second to end an 11-0 Shippensburg run and put ESU back in the lead.
The Raiders had several chances down the stretch to take the lead and had possession with 23 seconds left when Lamar Drayton came up with a steal. Drayton went coast-to-coast, but sophomore guard Mike DeMarco stole the ball as Drayton went up for a layup to maintain the Warriors' one-point lead.
Drayton took the ball back from DeMarco near the midcourt line and the Raiders called timeout with 12 seconds remaining. They were unable to get a good look, however, and DeMarco knocked away a pass by Oleksiak for his second steal in the final 20 seconds to seal the victory for ESU.
Derrick Graff led Shippensburg with 17 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes. Miller scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had seven turnovers and Oleksiak added eight points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Raiders.
Senior guard Dawud Lyons had 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Heimbach finished with 17 points, going 5-of-10 from three, and extended his streak to 12 straight games with a three-pointer. He now has 152 career three's, 10 away from the school record held by Juwan Justice.
Bach scored at least 20 points for the ninth time this season and added six rebounds and four blocks. Senior guard Pat Fleury's four assists moved him ahead of Cliff Riddick (334, 1977-80) and into fourth place on ESU's all-time list with 338.
The Warriors will recognize their four seniors - Bach, Fleury, Lyons and Aaron Pinckney - prior to their final home game of the season next Wednesday against Mansfield. Bach has 946 points in his career, which includes one season at Philadelphia University.
