SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – Freshman Zach Sabol dropped a career-high 15 points, but the East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team fell at Shepherd, 82-78, in PSAC action on Wednesday night.
Sabol finished the contest 7-of-10 from the field as the rookie recorded the second double-digit scoring performance of his young career with 15 points. Sabol also grabbed eight boards in the tilt, including four on the offensive glass. Troy Jones was the other Warrior to register double-figures, posting 12 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists.
ESU shot 46.2-percent overall in the loss while hitting 7-of-21 (.333) from beyond the arc and 11-of-12 (.917) at the line. On the other end, Shepherd posted a 48.1-percent mark from the floor and knocked down 14-of-29 (.483) from deep and 18-of-23 (.783) at the charity stripe.
Shepherd's Jarrell Jones led all scorers with a career-high 29 points, including 24 in the second half, as he went 10-of-14 from the field overall and 6-of-8 from three-point territory.
The loss dropped ESU to 8-7 on the year and 4-6 in PSAC play, while Shepherd improved to 7-9 overall and 3-7 in conference play.
Shepherd jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the opening five minutes of play as Dan McClain-Corley and Jon Preston combined for all 13 of the Rams' points during the early stretch.
The next five minutes of the contest belonged to the Warriors, as they went on a big 15-2 run with six different players getting in on the scoring action. The rally gave ESU the advantage for the first time of the night at 19-15.
McClain-Corley's second three-pointer of the tilt at the 5:51 mark pushed the Rams back in front, but ESU countered with back-to-back buckets from Michal Weiss and Zion Darby to regain a 25-22 lead with just over five minutes left in the half.
ESU held a two-point advantage with 2:26 on the clock following a Justin Paz layup, but Shepherd was able to rattle off the final six points of the half to take a 33-29 lead into the intermission.
The Rams built their lead to seven points, 43-36, during the opening four minutes of the second half and continued to remain in front by a pair of possessions until the 11:29 mark when a layup from Troy Jones cut the ESU deficit to 53-50.
Shepherd was able to hold off the momentum and extended the lead back to nine in the ensuing 4:24 of action. The stretch featured eight points from Jarrell Jones, including a pair of long balls.
ESU continued to grind and fought back once again, putting together 10 straight points to grab its first lead since the final minutes of the first half. The Warrior run, which put them on top by a 67-66 margin with 4:06 remaining, saw four different players contribute points, including four from Sabol.
After ESU took a one-point lead, the Rams quickly countered on another three-pointer from Jarrell Jones, which made it a 69-67 game. After the teams traded buckets the next two times down the court, Jarrell Jones drained his sixth three-pointer of the night to push the Shepherd lead to five with just over two minutes left.
Shepherd held ESU to one basket on its next three possessions, as the Rams carried a 76-71 lead into the final minute of play. Thomas Lang went to the line with 44 seconds showing on the clock and made the first but missed the second. The loose ball rebound went to the Rams, and Jarrell Jones was sent to the line, where he made a pair to push the lead to 79-71.
The Warriors continued to fight and cut it back to a one-possession game following a three-pointer from Kitt Najee Walls and a pair of free throws by Montrel Morgan. The Warriors then sent Jarrell Jones back to the line, where he made 1-of-2 to make it an 80-76 game with 25 ticks left.
ESU had a pair of chances on the other end, but Walls wasn't able to convert in the paint and Morgan's three to follow rimmed out, as Shepherd came down with the rebound. Preston was then sent to the line and converted both with 14 seconds remaining to ice the game for the Rams.
The Warriors are back at home for a matchup against Mansfield this Saturday, January 18, with opening tip from Koehler Fieldhouse set for 3 p.m.
