CLARION, Pa. — The ESU men's basketball team got back in the win column and secured it's first PSAC victory Tuesday evening in Clarion, defeating the Golden Eagles, 86-61.
NOTABLES
- Coming into the game shooting 57.4% from three-point distance, Ethan Millirons' continued his excellent season from deep, going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. Millirons' 15 points were a team-high.
- Nasir Griffin had a nice bounceback game offensively, adding 12 points on positive efficiency. Griffin made four of his seven attempts from the field and split his four three-point attempts.
- The standout freshman duo for ESU of Adrian Brito and Keni Williams each chipped in with 10 points. Both players went 4-for-8 from the field, also combining for nine rebounds and five assists between each other.
- The Warriors shot 61.9% from three-point distance and 55.2% from the field, making 13-of-21 attempts from deep and 32-of-58 total.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warriors had 10 days between tonight and their last game, and they came out of the gate looking like a team that benefited from the time off. Christian Pierre-Louis got the scoring started for ESU, hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key off an assist from Jalen Pichardo. After an Ethan Maynard three on the following possession, a quick substitution brought the second unit on the floor, and they didn't miss a beat. Brito got his first two points of the night off a layup, and Griffin stayed on the floor and made a pick-and-pop three-pointer to extend the lead to double-digits. Pichardo and Millirons capped off the run with three points each, making it a 16-0 run in the first 5:21 to start the game.
- Towards the end of the first half, the Golden Eagles went on an 8-1 run to make the score 38-27. However, Millirons helped stop Clarion's momentum going into half by turning defense into offense. Millirons jumped a passing lane coming off his assignment in the corner, leading a fastbreak the other way. After the defense backed off in transition, Millirons pulled up for the quick shot from three-point distance to end the run. ESU would go into the break leading 43-29.
- ESU shot lights out from distance tonight, and a stretch of three three-pointers allowed the Warriors to keep the game out of reach from the Golden Eagles early in the second half. Terrell Pitts made the first attempt, and Millirons and Williams' makes put the ESU ahead 56-33 with 13:50 to go.
- From that point on, the Warriors' lead never went below 20 points, as ESU controlled play the rest of the way to win 86-61.
GAME NOTES
- The Warriors never trailed in the game, leading for 39:47 after their first basket.
- Saleem Payne made his ESU debut, as the junior transfer guard scored his first bucket as a Warrior halfway through the second half. With his basket, every player for ESU that logged at least 10 minutes scored for the Warriors.
- The Warriors have now won their last eight games against Clarion and are 13-3 against the Golden Eagles under head coach Jeff Wilson.
UP NEXT
The Warriors have back-to-back games before going into the winter break, hosting a pair of PSAC West teams at Koehler Fieldhouse this weekend. They'll start by hosting Pitt-Johnstown at 3 p.m. on Saturday, and close with Indiana (Pa.) the next day at the same time.
