Eisenhart's Big Night Helps Eagles Earn Crucial Win at Scranton

SCRANTON, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team picked up a crucial Landmark win against The University of Scranton, 57-54, Monday evening inside the John Long Center.  

The Royals raced out to a 10-3 lead over the game's first four minutes. The Eagles quickly knotted the score over the next three minutes over a free throw from Chase Husted (DuBois, Pa. / DuBois Area HS), a Gabe Guidinger (York, Pa. / Central York HS) old fashioned three-point play, a left-wing three from Evan Eisenhart (York, Pa. / Central York HS) which he followed with a turnaround jumper in the paint on the next offensive possession. The Eisenhart 7-0 run ended with another three, this one from the top of the key as the sophomore guard put the Royal defense on notice it was going to be a long night. 

Juniata managed to stay in front over the following few minutes, with a Tyler Lapetina (Collegeville, Pa. / Perkiomen Valley HS) with a wide-open left-wing triple off a pass out the post from John Kelly (Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic HS) that touched nothing but the bottom of the net. 

Scranton managed to reclaim the lead with just under two to play at 31-30, but the Eagle defense stopped them from scoring the rest of the half. JC got a jumper from Kyle Ruggery (Duncansville, PA / Bishop Guilfoyle HS) off a Mason Hardy (Gaithersburg, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel HS) assist and a deep Eisenhart three at the buzzer to send the Eagles into the locker room up by four. 

The second half was a cagey affair as the defenses ran the show in the second half, with Juniata trying to fend off the Royals. With 5:15 to play, Scranton took the lead back for the first time in the second half.

A wild layup by Eisenhart was answered with a bucket inside by the Royals. Kelly converted a jumper off a pass from Ruggery to again bring JC within one with four to play. The teams traded misses before Hardy drew a foul at the rim and converted two foul shots to make it 55-54 in favor of the Eagles. 

Those points proved vital as they were the only points until a Michael Montecalvo (Altoona, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle HS) free throw with 28 seconds remaining after he intercepted a drop-off pass in the paint. He missed the second, and the Royals came down the other way. The Eagles did what they do best, airtight defense for almost 30 seconds as Hardy tipped the ball away and Eisenhart grabbed the loose ball. 

Eisenhart made one of two at the line to increase the lead to three, as the Royals had one second to go the length of the floor. The heave was short, and JC earned the win, putting them one game back of Catholic and Scranton. 

Juniata continues their basketball marathon with a Wednesday game at Elizabethtown, with a 7:00 tipoff.