ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- Alex Nelson poured in 33 points and the Eastern University Men's Basketball team rallied from a ten point second-half deficit to best Alfred University 76-68 in overtime in the Championship . The Eagles (3-0) trailed by one with under three seconds in regulation before Collin Whipple split a pair from the line to send the game to extra time.

The two teams battled through a tight first half as Nelson connected on 11 of Eastern's first 15 points in the contest. The Saxons, however, used sparkling shooting from distance to forge an early lead. The Saxons converted 7-14 three point attempts through the first half. Eastern dominated the backboards through the opening frame. The ten offensive rebounds helped the home side to overcome a very average shooting first half.

Down 30-28 with 45 seconds to play, the Eagles earned a second shot opportunity after Mike Donatoni snared a tough rebound in traffic. Alfred broke up a play with seconds left to force a side-lines out of bounds play with just over three seconds to play. Whipple found Don Kaiser at the rim to send the teams to intermission tied.

 Alfred started the second half on a 19-9 run with balanced scoring and stifling defense over the first ten minutes. Nelson scored on a tip in of a Dan Miller miss to start a seven point run that included a Collin Whipple three-pointer and a brilliant fast break with a great pass from Donatoni to Chaz Merriman-Brown.

The Saxons, as they did in the first half, answered with the long ball. Sean Curran and Derek Lewis buried deep threes to build the visitor's lead back to nine with 7:37 to play. Donatoni again made an impact in transition as he found Miller running the floor for a three-point play to change the momentum again.

Miller converted another three-point play with two minutes to play to give the Eagles a 64-63 lead, their first of the second half. Both teams had empty possessions and the Saxons ran a play for Josh Parker going to the hoop with six seconds to play. Parker was fouled on the way up and had a pair of free throws for the late lead. Parker converted on both to set up Whipple's dramatic finish. 

The junior captain caught the inbound pass and attacked the basket. He went down hard on a trip, and had to get his elbow wrapped after his fall drew blood. He sunk his first, but the second rimmed out, adn the game went to extra time.

Nelson, who was named Tournament MVP, took over the game in extra time. He scored six of the first seven points of the extra period and dropped a pretty bounce pass to Merriman-Brown for nine point edge.The Eagles managed the clock through the end of the game to improve to 3-0 for the year.

Nelson was joined on the All-Tournament team by Miller, Alfred's Gary Kwiecien, New Jersey City University's Taquan Abdullah, and Philadelphia Biblical University's Brett Zamroz. New Jersey City jumped to an early 22-2 lead and held on for an 82-52 win.

Eastern-Alfred Box

PBU- NJC Box