Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Ralph Hegamin scored 16 points, and both Kenny St. George and Kehinde Roberts chipped in 13 as West Chester upset visiting Philadelphia University, 65-60, Saturday afternoon in a non-league men’s basketball contest inside Hollinger Field House.
West Chester (3-1) improved its winning streak to three games under first-year head coach Damien Blair. Saturday’s victory was the biggest of the mentor’s young college coaching career. Philadelphia (2-1) entered the tilt undefeated and listed among others receiving votes in the preseason NABC coaches’ poll.
Trailing by two points with 40 seconds left in the game, Roberts nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key to give the hosts a 61-60 advantage. Both Roberts and Hegamin knocked down a pair of free throws down the stretch to keep Philadelphia at bay while the Rams missed a pair of three-pointers in their comeback bid.
There were nine ties and five lead changes in the ebb-and-flow of what was a close basketball game all the way. West Chester held the biggest lead of the game at nine points with two minutes left in the first half.
Philadelphia held its largest advantage of five points with 3:38 remaining in the game. That is when the Golden Rams mounted their comeback, going on a 10-4 run that culminated in Roberts’ heart-breaking three-ball. West Chester ended the tilt on a 14-4 run overall.
The Golden Rams held a 31-26 lead at halftime despite a 9-for-37 effort (24.3 percent) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. West Chester grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, converting them into 12 second-chance points, and hit 9 of 10 from the free throw line to compensate.
Hegamin finished 5-for-15 from the floor, and St. George 2-for-11. However, the tandem combined to go 13-for-17 from the charity stripe. The Golden Rams hit 84 percent of their foul shots on the day (21 of 25).
Philadelphia was led by Marcus Lemon with 19 points and Malcolm Ingram with 17. The Rams used just three players off their bench, who all combined for two points.
Hegamin posted his fourth straight double-double, pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds. St. George registered eight boards as well.
West Chester returns home next Saturday afternoon for a 3 p.m. tilt against Wilmington.
