Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Shannon Givens poured in a career-high 20 points, and Khalif Foster posted a double-double off the bench to lead West Chester to an 82-74 non-league men’s basketball victory over visiting Chestnut Hill inside Hollinger Field House Thursday evening.
West Chester (6-1) ran its winning streak to five games with the non-league win, including its fifth over a school from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Chestnut Hill falls to 2-6 overall with the loss.
Four Golden Rams reached double figures on a night that saw the hosts fall behind early and claw their way back with another impressive run in the middle of the first half. Trailing, 10-2, in the opening minutes of the game, West Chester head coach Damien Blair called timeout to regroup and his resilient squad answered his call.
The Rams went on a 25-2 run over a nine-minute span to take a 27-12 lead with 7:18 remaining in the opening stanza. Foster sparked the rally with six points, five rebounds and a pair of steals that sent the hosts on their way.
Chestnut Hill would eventually cut the lead in half by the break and enter the locker room down, 37-30. However, West Chester scored the first six points of the second half to open up another double-digit advantage. From there, the Griffins would not get any closer than seven (52-45) with 11 minutes remaining.
Senior co-captain Eli Daniel posted 18 points while Harley Williamson added 15. But it was the tandem from Academy of the New Church High School Thursday night that did in Chestnut Hill. Givens and Foster combined for 34 points and 17 rebounds while Foster was credited with four steals.
Chestnut Hill’s Brandon Williams scored a team-best 19 points. Jakeem Bogans netted 14 points in just nine minutes of action. Uros Kovacevic scored 14 as well. Dan Comas had 11 before fouling out.
West Chester will be back in action on Saturday when the Golden Rams host cross-town Division III foe Immaculata in its final contest before the winter break. Tip is set for 6 p.m. following the Carol Eckman Memorial Classic women’s basketball tournament hosted by the Golden Rams.
