Senior Kyle Jordan was named the MVP as the Albright College men's basketball team defeated Pitt-Bradford 79-71, in the championship game of the Wyndham Reading Holiday Tournament.
Jordan finished with 21 points (7-of-10), 13 rebounds and six assists on the night. Classmate Pedro Perez added 19 points and six boards. Freshman Sameen Swint totaled 17 points.
The teams were close for most of the second half. Down late in the contest, senior Sam Marrella drained a three from the top of the key to give Albright a lead, 72-69, that the Red and White would not relinquish.
With 34 seconds remaining, Swint pulled down a rebound and hit Calvert Gantz with an outlet for a fast break bucket and a 75-71 lead. Bradford threw the ball away on their next possession.
Albright trailed 39-38 at halftime. Jordan drove for a dunk early, and then finished a fast break layup to make it 7-6 Pitt-Bradford.
Jordan kept making things happen on the break, feeding Gantz for a layup and then assisting Perez for a 10-7 Lion advantage.
Freshman Josh Marquez kept the Lions close with a double-pump up-and-under midway through the first half. Junior Devin Brown finished two good takes to the hoop as the Lions kept Bradford from getting any separation.
Pitt-Bradford was led by point guard Eric Matheson, who totaled 15 points. Keith Burgess and Tyler Fantaskey had 14 points each.
Named to the All-Tournament team with Jordan were Albright's Perez and Gantz, Pitt-Bradford's Matheson and Fantaskey, and Farmingdale State's Donald Lawes.
Albright had won their semifinal the day before 59-54 over York, thanks to a school-record 10 blocks from Gantz. Perez had his second straight double-double with at least 25 points in that contest, totaling 25 and 11 boards.
Farmingdale pulled away in the second half to win the consolation game 87-75, earlier in the day vs. York College.
Albright improves to 5-5 overall, and will host Freedom Conference opponent Eastern University on Saturday