BOX SCORE | PHOTOS

Reading, Pa. (Nov. 20, 2010) - Brian Hunter couldn't miss, or at least that's the way it seemed.

That's why the collective "uh-oh" came from the home crowd Saturday afternoon at Alvernia University despite the fact Hunter's last attempt was a running one-hander from 50 feet.

The horn sounded and the shot banked in.  DeSales (3-0) took home the title in the 13th annual Alvernia Tip-Off Tournament with a 77-74 victory over the host Crusaders (2-1), and Hunter walked out with MVP honors.

The game's final seconds determined it all.  With 26 seconds to play and the shot clock unplugged in a tie game, the Crusaders went to All-Tournament selection Charlie Swiggett (Chester, Pa./Chester).  The 6-3 senior had scored 13 of the last 14 points for the Crusaders.  It seemed fitting he should have the first crack at the game-winner, the MVP award, and the team title.

Swiggett, with 30 points to his name already, made his move with seven seconds to go and Hunter sliding to defend.  As he hit the corner the next dribble just slipped out of his hands.  The Bulldogs' interior defense got the ball to Hunter who took three dribbles, two steps, and let it fly.

Officially Hunter finished with 31 points on 10-of-18 from the floor and 5-of-7 from behind the arc.  Sophomore Brian Kerwin added a dozen for the Bulldogs and was named to the All-Tournament team.  Brett Moyer finished with 11.  Brian Nerney (Middletown, N.J./Red Bank Catholic), Alvernia's second All-Tournament selection scored 12 points including a string of seven straight in the second half that gave the Crusaders a 60-57 lead, and junior Cory Boone (Howard, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) added 11.

Boone opened the scoring with a 3 from the top of the key, but it did not turn into a sign of things to come as the Crusaders finished 6-of-26 from the arc

DeSales opened up its largest lead of the half, an eight-point spread at 26-18, but Alvernia came back to tie the score at 35-all and held a 43-41 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs went up five points, 52-47 on Hunter's 3 at 16:05, and held a four-point lead before Nerney hit three free throws and a pair of layups during his own 7-0 spurt.  Kerwin score five straight on his own later to put DeSales up four with 6:12 to play, but Swiggett nailed two treys during an 8-4 run that knotted the game at 70-all.

Swiggett's baseline jumper put the Crusaders up two, but DSU answered on a wide open inbounds play.  Swiggett scored again on a driving layup, but missed the free throw and DeSales tied it again on Bob Zanneo's layup with 31 seconds to go.

Alvernia took a timeout to set up the final play, but it was Hunter's unscripted effort that ended the game.

Alvernia returns to action Tuesday when the Crusaders host Rowan University for a non-conference game.

DeSales 77, Alvernia 74

All-Tournament Team
MVP - Brian Hunter (DeSales)
Brian Kerwin (DeSales)
Charlie Swiggett (Alvernia)
Brian Nerney (Alvernia)
Cory Houser (PSU-Schuylkill)