GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- A 14-5 run late in the second allowed Keystone to pull away from Gwynedd-Mercy as the Griffins fell, 75-71, to the Giants Monday night at the Griffin Complex.
The Giants used the run with 12 minutes to play, turning a tie game into a nine-point lead with five minutes left. Gwynedd could only pull within four twice in the last minute, but could not get over the hump.
Sophomore Justin Knight notched his second career double double, finishing with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Brendan Stanton added 12 points while Frank Champion grabbed 12 boards. Knight also tallied five assists, a block and a steal.
Greg Westry totaled 21 points for Keystone, as he was one of four players in double figures.
The Giants came out firing, connecting on five of their first seven three-point attempts in the game's opening minutes. Miles Dargan's trey gave the Giants (11-6, 8-2 CSAC) a quick 21-10 lead at the 13:35 mark. Keystone would hit eight of their 12 three-pointers in the first 20 minutes. Both teams would shoot over 50% in the half.
The Griffins stayed within striking distance, and made their move with seven minutes to go in the period, closing the stanza on 17-6 run to lead 42-40 at the break. Champion's alley-oop dunk capped the run with seconds to go in the half.
Knight started the second with two-straight buckets to give Gwynedd their largest lead of the game (46-40).
Mike Kelly would score seven of the next nine Keystone points to lock the teams at 49-49. Trailing by one (61-60) with six minutes to play, Westry struck from downtown as part the game-changing scoring run. Duncan Lunsford would also hit from deep to give Keystone a nine-point edge with five minutes to go.
A late three from sophomore Colin Gates pulled GM within four with 35 seconds to play. After getting a rebound off a 1-and-1 miss at the other end of the floor, the Griffins could not capitalize offensively, turning the ball over back to Keystone which led to two more Westry free throws for a six-point edge.
Knight would hit a soft jumper late, but it wasn't enough as the Griffins dropped their second-straight conference game.
After shooting over 50% in the first, Gwynedd was just 10-of-34 (29%) in the second. GM won the battle of the boards, 41-36. 14 of those 41 caroms were on the offensive side, which led to 23 second-chance points.
Dargan finished with 16 points while Lunsford had 14 respectively. Mike Kelly chipped in 15 points and 12 caroms.