BOX SCORE


Reading, Pa. (Feb. 23, 2013) – Junior Brian Parker (Chichester, Pa./Chichester) scored a career-high 30 points and pulled down tournament Most Valuable Player honors leading top-seeded Alvernia University to a 78-68 win over #3 Lycoming Saturday afternoon in the Commonwealth Conference Men's Basketball Championship at Jack McCloskey Court.

"For a championship game, to come up with numbers like that in this atmosphere is pretty darn impressive," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller of the Tournament MVP.

Parker—who had 16 in the first half—had a rim-rattling dunk on a put back early in the second half then scored six points during a 10-2 run midway through the half that gave the Crusaders a 10-point lead, 65-55, with 5:53 to play.  Lycoming cut that gap in half with five straight, but the Crusaders answered with four free throws around a Lycoming turnover to build the lead back to nine, 69-60, with 2:08 to play.  The lead was at least seven the rest of the way.

"I told my teammates this is the biggest game I've ever played in in my career," said Parker after the game.

Parker was a freshman when the Crusaders last qualified for the NCAAs and saw just nine minutes a game.

"Coach has always harped on defense when I first came here," continued Parker.  "I finally bought into it and it's led me to success."

Alvernia earned its second Commonwealth Title since joining the league three years ago and earns entry in the NCAA Championship as the automatic qualifier.  The NCAA will announce the field on Monday through a webstream at NCAA.com at 12:30 p.m.

Alvernia opened Saturday's final on a hot streak getting a pair of 3s from Kahlil Bennett (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) and six points from Parker as it built a 16-4 lead.  Junior guard Chris Davis (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) had a 3 all but in that would have put the Crusaders up 15, but that rimmed out and the Warriors started to chip away at the lead.

"When you score that easy you tend to relax two ways," said Miller of his team's early success Saturday.  "Defensively you think you're up 12, how important is this possession, then you also get out of running your stuff.  Their games have been like that.  Down 15 then up 15 because they're a tough guard and they like playing that way."

Anthony Martin had eight points during a 23-9 run, and freshman William Wingate capped it with a steal and a dunk that gave Lycoming its first lead of the day, 27-25 with 4:13 left in the first.

Parker answered the Lyco run with a layup to tie the score at 27-all, but the Warriors hit a pair of 3s over the last four minutes of the half and took a 37-34 lead into the break.

Terrance Bridgers (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) opened the second half with a layup and Parker scored on an offensive put back to take the lead back.  Neither team led by more than three until Lamont Clark (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) scored on a layup with 12:04 to play that put Alvernia up five, 53-48.  Martin answered quickly for the Warriors, and a jumper from Chris Foreman pulled Lycoming within two, 55-53 with 9:58 to play.

That was the last field goal for the Warriors for six and a half minutes.  They went 0-for-8 from the floor while the Crusaders built the 10-point lead with 5:53 to play.

"We made one little change," said Miller of his team's defensive approach over the final 10 minutes. "Lamont guarded Martin up until that point.  He did a good job, but they started to set more screens for him, so we switched to Chris Davis because he gets over screens a little better.  We told Chris don't even let him catch it."

Martin missed three shots from the floor and committed a turnover during the Crusaders' run.

"That's what I'm telling you about the heart of this team," said Miller.  "Chris Davis and Lamont don't care.  They don't care if you're seven feet tall or play like Jordan or shoot like Larry Bird.  Those two will defend anybody."
Clark finished with 18 points hitting 8-of-9 free throws and pulled down eight boards.  Bridgers hit 7-of-10 free throws and finished with 14 points.  Lycoming had three players reach double figure led by 20 from Martin, who did it on 18 shots.

"It feels great," said Parker of winning two conference titles in three years.  "I've never been in this situation before.  It feels awesome…awesome."

Parker and the Crusaders look forward to another awesome moment Monday, finding out if they will be selected to host a first-round NCAA game—something the Crusaders haven't done in 10 years.

#1 Alvernia 78, #3 Lycoming 68