HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College men's basketball team (4-1) defeated Delaware Valley (3-3) by a score of 75-64 on Tuesday evening at Calvin J. Gooding '84 Arena. The Fords' strong perimeter shooting—knocking down 13 of 27 attempts from three—and a dominant 43-32 rebounding advantage played key roles in securing the victory. Delaware Valley stayed within striking distance in the first half, trailing by just four at the break, but Haverford extended its lead throughout the second half to pull away for the win.
The Fords opened the game with poise and energy, jumping out to a 12-4 advantage behind early three-pointers from Tyler Nolan and Raja Coleman and strong interior play from Niko Rizos and Alex George. Their defensive activity set the tone, as Haverford forced several early turnovers that led to transition opportunities and a steadily growing lead. Midway through the period, Adam Strong-Jacobson drilled a transition three to make it 26-11, capping a dominant stretch in which the Fords controlled the offensive glass and kept Delaware Valley off balance with crisp ball movement and balanced scoring. The Aggies responded late in the half behind the inside presence of Mike Herrin, using a 14-6 run to narrow the gap. However, with just one second remaining, Christian Uremovich calmly knocked down a jumper to restore momentum and send Haverford into halftime ahead 43–39. The opening 20 minutes saw the Fords shoot 8-of-15 from beyond the arc while relying on valuable contributions from their bench, which provided extended stretches of defensive intensity and second-chance scoring.
Haverford also capitalized on Delaware Valley's eight first-half turnovers, converting them into efficient and timely scoring opportunities. The Fords held a 19-15 rebounding edge at the break, and their bench contributed 16 points, helping sustain the early lead and keep the offense fresh.
The second half brought another push from Delaware Valley, which twice cut the deficit to just two points behind Herrin's scoring in the paint and Jordan Strickland's steady midrange attack. Each time, however, Haverford responded. Strong-Jacobson buried a key three-pointer at 17:45, and Rizos followed minutes later with a tip-in that reestablished a multi-possession advantage as the Fords continued to control the boards and game tempo. The defining stretch came midway through the half when Haverford erupted for a decisive perimeter burst: Kae Kilic connected from deep at 14:44, Nolan added a fastbreak three at 13:07, and Kilic struck again from beyond the arc at 8:34.
The flurry created the largest cushion of the half and firmly swung momentum back to the Scarlet and Black. From that point on, Haverford's defense tightened, holding Delaware Valley to just one made field goal over the final five minutes. Nolan, Strong-Jacobson, and Uremovich anchored the final stretch with strong rebounding, disciplined defensive rotations, and controlled offensive possessions. Carter Warren sealed the win at the free-throw line, hitting four late attempts to close out the 75-64 victory.
Haverford's second-half defensive performance proved crucial, limiting Delaware Valley to 30 percent shooting while outscoring the Aggies 32-25. The Fords maintained control of the glass with a 24–17 rebounding advantage after halftime, creating valuable second-chance opportunities and continuing to find success from beyond the arc with five more made threes.
The hosts were led by Tyler Nolan's 20 points on 4-of-9 shooting from long range, accompanied by six rebounds, two steals, and a block. Strong-Jacobson added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, eight rebounds, and four steals, while Uremovich contributed 10 points, three assists, and strong defensive play. The bench provided 24 impactful points, highlighted by six apiece from Coleman and Kilic—whose two second-half threes were momentum-shifting moments—and seven rebounds from Rizos. As a team, Haverford's 13 made threes, 43 rebounds, and stifling second-half defense collectively fueled its fourth win of the season.
Delaware Valley was led by Herrin's 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, along with eight rebounds and three assists. Strickland added 15 points, converting 5-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 at the line while grabbing six rebounds.
Jake McGinty was a defensive standout for the Aggies, collecting five steals and three rebounds.
Following the Thanksgiving break, Haverford returns to action on Wednesday, December. 3, when it travels to Glenside, Pennsylvania, to face Arcadia. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
