HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College men's basketball team (6-10, 0-4 CC) dropped a hard-fought Centennial Conference matchup to (RV) Franklin & Marshall (14-2, 3-1 CC), 69-59, under the lights of Gooding '84 Arena. Haverford led by three at halftime but were unable to maintain the advantage as Franklin & Marshall surged with a 41-point second half. The Scarlet and Black bench contributed 37 points, while the Diplomats capitalized with 36 points in the paint. At halftime, Haverford College senior student-athletes were recognized during the annual Senior Blanket Night ceremony.
For the Fords, Emmanuel Cheung Hernandez tallied 12 points and recorded three steals, showcasing an effective defensive presence. Adam Strong-Jacobson finished with 10 points and added two blocks, leading the team in that category. Christian Uremovich contributed 10 points, converting 5-of-8 field-goal attempts. Carter Warren hit two three-pointers and posted nine points overall while also dishing out three assists.
Kevin Nowoswiat led the visitors with 19 points, converting 7-of-13 field-goal attempts and pulling down six rebounds. Steve Donahue added 16 points, sinking three triples and recording three steals. Vakaris Grauslys contributed 11 points, converting 7-of-9 free throws while adding two steals. Franklin Jones was effective defensively, posting two blocks while scoring eight points, and Bryson Amos-Whitfield made an impact on the glass with seven rebounds to go along with eight points.
Haverford carried a 31–28 advantage into halftime after a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes. Strong-Jacobson set the tone early, scoring four of the Fords' first 10 points, followed by triples from Warren and Alex George. Both teams exchanged leads several times, with Warren connecting on a three-pointer at the 10:04 mark to give Haverford a slight edge before Donahue knocked down a pair of three-pointers midway through the half to briefly give the Diplomats a 19-16 lead with 7:52 remaining. As the teams continued to trade baskets, a hook shot from Uremovich put the Scarlet and Black back in front, 26-25, with just over two minutes to play. Another Donahue triple gave the visitors a narrow 28-26 advantage, before Strong-Jacobson answered with a driving layup to knot the score at 28-28. The sophomore was then fouled on a three-point attempt with 27 seconds remaining and converted all three free throws to send the Fords into the halftime break with a slim 31-28 lead.
Haverford closed the first half with a three-point advantage, capitalizing on a 15-9 bench scoring edge. The Fords' defensive effort produced four blocks and four steals, helping offset Franklin & Marshall's eight offensive rebounds. Haverford also converted six of nine free throws in the opening half, while the Diplomats managed just one of five, contributing to the home side's slight edge.
The second half featured sustained pressure from both sides, as neither team led by more than six points until the final minutes. The teams traded baskets through the opening 12 minutes, with Haverford narrowly outscoring Franklin & Marshall 17-16 during the stretch to hold a 48-44 lead with eight minutes remaining. Following a jump shot from Uremovich that gave the Scarlet and Black a 45-44 advantage, Raja Coleman sparked a key sequence at the 8:00 mark, finishing a fast-break layup off a steal and converting the ensuing and-one free throw to give the Fords a four-point cushion. Moments later, Carter Warren completed his own three-point play in the lane, extending the advantage to 53-49 with 5:50 to play.
Haverford built its largest lead of the night at 57–51 when Cheung Hernandez connected on a pull-up jumper with 4:47 remaining, but Franklin & Marshall responded with a decisive late push. The Diplomats closed the game on an 18–2 run, fueled by interior scoring and repeated trips to the free-throw line. Following a pair of free throws from Amos-Whitfield that gave Franklin & Marshall a 59-57 lead, a 10-2 scoring stretch sealed the outcome for the visitors. During the run, the Diplomats went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and 3-for-3 from the field, highlighted by a two-handed dunk from Jones.
Franklin & Marshall outscored Haverford 41-28 in the second half, capitalizing on superior shooting efficiency. The Diplomats connected on 60 percent of their field-goal attempts, including a key three-pointer by Amos-Whitfield at the 15:36 mark. Haverford shot 34 percent from the field after halftime and was unable to connect from beyond the arc. Despite the Fords' bench contributing 22 second-half points, Franklin & Marshall's 16-of-23 performance at the free-throw line and a slight turnover edge proved decisive down the stretch.
Haverford returns to action on Saturday, January 24, hosting Washington College at Gooding '84 Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m., following the Haverford College women's basketball matchup with the Shorewomen at 1 p.m.
