HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College men's basketball team (7-10, 1-4 CC) earned its first Centennial Conference win of the season with a 92-74 victory over Washington College (10-7, 0-5 CC) on Saturday afternoon at Calvin J. Gooding '84 Arena. The Fords secured the win with a dominant second half, outscoring the Shoremen 57-40. Haverford's 52 total rebounds, including 16 on the offensive glass, played a crucial role in extending possessions and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. Washington College was unable to counter Haverford's 54 points in the paint, despite knocking down 11 three-pointers.
Haverford held a slim 35–34 edge at halftime following a tightly contested opening 20 minutes that featured seven lead changes. Washington College struck first, but the Fords responded behind early interior scoring from Alex George, Christian Uremovich, and Adam Strong-Jacobson. A 12–5 Haverford run midway through the half, sparked by tip-ins from Strong-Jacobson and Niko Rizos along with a fast-break layup from Emmanuel Cheung Hernandez, pushed the Fords in front 12–7 at the 14:21 mark. The Shoremen answered with perimeter shooting to stay close, but Haverford regained momentum late in the half. Strong-Jacobson converted a pair of free throws, and Uremovich finished a putback layup and free throw to give the Fords a 31–30 advantage with under three minutes remaining. Carter Warren capped the half with a jumper at the 1:53 mark, sending Haverford into the break up 35–34.
The Scarlet and Black capitalized on a strong inside presence in the opening half, scoring 24 points in the paint. The home side's 25–10 rebounding advantage, including 12 offensive boards, provided numerous second-chance opportunities, which Haverford converted into 16 points. Despite committing 13 turnovers, the Fords' defense held firm, registering three blocks and five steals to offset Washington College's eight fast-break points.
The Fords seized control early in the second half with a decisive surge. After opening the period on a 13–3 run, highlighted by baskets from Gaven Marr and Uremovich and a fast-break dunk by Marr following a steal, Haverford pushed its lead to 45–36 just over three minutes in. The run continued as Warren drilled a three-pointer at the 17:28 mark to extend the advantage to 48–37. Washington College trimmed the deficit to single digits briefly, but Haverford answered each push. Consecutive three-pointers from Tyler Nolan and Warren midway through the half fueled a 16–12 stretch that opened the lead to 64–49 with 10:06 remaining. The Fords maintained pressure down the stretch, using strong defensive rebounding, fast-break opportunities, and efficient free-throw shooting to close the game on a 31–25 span over the final nine minutes. Haverford capitalized on efficient shooting in the second half, converting 74 percent from the field to secure the decisive victory. The home team dominated the paint with 30 points and added five blocks to stifle the visitors' offense. Despite Washington College's 15 fast-break points, Haverford's 15 assists facilitated a balanced attack, ending with a 92–74 advantage at the final buzzer.
Haverford was led by Warren, who poured in a career-high 18 points off the bench while knocking down two three-pointers and converting 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. Strong-Jacobson recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while also adding a career-best five blocks. Marr added 12 points and nine rebounds, and Uremovich chipped in 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. The Fords finished the game shooting 58.3 percent from the field and outscored Washington College 54–24 in the paint.
Jaedon Harris led Washington College with 15 points, including two three-pointers, while also contributing four steals and three assists. David Carr Jr. added 13 points, hitting four three-pointers and recording three steals. Nolan Waldon posted 11 points and two assists, converting five free throws.
Up next, Haverford will face Muhlenberg on Wednesday, January 28. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall in Allentown, Pa.
