Cresson, Pa. -- Mount Aloysius men's basketball opened the 2023 season with an overtime loss to Bethany this Wednesday, November 8th. 

How It Happened:

- The first half saw the Mounties take control, with ball movement and post-centered play opening up opportunities from inside and outside the arc. 
- Bethany captured their first lead of the game at the 12:48, leading to a back-and-forth stretch of six lead changes leading in to the seven minute mark of the first. 
- The Mounties would steadily pull ahead as the half winded down, with De'Von Haggans (Harrisburg, PA, Central Dauphin) hitting the three to give the hosts their first double-digit lead of the game at 4:05. 
- Maintaining these lead with transition pressure and drawn fouls, the Mountie would end the half up 50-42. 
- The Bison came out of the gate firing in the second, cutting the Mountie lead to 1 just two minutes into the half. 
- The post presence of Reggie Priah (Cleveland, Ohio, Euclid) would open opportunities for guards Trent Ramirez-Keller (Gettysburg, Pa., Gettysburg) and Will Hagwood (Willowick, Oh., South) in the half court, rallying back to take an 11-point Mountie lead after five minutes of the second. 
- A Bison turnover led to Octavius Hardy (East Cleveland, Ohio, Euclid) converting in the paint to give the Mounties their largest lead of the game, up 14 with ten minutes left to play. 
- Bethany fought back, drawing Mountie fouls and scoring early in the shot clock to make it a 1-point game with under a minute to play. 
- The Bisons earned a steal late, scoring with 25 seconds left to capture the lead for the first time in the half. 
- Priah set up in the post, and was able to draw a foul with 9 seconds left in regulation. Making the first to tie the game, he would miss the second, sending the game into overtime. 
- The Mounties and the Bison traded baskets in the extended five minutes, but it was Bethany's three point shooting and free throw conversion that allowed them to pull away. 
- A late turnover put the game out of reach for the Mounties, and the hosts would fall 99-101. 

Into The Box Score:

- Priah and Hagwood both scored a team-high 20 points, with Hagwood going 2-3 from behind the arc and 4-4 at the line. 
- Alphonso Morrow (Baltimore, Md., Parkville) led bench scoring for the Mounties, picking up 11 on 5-9 shooting from the field in 31 minutes off the bench. 
- Bethany's starters were responsible for most of the Bison's scoring, with their bench adding just 5 points overall. 
- The Mounties maintained a high three point percentage but took only 15 for the game, while the Bison attempted 20 more than their hosts. 

Up Next:

- Mount Aloysius men's basketball travels to DuBois to take on Penn State Dubois this Saturday, November 11th. 
- Penn State Dubois is 0-2 on the season, coming off a 59-88 loss to Grove City.