CRESSON, Pa. — The Mount Aloysius men's basketball team honored seniors Jordon Nelson (Charlotte, N.C., Hickory Grove) and Iago Rimoldi (Granada, Spain, CBA Academy) prior to tipoff and battled down to the final possession before falling 60-57 to Penn State Behrend in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Convocation & Wellness Center.
Mount Aloysius (4-20, 2-13 AMCC) matched the conference contender shot for shot in a game that featured five ties and seven lead changes. The Mounties trailed 28-25 at halftime before pouring in 32 second-half points to keep the outcome in doubt until the closing seconds.
Semaje Howard (Chicago, Illinois, Lincoln Park) led the Mounties with a game-high 20 points, knocking down three 3-pointers and converting 5-of-5 attempts from the free-throw line. Senique Jenkins (Columbus, Ohio, Imani Christian ) added a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, anchoring the Mounties on the glass.
Ignacio Nascimento-Zschaeck (Barcelona, Spain, Springfield Commonwealth Academy (Mass.)) contributed nine points, while Nelson and Donovan Bass-Briscoe (Alexandria, Va., Hayfield) each scored seven. Nelson, recognized in a pregame Senior Day ceremony along with Rimoldi, logged 32 minutes and connected from beyond the arc in his final home appearance.
The Mounties shot 43.1 percent from the field and held the visitors to just eight points off turnovers. Mount Aloysius also received valuable minutes from its starting unit, which set the tone early before the game settled into a back-and-forth battle.
After shooting 40 percent in the first half, the Mounties improved to 46.2 percent after the break and trimmed the deficit to one possession late. A defensive stand gave Mount Aloysius a chance in the final moments, but the tying opportunity would not fall.
Despite the narrow setback, the Mounties' effort on Senior Day reflected their resilience, honoring Nelson and Rimoldi with a spirited performance that came down to the final possession.
