Box Score

ONEONTA, N.Y. (February 28, 2014) – The second-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team fell 71-60 in the Empire 8 Championship semifinals at the hands of third-seeded Nazareth College Friday night in the Lambros Arena at Hartwick College.
 
Nazareth moves on to the Empire 8 title game against the winner of top-seeded Hartwick College and fourth-seeded Alfred University. The Ducks are now 17-9 and will await their seeding in the 2014 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Championships.
 
Midway through the first half, Nazareth was able to open a 24-13 edge thanks to an early 12-3 edge on the glass after 10:12 of game time, including five offensive rebounds.
 
The Ducks sliced into that margin on several occasions, getting as close as eight points with 39 seconds left following a pair of made free throws from junior forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.), but senior guard Jack Giles (Fayetteville, N.Y.) answered with a three-pointer to send Naz into the locker room with a 37-26 lead.
 
The Ducks shot 43.5 percent from the field and 3-for-7 from deep in the first half. They also committed nine turnovers compared to just four for Nazareth. Naz shot 50 percent from the field to start the game.
 
A fastbreak layup from senior guard Andrew Meszaros (Phoenixville, Pa.) quickly brought the Ducks within nine at 37-28 44 seconds into the second half, but the Golden Flyers ran off six-straight points to go up 43-28 with 16:04 on the clock.
 
The lead swelled to 20 points following a three-pointer from senior forward Brad Ford (Victor, N.Y.) and a jumper from Giles, making the score 54-34 with just 10 minutes left in regulation.
 
Stevens was able to go on a 9-2 run, getting back within 13 (56-43) with 7:42 to play, forcing a Nazareth timeout. A pair at the line from sophomore guard Evan Klimchak (Readington, N.J.) started the run, senior guard Matt Skrelja (Clark, N.J.) hit a three-pointer and Klimchak converted a turnover into a fastbreak layup.
 
The two teams traded buckets before a layup from Skrelja following a turnover from Giles brought the Ducks within 11 points at the 5:15 mark, but they could not get closer, falling behind by 16 when Giles hit a three-pointer with 2:48 to go.
 
Skrelja led the Ducks with 17 points and eight rebounds, with Klimchak scoring 12 points and grabbing three rebounds. Junior forward Kenny Gan (Hillsborough, N.J.) had 12 points, six boards and a team-high three assists, and Sabatino finished with 10 points and seven boards.
 
The Ducks shot 46.9 percent from the field (23-for-49), 31.3 percent from deep (5-for-16) and 9-for-16 at the line. Stevens was minus-nine in the turnover battle, committing 16 compared to just seven for Naz, and each team grabbed 32 total rebounds.
 
Naz shot 49.1 percent from the field (28-for-57), 5-for-19 from range (26.3 percent) and just 10-for-21 at the line. Ford finished with a game-high 27 points on just 16 shots, nine rebounds and three assists. Giles had 13 points for the Golden Flyers.
 
Check www.stevensducks.com for a schedule update late Monday.