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Non-Conference Tilt Goes Awry As PSU-York Stuns Messiah
Penn State-York made life tough on Messiah, forcing contested shots - like this one from sophomore Trey Ritzman - throughout.

Grantham, PA — This was clearly not how Messiah head coach Rick Van Pelt saw his team’s one-game hiatus from Commonwealth Conference play unfolding.

Riding a three-game league winning streak — and claiming victories in seven of its last eight games — Van Pelt’s squad was stunned by Penn State University-York Tuesday night, falling by a 68-65 score in the most shocking of fashions.

After leading for nearly the duration of the contest, Messiah (11-6) watched the visiting Lions hang around until the very end, converting a three-point play on their final possession to walk out of Brubaker Auditorium with a prodigious win.

And while the loss does nothing to affect the Falcons’ push in the Commonwealth, it still didn’t sit well with Van Pelt or his players, a point he made clear afterward.

“Losing is losing,” Van Pelt said late Tuesday night. “Even though it was a meaningless game in regards to our season goals, it’s not that easy to forget. The bottom line was we let them hang around, and we made some costly, costly mistakes. To the victor go the spoils.”

It appeared it was only a matter of time before Van Pelt’s squad would squash any notion of a PSU-York shocker, as the first of four first-half three pointers from junior Josh Hartman gave Messiah an 8-6 lead with 15:28 to go — an advantage the Falcons would not relinquish until the waning moments of the game.

Another three ball from Hartman opened the spread to 20-14 with 7:17 remaining while a layup from freshman Chris Yoder made it a 25-16 affair with five minutes to play before the half, and when Hartman canned his final trey of the period with 2:49 on the clock, Messiah possessed a 28-20 advantage.

Penn State-York (7-10) pulled within six at the halftime horn, however, as the Lions’ Durant Harvin IV buried a three at the buzzer — making the score 31-25 at the intermission.

Even that bucket did little to change the complexion of the game, as Van Pelt’s group scored seven of the second half’s first nine points to regain a 38-27 lead with 17:35 to go. PSU-York pulled within two points at the 14:36 mark, but a triple from junior Tyler Ritzman was followed by a layup from freshman Derek Mosley — coming off an absolutely gorgeous pass from Ritzman — regaining a 43-36 Falcons’ lead with 13:47 to go.

The Lions would stick around, but Messiah seemingly had an answer every time things got close. PSU-York pulled within two possessions on eight different occasions over the game’s next seven minutes, but Van Pelt’s team responded with points each time — keeping the spread at a minimum of seven points.

That all changed over the game’s final four minutes.

A 62-55 Messiah lead was trimmed to four points following another triple from Harvin IV with four minutes on the clock, while a layup from Harvin IV made it a 63-60 affair just a minute and a half later.

Senior Kyle Snyder made two free throws on Messiah’s next possession, but a layup from the Lions’ Eddie Ward was followed by a Falcons’ turnover. When PSU-York’s Chase McGowan hit a falling away three pointer as the shot clock expired on the Lions’ next trip, the game was tied 65-65 with 59 seconds to go.

The Falcons’ game-long lead was gone.

Van Pelt called a timeout and set up a play that freed Ritzman at the foul line area, but his jumper rattled off the rim with 34 seconds to go — a miss that PSU-York’s Xavier Smith collected.

Following a timeout, PSU-York asserted itself physically, coming up with a pair of offensive rebounds on its final possession of the game before converting an old-fashioned three-point play with just four seconds to go. Harvin IV missed a three pointer from the right wing but followed his own shot and got the rebound, dishing the ball inside to McGowan, who missed a layup of his own.

The Lions’ Naj McGhee came up with that rebound, however, and finished the putback layup on the right block — drawing the foul as well.

McGhee canned his free throw, putting Penn State-York up by the 68-65 score.

Messiah advanced the ball to halfcourt before calling a timeout, but a baseline, fade away three from senior Jamie Yoder hit the back of the iron at the buzzer.

Overtime was not to be.

“We’ve talked about it from day one,” Van Pelt said. “Hustle and heart … that’s what wins games. They out-scrapped us late. We missed shots, we didn’t have anyone going to the boards. They missed shots, they had guys flying to the boards. Their last possession was a microcosm of why we lost this game.”

PSU-York finished with just a 34-32 advantage in total rebounds, but secured eight offensive rebounds in the second half to aide in the win. Messiah committed 21 total fouls on the evening — just one off its season high — helping the Lions to a total 17 free throws (they made 13).

Hartman again paced Messiah in scoring, charting 19 points on a six of 10 shooting performance — including a five of nine effort from three-point land. Twelve of Hartman’s points came in the first half. Junior Colton Reitz added 10 points in just 12 minutes of work, while Snyder, Chris Yoder and Mosley each scored eight.

Penn State-York had four players in double-figure scoring, just the fifth Messiah opponent to register such production this season.

“Losing stinks, no matter what you’re involved in,” Van Pelt said. “We’ve got seven games left in the regular season, and they’re all extremely important. We’re going to get back to work and focus fully on Widener. That’s all that it’s about now.”

Messiah will return to Commonwealth Conference play Saturday, traveling to Widener University’s Schwartz Athletic Center to face the Pride. Game time is set for 3 p.m.