February 28, 2006

WEST CHESTER - The East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team cut a 15-point halftime deficit to six but could get no closer and lost to West Chester 88-76, Tuesday in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference quarterfinals at Hollinger Fieldhouse.

West Chester, the No. 1 seed in the East, improved to 17-10 and will host Edinboro Friday in the semifinals. Mansfield and Shippensburg will play in the other semifinal.

Channon Easley led ESU with 18 points and eight rebounds while Danny Hargrove had 14 points, including three three-pointers. He was also five of six from the free throw line. Jeff Graves added 12 points and eight rebounds while Naveen Mohiuddin had a pair of three-pointers and finished with eight points. Murvin English had six points and two assists.

Mark Gerhart scored a game-high 21 points, including 10 of 12 free throws and led four players in double digits. Lenwood Greenwood had 19 points, Shawn Werdt 14 and Azim Jones 15.

ESU built an early 7-2 lead behind six points from Easley but West Chester took a 20-10 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half. Pat Fleury hit a three-pointer to get ESU with seven but the Golden Rams took a 44-29 halftime lead.

West Chester started strong in the second half and led 52-32 before Hargrove hit a three, Fleury made a pair of free throws, Graves hit a jumper and a free throw and Easley nailed a bucket to get the Warriors with 13, 52-39 with 13:50 left in the game.

ESU continued to whittle away at the deficit and were within eight when Mohiuddin hit a three to make it 77-69 with 51 seconds left. Brandon Cawley hit a three, Easley made a pair of free throws and English sunk a jumper but West Chester made six straight free throws and the Warriors could get no closer.