GRANTHAM, PA – The York College Spartan men's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season as Messiah College outlasted the Spartans 76-71 in non-conference action on Tuesday night in Grantham, PA.

The Spartans are now 4-1 overall while the Falcons improve to 3-2 as they snapped a two game losing skid. The Falcons have now won four straight against the Spartans in the series.

Despite the Spartans having to battle back from a deficit all night long, York led 71-70 on a Dalton Myers (Finksburg, Pa./Westminster) lay up with 1:18 remaining in regulation. The Spartans got a stop on the ensuing possession and the Spartans called timeout with 43 seconds left. The Falcons forced a turnover on a steal by Micah Brown. Brown was fouled going to the basket on a fast break and the officials ruled it an intentional foul. Brown sunk both free throws and the Spartans were forced to foul on the ensuing possession as the game clock had just 30.7 seconds left. Luke Cable converted both of those free throws and the Spartans took possession down three with just under 30 second left.

The Spartans got a great look from three on the right wing from Mike Duffy (Hanover, Pa./South Western) but the shot was just off. Duffy hustled to collect the offensive rebound and throw it off a Falcon before flying out of bounds. After the Spartans called timeout, sophomore Matt Scamuffo (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South) got a clean look off a ball fake but his shot was also just off. Senior Chris Conway (Lutherville, Md./Dulaney) pulled in the rebound but was falling to the ground when he threw the ball back out to the perimeter with 12 seconds left. The ball was picked off by Brown and he scored the break away lay up to seal the Falcon win.

The Green and White got off to a slow start in the game as the Falcons took an early 8-3 lead less than three minutes into the contest. The Spartans would forge ahead 13-11, starting a series of lead changes and ties. Over the next eight minutes, the game would be tied six times with the final time coming at 21-21 with 7:29 left in the half. The Falcons put together a 9-0 run to push out to a 30-21 advantage. Myers and Zack Galic (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) hit back-to-back lay ups to draw York to within five at 30-25. A three pointer pushed the Falcon lead back to eight before the Spartans ended the half with a 6-2 spurt as the Green and White trailed 35-31 at the half. It is the first time the Spartans have trailed at the half this season.

The Spartans came out aggressively in the second half as they attacked the rim. That strategy proved to be a smart one in the opening minutes of the stanza as the Spartans outscored Messiah 8-3 in the first 2:03 of the half to take a 39-38 lead.

Messiah responded with an 11-0 run, kick started with three pointers from Cable and Brown on consecutive possessions. The Spartans were whistled for five fouls in less than two minutes of play as the tide had turned in favor of the hosts.

The Green and White, much like they have done so many times already this year, battled to get back into the game. Scamuffo drained a three pointer at the 7:49 mark to cut the Spartan deficit to 63-61. Myers then tied the game for the tenth time on the night with a lay up. The next five minutes would be back and forth before the Falcons secured the victory in the final 31 seconds of the game.

Scamuffo led the Spartans as he tallied a game-high 22 points in the loss. The total sets a new career-high for the Spartan guard. He was 7-for-18 from the floor including a blistering 6-for-10 in the second half. Scamuffo scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half as he finished the game 3-for-8 from three and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Scamuffo also had a career-high tying five rebounds, two steals and an assist in 31 minutes of work.

Myers added 19 points as the junior forward was 7-for-11 from the floor including 1-for-1 from three. Myers was 4-for-6 from the stripe while he had four rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in his 31 minutes of play. Conway chipped in with nine points, a team-high seven rebounds and two assists.

Brown led the Falcons as the guard tallied 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting including 3-of-8 from three and 5-for-6 from the line. Brown dished out three assists and collected three steals for Messiah. Josh Clippinger registered a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Clippinger was 6-for-9 from the floor, 1-for-2 from three and 3-for-3 at the line. Jeff Boyle was the third Falcon in double figures with 15 points.

York finished the game shooting a season-low 41.1% from the field. York was very good from three as they converted a season-high eight triples in the game as they shot 40.4% from downtown. The Spartans were outstanding at the free throw line as they made 17-of-19 attempts in the game.

Messiah shot 46.2% from the floor for the game, the highest opponents total against York this season. Entering the game, York had not allowed their previous four opponents to shoot more 38.5% in a game. Messiah cashed in on nine of their 26 attempts from three while the Falcons went 19-for-26 from the stripe.

Both teams pulled in 32 rebounds while the teams combined for 32 turnovers in the game. The game was a physical foul-fest as the Browns were whistled for a season-high 23 fouls while Messiah was called for 21 fouls.

The Spartans now have eight days off before returning to action when they host Wesley College in York's Capital Athletic Conference opener. Tip time at Wolf Gymnasium is set for 8:00 pm.

Photo courtesy of Derek Behrenshausen – Asst. Dir. for Athletic Communications

AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS COURTESY OF DARRELL HENRY – THE VOICE OF THE SPARTANS