HAVERFORD, Pa. — Boasting five players in double-digit scoring, Washington overcame a five-point halftime deficit to defeat host Haverford on Wednesday, 64-51.
The Shoremen swept the home-and-away series with their Centennial Conference rivals for the first time in 22 years.
They improved to 8-16 — their most wins in a season since pre-pandemic and more wins than the combined 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Washington, led by second-year head coach Corey Begly, closes out the campaign Saturday at home against conference opponent Ursinus. It’s Senior Day. Tip-off will be at 4 p.m., following the conclusion of the women’s game.
Wednesday night at Gooding Arena, the Shoremen trailed by as many as 10 points several times in the first half before piecing together a 6-2 run over the final minute to pull within 31-26 at the break. Ethan Schwantes and Ryan Lang scored on back-to-back layups 9 seconds apart, with Long beating the halftime horn.
The second half belonged to the Shoremen, who put up 38 points and shot 52% from the floor.
They opened the second half on a run of six unanswered points — including five in a row from Davis Bland — to take their first lead of the night, 32-31, on a Nicho Simes free throw with only 1 minute, 46 seconds elapsed.
After Adam Strong-Jacobson (eight points) halted the surge with a jump shot, Washington responded with a 9-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Precieux Tshibangu, to pull ahead, 41-33.
Following two from the stripe from Strong-Jacobson, WC’s Nolan Waldon buried a three to extend the spread to nine points, 44-35, at the 11:16 mark.
Two Ty Woodland free throws gave the Shoremen their first double-digit lead, 46-36, with just under 10 minutes to play.
Haverford (5-19, 2-10 CC) cut the deficit to seven points after an Ali Kaan Bek jumper, but on Washington’s next trip down the court Bland answered with a trey. Then, Schwantes scored on consecutive possessions to push the lead out to 15 points, 55-40, with 5:47 remaining.
Washington led by at least 10 points the rest of the way, and 6-foot-7 Tshibangu’s put-back dunk with 2:03 to go effectively sealed the win at 60-47.
Senior Tshibangu (team-best seven rebounds, two blocks) and freshman Waldon (game-best nine steals) finished with 11 points apiece. Waldon’s nine steals are the most for a Shore player since Adam Poe had 10 against Wesley in January 1996.
Underclassmen Bland and Woodland each contributed 10 points.
Schwantes, the Shoremen’s only other senior, led all players with 12 points in 23 minutes off the bench. He was 6-of-7 from the floor.
The Shoremen found their rhythm from beyond the arc in the second half, sinking five 3-pointers after going 1-of-7 before intermission.
Overall in the second half, they were 13-of-25 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Haverford struggled offensively in the second half, shooting just 5-of-23 from the field and failing to make a 3-pointer.