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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting St. John Fisher overcame an early deficit to rally past Nazareth in Empire 8 men's basketball action Friday at the Kidera Gymnasium, 91-81.
In part two of the annual Battle of the Beaks game versus St. John Fisher, the Golden Flyers lost for the second straight time to drop to 16-5 overall and 10-2 in E8 play. Fisher improved to 14-7 and 9-3. Alfred also was victorious Friday over Stevens to pull the Saxons within striking distance in the conference standings. The Golden Flyers have a half-game lead over the Saxons, who stand at 9-2 in E8 play and 16-4 overall. Nazareth hosts Utica Saturday at 4, while Alfred plays Sage.
On Friday, the Golden Flyers appeared poised to take down the Cardinals for the second time this season as they raced to a 17-3 lead in the first five minutes. Senior
Brendan Wind, who finished with a season-high 28 points, ignited the early scoring run with seven points.
Fisher regrouped and went on a scoring spree of its own -- a 20-3 burst -- that pushed the Cardinals into the lead at 23-20 following a three-pointer by Ryan Henderson with 8:10 to play in the half. The lead seesawed back and forth for the rest of the half until Wind scored before the halftime buzzer to tie the score at 40-40.
Nazareth couldn't get untracked in the second half, although a basket by Wind tied the score for the final time at 57-57 with 11:38 left. Fisher's Dylan Harrington scored on the next possession and the Cardinals were ahead to stay. Nazareth had difficulty stopping Fisher's scoring tandem of Ryan Henderson and Sammy Robinson, who combined for 52 points with 25 coming in the second half.
Nazareth was still within six, 76-70, following a basket by
Jake Burgio with 3:20 to play, but Fisher answered with a three-pointer by Brendan Trapper on the next possession to push the lead back to nine and the Golden Flyers never got closer.
Wind's stat line included four assists and two steals.
Tyler Stenglein added 15 points and four rebounds and Burgio finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Nazareth shot 30-for-69 (43.5 percent) from the floor, but went just 5-for-23 (21.7%) from three-point range.
For Fisher, Henderson went 11-for-13 from the field to get 28 points. Robinson (24), Trapper (11) and Jordan Gilman (10) also reached double digits.
