Rosemont outlasts Cairn in championship thriller 100-97 - Feb 24, 2019
The third-seeded Rosemont College Ravens (15-12) upended the top-seeded Cairn University Highlanders (18-9), 100-97, in a raucous Mason Activity Center Saturday evening to capture the 2018-19 Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) men's basketball title. The Ravens claimed their first CSAC men's basketball title in program history and will represent the CSAC in the NCAA Division III Tournament as the conference's automatic qualifier. Rosemont's Keith Blassingale (5'11''-PG) was selected as the CSAC Men's Basketball Championship Most Valuable Player after a game-high 28-point effort in the title game. The contest was a seesaw affair by two hot shooting teams who split the regular-season series. The championship slugfest featured 13 ties, 19 lead changes and 21 three-point field goals. Late in the second half, Blassingale gave the Ravens a lead they would not surrender with a pair of free throws to make it 88-87 with 2:41 to play. After a pair of missed free throws at the other end by Cairn, Blassingale hit a triple on Rosemont's next possession to extend the lead to 91-87. In the closing seconds of regulation, Malachi Hall (6'3''-G) nailed two foul shots for Cairn with six seconds left to make it 98-97 Rosemont, but after an immediate foul on the inbounds, Jalil Myers (6'6''-F) countered at the other end with two foul shots to regain a three-point edge for the Ravens. Rosemont's Nick Gemmell (5'11''-PG) sealed the win with a steal on Cairn's final possession of the game. Marlon Sharpton (6'0''-PG) helped the Raven effort with a 20-point, four-assist, four-steal night including a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line. Myers also finished with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Cairn was led by Hall's 24-point effort which paced five Highlanders in double figures. Cairn also outrebounded the Ravens, 47-35.
All-Tournament MVP: Keith Blassingale (5'11''-PG) of Rosemont Player of the Year: Julian Collazo (6'0''-PG) of Cairn Defensive Player of the Year: Malachi Hall (6'3''-G) of Cairn Rookie of the Year: Billy Veras (6'6''-F) of Centenary, NJ Coach of the Year: Jason O'Connell of Cairn
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