Moravian Falls to York in Championship Game of 42nd Steel Club Classic

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball team fell to visiting York College of Pennsylvania, 79-50, in the championship game of the 42nd Steel Club Classic in Johnston Hall Saturday evening. 

How It Happened

• The Spartans scored the first basket of the night while graduate student guard Danny Cooper hit a lay-up to knot the score at 2-2. Sophomore guard/forward Michael Leonardo hit a three-pointer to give the Hounds a lead, and a trifecta from Cooper had the Blue & Grey up 10-4 at the 14:40 mark. York rallied back and tied the game at 13-13 before a Cooper lay-up gave Moravian a 15-13 edge midway through the half
• The Spartans tied it again at 15-15 while a three-pointer from freshman forward Uma Kalu had the Greyhounds leading 18-15. Moravian also had a three-point edge at 21-18 on a three-pointer from junior guard Mark Howell with 5:31 left in the half. York ran off 10 straight points before Cooper sank a three-pointer, and the Spartans stretched the run to 18-5 to head to the locker room with a 36-26 lead
• After two free throws from York to start the second half, the Hounds got two baskets from freshman forward Marquis Ratcliff and a three-pointer by Cooper to get back with seven points at 40-33 with just over 18 minutes to play. However, that was as close as the Greyhounds would get as the Spartans pulled away with a 16-3 run over the next five and a half minutes

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian was led by Cooper, who had 16 points to go with five rebounds and three assists while earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Ratcliff was also named to the All-Tournament Team, and he finished the contest with six points, five rebounds and a pair of assists
• Freshman guard Porter Kelly and Kalu each had five points with Kalu pulling down three boards and Kelly adding two rebounds and two assists while junior forward Mike DiPietro added three points and three rebounds
• Leonardo contributed three points, two boards and a pair of assists while Howell, junior guard Alex Dietz and freshman forward Liam Cummiskey all had three points. Sophomore forward Nate Santiago had two points while senior guard Nate Dougherty scored one point
• The Hounds were 18-for-46 from the field, 10-for-25 beyond the three-point line and 4-for-7 at the foul line

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Saturday, January 7 at Elizabethtown College, 4:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 10 vs. Drew University, 1:00 p.m.