Men’s basketball puts up highest scoring total since year 2000
Senior Cody Kiefer
Photo credit: Gettysburg College Office of Athletic Communications
By Emily Sheehan, Staff Writer
Last Saturday, the Gettysburg College men’s basketball team took on Haverford College in a Centennial Conference matchup. The Bullets had a strong performance in this game, leading the entire contest and coming out on top with a final score of 100-80.
This was the highest point total in a single game for Gettysburg since Feb 19, 2000 against conference opponent Dickinson. It was a strong showing of Gettysburg’s offensive weapons.
Senior Cody Kiefer was nine of eleven from the field and contributed a team high twenty-two points on the day, a season high eight assists and six rebounds. The starting lineup combined for seventy-seven points overall which is a season high for the Bullets’ starters.
“I think it kind of just came to us. We didn’t force much. We just stepped into it and everyone was just confident with their shots. It felt good, it felt really good,” said Kiefer.
Senior center Mlynue Reeves also contributed nineteen points with seven of nine shooting. Senior captain Pete Christ and junior Cameron Stewart each contributed fifteen and sixteen points respectively. Stewart shot six for eight from the field.
“Probably the best night we’ve had as a team in my four years on the Gettysburg team. I’m very excited to put up a night like this. I think as a team we all came together. It was a total team effort,” said Reeves.
Senior center Tanner Kirkpatrick was just one rebound short of a double double after just sixteen minutes off the bench. He shot thirteen points and had nine rebounds. First-year Danny Duffey had a season high nine assists.
Gettysburg was in control for the first half of the game. The Bullets had a twenty-point lead headed into half time. Haverford did manage to get within one point after a 29-10 run in the fourth quarter.
“Any time you play a Centennial Conference team any team has the chance to cut into a lead. We fell asleep on defense for a little in the start of the second half. Once we stopped fouling and made more stops we were able to get that momentum back,” said Kiefer.
After managing to get within one, Keifer hit a three pointer to bring the momentum back to the Bullets. His three made it 64-60 with 10:21 left in the game. Over the next minutes and a half, Haverford would remain in striking distance until Gettysburg went on an 8-0 run.
Sophomore Alec Warren started and ended the 8-0 run with a pair of three-pointers. The end of the run led to a strong finish by Gettysburg. The Bullets went ten for eleven from the field, including three for three from beyond the arc and four for six from the foul line in the last 6:31.
Gettysburg would push the lead back up to seventeen points with 5:09 to play, which left Haverford unable to get within thirteen points for the rest of the game. The Bullets finished out the game in convincing fashion.
The Bullets were successful on both offensive and defensive rebounds scoring sixteen points off of second chances compared to Haverford’s two. This success comes after a long struggle on the defensive end.
“I think it was starting on the defensive end. We were getting a lot of stops which gives us confidence on the offensive side,” said Kiefer.
The Bullets are now 7-14 overall, and are looking to take the momentum from this win and use it Wednesday night as they take on Dickinson at home. In a previous match-up versus Dickinson on December 7, 2016, the Red Devils came out on top by a mere five points. The Bullets look to come out on the winning end of this contest as they attempt to build a successful campaign in conference play.
