Men’s Basketball shorthanded against Waynesburg

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University men's basketball lost an 80-70 contest to Waynesburg University at Donahue Pavilion Saturday afternoon.

The Celtics (1-12) had just eight players available for the game, compared to the deep bench of the Yellow Jackets (4-7).

Jimmy Giannetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Saint Joseph HS) scored a game- and career-high 30 points to lead the Celtics. He also tallied five assists and three steals. Clayton Cook (Brookville, Pa./Brookville Area HS) recorded his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Braedon Beard (Myersville, Md./Notre Dame of Maryland Univ.) added 10 points off the bench.

The teams traded marginal leads throughout the start of the game, with Waynesburg holding the Celtics scoreless for over five-and-a-half minutes to gain a nine-point advantage.

Cook broke the scoring drought with a layup, setting off a 13-6 run for Carlow that culminated with a three-pointer from Giannetta to see the Celtics down two heading into halftime.

Trailing 50-42 in the second half, Giannetta sank three treys in a row to ignite the Celtics and put them ahead, 51-50. He scored 20 of Carlow's 33 points in the second half alone.

Casey Keesee landed two three-pointers in a row for the Yellow Jackets to give them a seven-point lead, but the Celtics would not back down. A trey from Cook saw Carlow down one, and a three-pointer by Tavin Adamson (Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley HS/El Camino College) gave Carlow the lead once again, 60-58.

A layup from Sam Byrd (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) put the Celtics ahead four before Waynesburg strung together a 17-2 run over the next six-and-a-half minutes to gain a 75-64 lead.

Gianetta scored Carlow's final six points of the game, but forced to foul to regain possession, the Celtics were unable to mount another comeback before time ran out.

The teams were evenly matched with 38 rebounds apiece, but Waynesburg capitalized on turnovers, scoring 26 points on 13 Carlow errors. The Yellow Jackets narrowly outscored the Celtics 19-14 off the bench.

Jackson Rhodes led Waynesburg with 27 points, and two other players added 11 points each.

Carlow returns from the holiday break with a 4 p.m. AMCC game at Alfred State College Jan. 7.