Lehigh men’s basketball secured a win in a close game against Navy on Wednesday night in Annapolis, Maryland, 59-53.
Lehigh trailed closely behind Navy in the first half of the game. The Hawks’ offense was struggling to hold on to possession of the ball, allowing Navy to cause many turnovers. With the offense facing difficulties, shooing just 34 percent, this allowed Navy the chance at many fast-breaks, which helped the team in the first half of the game.
Lehigh’s offense was not taking advantage of its possessions and not converting, which had a large effect on the outcome of the first half. At the end of the first half, Navy was up 26-20.
The second half, however, proved differently for the Mountain Hawks’ offense. Sophomore forward/center Tim Kempton, freshman guard Kahron Ross and sophomore guard Austin Price all contributed to the 11 points scored in the first three minutes. After that, Lehigh pulled ahead for the first time in the game leading 29-28.
The Hawks did not let up throughout the half. The offense started working together to score points. The defense also stepped up with deflections and steals, opening up opportunities for the offense to score. The Mountain Hawks held their lead for the rest of the half, beating Navy 59-53. Freshman Kahron Ross lead the Mountain Hawks in points, scoring 14 in the game, followed by sophomore Tim Kempton and junior Jesse Chuku each scoring 12 points.
Although the Mountain Hawks kept their lead until the end, the Midshipmen did not make it easy. Navy was never more than a few points behind. Senior Worth Smith and junior Tilman Dunbar were the leading scorers for Navy. Smith led with 19 points, and Tilman added 13.
With this win, the Mountain Hawks go into their final two league games with a 15-11 overall record and a 9-6 league record. The team currently sits two games back from the top of the Patriot League. This game leaves Navy with a 10-17 overall record and a 6-9 league record.
Lehigh will face Lafayette College on Sunday at Lehigh’s Stabler Arena at 12 p.m.
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