Release courtesy of Pratt Athletics
BROOKLYN – Pratt overcame a nine-point halftime deficit using a key 7-0 second half run to gain its first Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory, 63-59 over visiting King's (NY) College Thursday night at the ARC.
A layup from a hobbled Ari Grant with 6:44 remaining put Pratt on top for good at 50-49, and his three-pointer at the 6:17 mark extended what would become a 7-0 run after Sam Peterson's jumper on the next possession. A Matt Delasin layup brought King's to within two at 59-57, but Todd Fu answered with a 15-footer that would ultimately be the difference maker.
Freshman Mehmet Dognata iced the contest with a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining, improving Pratt to 1-4 in the HVIAC (5-8 overall) by shooting a season-best 86 percent (12-14) at the free throw stripe and shooting 45 percent (24-53) from the field.
The Lions, which overcame a 6-0 hole to start the night, hit on five of the team's first six three-pointers and six of its first eight from deep in jumping out to the sizeable halftime lead. Delasin led all players with 19 points on 3-5 from deep, and Tyler Hinsley added 15 on 4-7 shooting from distance.
As a team, King's shot 8-14 from three-point range on the night, good for a sizzling 57 percent, but the Lions fell to 1-13 on the year, 0-7 in HVIAC play.
Sophomore forward Nicholas Lensander led the Cannoneers with 15 points on 5-6 shooting at the line. Grant followed with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, and Dognata and Peterson rounded out a quartet of double-figure scorers with 11 each.
Pratt returns to play on Saturday, when the Cannoneers will honor senior Sam Peterson prior to the team's 3:00 Senior Day game against Cooper Union.
