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Diplomats Stay Perfect
CHESTERTOWN, Md. - James McNally scored 20 points and eight rebounds, while Georgio Milligan went 9-for-11 from the charity stripe for 19 points to help Franklin & Marshall defeat Washington 75-68 in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action on Saturday.
The Diplomats (11-0, 4-0 CC) put five players in double figures to escape with their fourth conference win and fifth straight over the Shoremen (4-7, 1-3 CC) to remain in first place in the CC.
Steve Tolliver was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and knocked in three triples for 12 points. Mike Baker and Clay Scovill each registered 11 points.
Tim Kohlrus led Washington with 21 points, while Alan Kines and James Whall scored 10 points apiece.
In a game that had 14 lead changes, F&M shot 61.4 percent from the floor and held off the Shoremen's second-half surge to improve its record to 11-0.
A three-pointer by Kines and layup by Andrew Chambers to start the second half gave Washington fifth lead of the game at 40-36. The Diplomats used a 14-4 run behind five points from Scovill and Milligan to make it 50-44.
A conventional three-point play from Milligan put F&M ahead by 12 points, its largest lead. The Shoremen kept chipping at the lead, pulling within one at 62-61 thanks to nine-points from Kohlrus. McNally scored on a jumper and one, while Milligan hit a pair from the line to make it a six-point game.
Kohlrus stepped up again and scored the next three points to keep Washington in the contest. In the final 2:58, the Diplomats kept their lead and the Shoremen did not score a field goal, getting their remaining four points from the line.
The game was close from the beginning, with no team taking a bigger lead than three points until the 5:32 mark. McNally made two layups to put F&M up 29-24. Kevin Breslin's layup made it 29-28, but Tolliver's three-pointer and Scovill's tip-in made it 34-28. Washington finished the first half with a 7-2 run to give the visitor's a one-point lead.
The Diplomats are back in action on Tuesday at McDaniel. Game time is 7 p.m.
