LANCASTER, Pa.- Steve Donahue's three-pointer buzzer-beater pushed the Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team (9-1) past Lancaster Bible (9-3, 1-0 United East) to secure a 71-69 win and the tournament championship for the 2025 F&M Holiday Tournament brought to you by the Greater Lancaster Hotel & Motel Association and Discover Lancaster. 

Donahue was named the tournament's MVP, and he posted 18 points, shooting 4-of-7 on threes in Tuesday's matchup. Across the tournament, he averaged 15.5 points, shooting 62.5% (10-of-18) on field goals, 57.1% (4-of-7) on threes, and 66.7% (4-of-6) on free throws. 

Vakaris Grauslys recorded 19 points, converting 9-of-13 free throw chances, while Kevin Nowoswiat totaled 15 points with nine rebounds. Bryson Amos-Whitfield had double-figures from the bench for the second-consecutive game, recording 11 points with six rebounds. Franklin Jones had a team-best in both steals (3) and assists (5) with six rebounds and five points.

While the Diplomats entered halftime with a nine-point advantage, the Chargers consistently cut into the deficit, tying the game at 49-49 with 12:23 to go. The teams traded points over the next few minutes, as Lancaster Bible saw a three-point lead erased on an eight-point F&M run with four points apiece from Grauslys and Nowoswiat for a 60-55 advantage with seven minutes to play. The Chargers soon countered again with a 7-1 run to reclaim the lead at 62-61 with five minutes to go.

The sides continued to spar, as the teams tied on three separate occasions before back-to-back layups from Lancaster Bible put the visitors ahead by three points with a minute to play. Grauslys drew a foul on the next break, and he converted both free throws to reduce the lead to one point at 69-68. Jones generated a steal on the next Lancaster Bible possession, but Nowoswiat's layup attempt was blocked. The Chargers drew a foul on their next possession, but they were unable to add to their lead, and Carter Lawrence rebounded the ball with 11 seconds remaining. Grauslys drove into the paint with waning seconds before passing to an open Donahue on the left wing, and his shot hit the mark as the clock expired.

The Diplomats controlled the pace for much of the first half, opening with an 18-8 advantage through the first eight minutes after breaking a 5-5 deadlock early on. The Chargers closed the gap with a seven-point run, leaving the lead at 18-15. Grauslys scored a triple on the next possession, and the lead hovered around this mark before a 5-0 Diplomats run gave the Diplomats their first double-digit lead of the game at 29-19 with seven minutes to go. The Chargers applied pressure over the next four minutes, forcing four turnovers and reducing F&M's lead to 29-27.The sides traded points before the Diplomats closed out the half on a seven-point run for a 39-31 lead at halftime.

The Diplomats shot 45.7% (11-of-18) on field goals and 37.0% (10-of-27) on threes, including a 7-of-13 first half. The Chargers shot 38.3% (23-of-60) on field goals and just 15.4 (2-of-13) on triples. The sides split rebound chances, with F&M holding a narrow 40-39 advantage. Both teams totaled 30-plus chances at the charity stripe, but both teams shot under 65.0% on free throws. The Chargers forced 24 turnovers from F&M while they had 13. They also made use of these chances, scoring 23 points from turnovers. 

F&M is back in action in the new year with a trip to No. 12 Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, January 3 at 3:00 p.m.