Crimson take down Tigers
Harvard rebounds to post important Ivy League victory
Harvard maintained its position in the Ivy League postseason sweepstakes with a thrilling 61-60 victory over Princeton on Friday night at Lavietes Pavilion.
Harvard moved into a three-way tie for second place with Brown and Princeton and will host Penn on Saturday night. Harvard improved to 16-7 overall and 6-3 in the Ivy League. Princeton fell to 11-11 and 6-3.
Harvard entered the match in a three-way tie for third with Brown and Penn, but the Quakers lost at Dartmouth. Harvard lost it previous matches at Princeton and Penn. Yale (7-3) maintained it’s hold on first place with a double overtime victory at Cornell.
“We are just thrilled with surviving tonight and we have Penn,” said Harvard coach Tommy Amaker. “It’s going to work itself out in the five games we have left to play.
“It will figure itself out but that’s the nature of this conference and its the strength of this league and not just the logjam at the top. That’s how good this league is and has been for a number of years.
You have to play well and you have to be a little lucky.”
Harvard shot 49.1% from the floor with five treys, but the Crimson secured the victory with 29 defensive rebounds, 10 blocked shots, 36 points in the paint and 20 bench points. Princeton shot 34.4% from the floor with seven treys and a game high 22 points from shifty guard Jaelin Llewellyn.
Amaker got an impact effort from sophomore forward Mason Forbes in 22 minutes off the bench. Forbes scored 11 points with seven rebounds and four blocks, that included a huge rejection on center Richmond Aririguzoh in the Tigers second last possession. Harvard starting guards Noah Kirkwood and Christian Juzang both scored 11 points.
“The difference was Mason Forbes,” said Amaker. “His spirited play on both ends was a game changer for us tonight and we are not on the wining side tonight if he wasn’t on the floor as much as he was.
“I’m proud of him for being ready to go when his number was called and how he played and energized our team. He made some savvy basketball plays and some tremendous defensive blocks. He saved a number baskets with his defensive play there.”
Princeton opened the second half with a couple of quick inside buckets and a 3-ball by Ryan Langborg to take a 43-38 lead into the first officials’ timeout.
Harvard cut the lead to 4341 on a long ball by Justin Bassey. Tigers forward Jerome Desrosiers countered with a baseline dunk and Aringuzoh added a free throw to go up five into the second officials’ timeout.
Harvard looked good in spurts, but their attempts at a scoring run never gained traction. Harvard junior guard Rio Haskett cut the lead to 50-49 with a drive down the lane with 8:00 on the clock. Forbes gave Harvard is first lead of the second half, 51-50, on a follow with 7:19 to play. Haskett dropped a floater from the baseline at the end of the shot clock to put the Crimson up 57-54 with 5:16 remaining.
“I thought Rio played a very disciplined smart game,” said Amaker. “He didn’t make silly fouls and we wanted him in there on the last plays.”
Princeton forward Drew Friberg tied the game with a trifecta. Harvard counted with a put back dunk by Forbes to go up 59-57 into the final officials’ timeout. Kirkwood missed the front end of a one and one with 7.5 seconds remaining with Harvard ahead by one, giving the Tigers their final possession.