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Northwood 70, Gwynedd Mercy 68

BOX SCORE


WEST PALM BEACH, FL. -- Northwood used a second-half comeback to go on and defeat Gwynedd Mercy, 70-68, snapping the Griffins' four-game winning streak.

Freshman Arron Goodman (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock South) led GM with 20 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double this season. Junior Justin Knight (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) added 19, but Gwynedd saw a double-digit lead evaporate in the game's final six minutes.

The Griffins led the entire first half, holding the 12-ranked Seahawks, an NAIA Division II institution that offers athletic scholarships, to just 6-of-29 shooting (20.7%) en route to building a 33-17 lead at the break.
Northwood is coached by local legend Rollie Massimino, who helped guide Villanova to the NCAA Division I Championship in 1985.

In the second, GM looked to break it open, getting a lead as large as 18 (44-26) with just over 14 minutes to play. Despite Northwood hitting seven three-pointers in the half, the Griffins still held a 63-53 lead on a Julian Hyden (Trevose, Pa./Bensalem) jumper with 5:03 remaining. It would be the only field goal in the next three and a half minutes as the Seahawks (8-2) would go on a 14-0 run and take their first lead of the game (65-63) with 2:03 showing.

Down four, Knight would finish a three-point play, getting GM back within one, and later his two free throws with 1:11 to go gave the Griffins a 68-67 edge.

Stephon Smith's putback would put Northwood back on top and tournament MVP Chris Solomon, who scored 23 of his game-high 26 points in the second, would hit one of two free throws on their next possession after a Griffin offensive foul, the Seahawks were able to hold off a last-chance by the Griffins.

Goodman was named to the all-tournament team along with La'Bris Adams of Montreat, Andrew Douby of Valor Christian, Julian Smith and Fred Mattison of Northwood.

The Seahawks shot over 50% (17-of-33) in the second while Solomon hit six of the seven three-pointers in the half. The Griffins were at a 43.6% (24-of-55) clip while holding a 37-33 rebound advantage.

Gwynedd Mercy (7-4) are now off for the holiday break and resume action on Wednesday, January 8th, 2014 when they resume CSAC play with a date at Baptist Bible in a 7 p.m. start.