If the Crimson Tide Invitational becomes an annual event at Martz Hall, it couldn’t have gotten off to a better, or more exciting, start.
Pocono Mountain West graduate Tynell Fortune scored a game-high 19 points, while Kutztown hit 9-of-12 from the foul line in the second overtime during the Golden Bears’ thrilling 75-72 non-conference victory over Philadelphia University in front of 1,124 fans Tuesday.
The contest was the final of three college basketball games at Martz Hall this past week, starting with a Penn State Hazleton-Penn State Schuylkill men’s and women’s doubleheader last Thursday. Tuesday’s contest was supposed to be headlined by a head-to-head meeting between Pottsville graduates Nick Schlitzer (Philadelphia) and Brandon Bridy (Kutztown).
However, it never happened.
Schlitzer, a senior who graduated from Pottsville in 2011 as the Crimson Tide’s all-time leading scorer with 1,884 points, had a double-double for Philadelphia (2-3) with game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds. Bridy, a sophomore and 2013 Pottsville grad, spent Tuesday as he has the entire season — watching from the bench with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Tuesday was the first time Schlitzer played at Martz Hall since the Crimson Tide beat Pine Grove 51-49 for the Schuylkill League championship Feb. 18, 2011. He got the loudest ovation of the night during pre-game introductions. A few fans even stood up.
“It was amazing,” Schlitzer said. “To see so many familiar faces in the crowd, I just appreciate people coming back and seeing me play. It means a lot to me. I wish we could have gotten the win.”
Despite not playing, Bridy was also introduced to his hometown crowd before the game.
“It was great,” he said. “The fans, I love this building. I played here for four years. It is great to come back and see how much support you get when you go away and still come back and people following you.”
Bridy injured his shoulder about four weeks ago in practice while going for a rebound. He had surgery last Friday and is looking to be 100 percent in six months.
He will be red-shirted this season.
The injury itself is unusual since Bridy, whose last high school game at Martz Hall was a 35-21 Pottsville win over Mahanoy Area in the Schuylkill
League title game Feb. 15, 2013, never missed a game throughout his high school career with an injury.
“This is going to be a tough challenge to overcome,” Bridy said. “Every day I just have to keep working at it and think positive. It was strange being back in my home court and not playing against one of my best friends.”
Still, Bridy and the rest of the Golden Bears got enjoy a much-needed win.
Kutztown (2-3) came in off a 63-60 loss to West Chester on Saturday. The Golden Bears’ only win prior to Tuesday was a 71-62 victory Manfield last Wednesday.
“It is a huge win for us,” Bridy said. “It hopefully gets us on a good winning streak.”
Derek Johnson added 19 points for the Rams, while Peter Alexis had 15.
Howard Sellars finished with 17 points for Kutztown, while Josh Johnson and Austin Beidelman added 13 apiece. Johhson also grabbed 11 board and had four dunks.
Schlitzer became a complete offensive player during his playing days for the Crimson Tide and displayed those same skills Tuesday. He wanted to play well, and for the most part, did, finishing the night 8-for-18 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the foul line.
“It was just more of an excitement,” Schlitzer said. “You get to play in your old gym. You get a little jitters, but it is just more excitement.”
Schlitzer, the Rams’s leader in scoring (22.2 points per game) and minutes per game (38.5) coming in, scored Philadelphia’s first two points of the game, hitting two foul shots after he was fouled on a spin move in the lane. He hit a corner jumper later in the half, and then hit three foul shots with 5 minutes left in the half after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt.
Schlitzer scored 15 of his points in the second half, including several key one late.
Back-to-back buckets by Schlitzer, a back-down move inside and layup off a cut inside, gave Philadelphia a 55-53 advantage with 3:39 remaining in regulation. Schlitzer also knocked down consecutive buckets in the first overtime, scoring on a drive and then with 40.8 seconds left, on a fall-away jump from the corner. He appeared to be trapped at first but made himself some space and hit the shot.
That gave the Rams a 63-60 lead.
However, Kutztown battled back one last time and tied the game when Sellars drained a 3 from the top of the circle with 20 seconds remaining. Schlitzer took the last shot for the Rams, but his shot in traffic from just outside the foul line with 2 seconds to go hit the rim.
The game was tied one last time at 69 with 1:47 to go, but Fortune gave Kutztown the lead for good, hitting two foul shots after he was fouled on a drive. The Rams’ Kaison Randolph made it a one-point game on a 3 with 4 seconds left before Fortune hit both ends of a double bonus to make it 75-72. 3-point try from Johnson in the corner bounced away and the Bears held on for the win.
“We had a lot of chances down the stretch, including myself” Schlitzer said. “We just weren’t able to come through. It is frustrating but we have to move on.”
Game Summary
Crimson Tide Invitational
At Martz Hall
PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY (72) — Alexis 7-11 1-3 15, Johnson 6-15 5-5 19, Huggins 1-2 0-0 2, Gibbs 3-9 2-2 9, Schlitzer 8-18 5-5 22, DiCicco 1-5 0-2 2, Randolph 1-1 0-0 3, Long 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-61 13-17 72.
KUTZTOWN (75) — Johnson 6-12 1-2 11, Selby 1-2 1-2 5, Beidelman 5-9 2-2 13, Fortune 6-15 5-7 19, Brooks 2-5 0-0 4, Ridgeway 1-3 0-0 2, Sellars 6-9 1-2 17, Sherman 0-0 0-0 0, Dietrich 0-0 0-0 0, Peal 2-8 0-0 4. Totals 29-63 10-15 75.
Philly U. (2-3) 26 31 6 9 — 72 Kutztown (2-3) 27 30 6 12 — 75
3-point FGs: Johnson 2, Gibbs, Schlitzer, Randolph, Beidelman, Fortune 2, Sellars 4