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Holy Family University Athletics

Holy Family University Athletics
Header Claw
MBKB - Kharon Randolph Action
Stephen Pellegrino
84
Franklin Pierce FPU 0-1,0-0 NE10
91
Winner Holy Family HFU 1-0,0-0 CACC
Franklin Pierce FPU
0-1,0-0 NE10
84
Final
91
Holy Family HFU
1-0,0-0 CACC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Franklin Pierce FPU 40 44 84
Holy Family HFU 51 40 91

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Tigers Win Season Opener 91-84 over Franklin Pierce



Philadelphia, Pa. – Junior Kharon Randolph (Philadelphia, Pa./Haverford School) and freshman Manny Toha (Newark, N.J./Marist) combined for 54 points as the Holy Family University men's basketball team defeated Franklin Pierce, 91-84, in the season opener on day one of the East Region Challenge hosted by Thomas Jefferson University on Saturday evening at the Gallagher Center.
 
Score: Holy Family 91, Franklin Pierce 84
Records: Holy Family (1-0, 0-0 CACC) | Franklin Pierce (0-1, 0-0 NE10)
Location: Philadelphia, Pa. (Gallagher Center)
 
Game Recap
 
* The last player to score a basket for the Tigers was junior Eric Esposito (Langhorne, Pa./Conwell Egan) who drained a game-winning three-pointer 623 days ago to defeat nationally ranked Jefferson at the Gallagher Center so it was only fitting that Esposito opened the 2021-22 campaign with a three-pointer at where else?  The Gallagher Center.  Esposito's three gave the Tigers the early 3-0 lead and Holy Family never looked back.
 
* Holy Family never trailed in the game and held a 15-point lead late in the first half after Randolph converted a pair of free throws to make the score 46-31.  The Tigers would take a 51-40 lead at the half.
 
* The Tigers maintained their double-digit lead well into the second half and led by as many as 18 points at one point.  A three-pointer by Toha made the score 66-48 at the 14:33 mark. 
 
* As the half progressed, Franklin Pierce began chipping away at the Tigers lead and would eventually cut the deficit to 83-80 after Mohamed Traore made a pair of free throws with 3:31 to play.  However, on the next Tigers' possession Esposito knocked down a three and then made a steal leading to a fastbreak score by freshman Rick'Keem Mixson (Linden, N.J./St. Mary of the Assumption (Raritan Valley CC)) to increase the lead to 88-80 and hold off the potential Ravens' comeback threat.
 
News and Notes
 
* Toha scored a team-high 30 points in his Holy Family debut.  He shot an impressive 12-of-19 from the field, including 5-of-9 from deep range.  Toha also dished out a team-best five assists.
 
* Randolph finished with 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field.  He was lights out from deep range knocking down 6-of-8 attempts while converting all four free throw attempts from the line.  Randolph also shared the team lead in assists with five.
 
* Esposito also scored in double-figures adding 16 while knocking down 4-of-9 from three.  He also recorded five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
* Mixson totaled nine points (4-8 FG) and led the team with nine rebounds.
 
* For Franklin Pierce, Isaiah Moore scored a game-high 31 points to lead the Ravens.  He finished with one rebound shy of a double-double.  Brandon Kolek came off the bench to score 20 points while knocking down six three-pointers.
 
Raining Threes
The 17 made three-pointers by the Tigers marked the most in a single game since the team knocked down 20 at Assumption College on Dec. 19, 2015. 
 
All-Time Series
Tonight marked just the second time Holy Family and Franklin Pierce have faced one another.  The all-time series is now tied 1-1 with the Ravens winning the previous contest, 82-65, during the 2019-20 season.
 
Next Up
Holy Family will close out the East Region Challenge on Sunday as the Tigers face American International in a non-conference match up.  Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the Gallagher Center.
 
 
 
- HFU -
 
 
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