Sophomore Josh Heyliger led the Skyhawks with a game-high 15 points to go with three assists and two steals. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Heyliger leads balanced Skyhawks effort with game-high 15 points 

EASTON, Mass. (November 9, 2013) – Stonehill College got first year coach Chris Kraus, a 2006 graduate, off to a flying start with a 75-58 season-opening victory over Georgian Court University to wrap up day one of the Stonehill Tip-Off Classic at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Sophomore Josh Heyliger (Queens, N.Y./The Hill School) led a balanced Stonehill effort with a game-high 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 from three-point range, to go with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Freshman Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half as he shot 4-for-8 from the field, including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and converted 4-of-7 free-throws to go with nine rebounds and two steals over 24 minutes in his collegiate debut.

Sophomore Pierce Cumpstone (Bainbridge Township, Ohio/Kenston) added ten points on 4-of-8 shooting (2-5 three's), three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot, while classmate Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet) contributed ten points, three assists and a steal in 21 minutes off the bench. Junior captain Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) pulled down a game-high ten rebounds to go with eight points, four blocks and three assists.

Freshman Jalen Robinson (Bowie, Md./Bowie) led Georgian Court, which was playing its first ever varsity game, with ten points, aided by an 8-for-10 effort at the line. Classmate Alex Ramirez (Garnerville, N.Y./North Rockland) was one of three Lions with nine points, adding a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Junior Jordan Wejnart (Point Pleasant, N.Y.) chipped in nine points and six boards.

Freshman Ryan Logan added 14 points and nine rebounds in his collegiate debut.

Stonehill finished shooting 43.1-percent (28-for-65) from the field with nearly half of its field goals coming from beyond the arc as the Skyhawks connected on 13-of-30 (43.3%) three's for the night. Stonehill held a 43-38 rebounding edge and posted a 26-11 advantage in points off turnovers. Georgian Court was limited to 31.6% (18-57) shooting, including 7-for-24 (29.2%) from long range.

Georgian Court bounced back after Cumpstone opened the scoring with a three-pointer to score five straight points to take its first lead after a Keith Hughes (Woodbridge, N.J./Robinson School) three after 3:37 played. Stonehill reeled off a 14-0 run over a four minute span to take a double-figure lead (19-7) for the first time after another Cumpstone three with 9:05 left in the opening half. Bramanti, Logan and Heyliger also drilled three's during the run, while Cole also contributed a basket.

Georgian Court closed back within five (19-14) after a Clarence Jones (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) three-pointer 7:25 before halftime. Stonehill followed with a 19-3 run to race out to a 21 point advantage after a three-point play by Logan with 1:39 remaining in the half. Sophomore Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) canned a pair of three's, while Logan also hit a three-pointer during the stretch.

Stonehill settled for a 15 point (41-26) halftime advantage and then worked the lead back to 23 (52-29) after a Heyliger layup 5:48 into the second half. The Skyhawks lead grew to as much as 26 (69-43) with 7:40 left after back to back three's by Heyliger and Bramanti and the lead wouldn't dip under 20 until a Hughes three provided the final margin with 2:11 to go.

Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action tomorrow against Queens (N.Y.) College on day two of the Tip-Off Classic in Merkert Gym at 3 p.m. The Knights dropped a 90-76 decision to Saint Michael's College in this evening's opening game. Junior Mike Holton, Jr. (Portland, Ore./The Winchendon School) scored a game-high 34 points to lead the Purple Knights to victory. Junior Patrick Modzelewski (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) led Queens with 21 points, aided by 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Georgian Court (0-1, 0-0 CACC) will face Saint Michael's at 1 p.m.

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