ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– After being honored in pre-game ceremonies, the seniors on the Navy (10-17, 7-10 Patriot League) men's basketball team, scored 15 of the team's first 17 points to stake the Mids to a lead they would not relinquish in a 64-53 victory over Bucknell (18-11, 12-5) Wednesday night at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.
 
"I'm happy for our team, happy for our seniors," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "It has been a couple of tough days of practice.  Tough days.  For the seniors to come out here and play real well … I thought the guys started the game well and made some shots and got some confidence.  They played with great energy and great emotion."
 
Navy's senior class of Hasan Abdullah (Birmingham, Ala.), Dominick Antonelli (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), George Kiernan (Hinsdale, Ill.), and Ryan Pearson (Richmond, Va.) started the game.  That quartet accounted for but two points for the Mids –– Abdullah had two points, Antonelli three, Kiernan six, Pearson six –– as they built a 17-4 lead six minutes into the contest. 
 
"Coming into the game as seniors," said Abdullah, "we said we have to set the tone, whether it be on defense or scoring, and we had to weather the storm because they (Bucknell) are a good team capable of going on runs."
 
"That's the way we have been practicing all week," said Kiernan of Navy's offensive start.  "We have been struggling on offense the last couple of games, and we also had some major defensive lapses.  We just came out and said it is our last home game, let's go out without any hesitation or worry."
 
Navy would take leads of 24-9 and 29-12 before heading into halftime with a 35-21 advantage.
 
The Mids shot 46.2 percent from the field in the first half and limited the Bison to a 25-percent effort.  Navy also was 7-13 from three-point land in contrast to a 3-15 showing from beyond the arc for Bucknell.  The Mids also held a 25-13 lead on the glass.
 
"The seniors made big shots to start the game (with all four scoring during the initial surge)," said DeChellis.  "I said (before) the second half, we are going to start them again.  They came out with great energy and emotion.  It wasn't as it was to start the game, but it was good for those kids.  They made major contributions."
 
Bucknell drew to within single digits at 39-30 less than five minutes into the second half, but Navy answered with a 7-0 run to take a 46-30 advantage.  It was back to a single digit game at 49-40, then it became a six-point game at 51-45 with 4:39 left on the clock.  The teams traded several scores to make the score 55-48 with 3:20 remaining. 
 
A key sequence occurred on Navy's ensuing possession.  Abdullah was fouled while driving to the basket, after which Bucknell's Bruce Moore was whistled for a technical foul.  Kiernan stepped to the foul line and made both shots for the technical, then Abdullah matched Kiernan with two made free throws for the common foul.  The four-point possession pushed Navy's lead out to 59-48 with 2:51 showing on the clock.
 
The score was 61-53 when the Mids nearly threw the ball away before calling timeout one second before failing to get the ball over halfcourt and with 1:08 remaining in the game.  The Mids still struggled to maintain possession after inbounding the ball, but somehow it was ping-ponged up to Kiernan who was standing one step into the frontcourt.  He grabbed the ball half of a step ahead of a defender and quickly headed toward the basket where he threw down a two-handed dunk with 58 seconds left to give the Mids a 10-point lead and all but seal the game.
 
"I actually was a little surprised at how far I took off," said a laughing Kiernan. "I think that was the perfect way to end my vertical career in basketball.  I am definitely going to be feeling it in my knees tomorrow morning."
 
Navy ended the game connecting on 37 percent of its field goal attempts, made 8-20 triples and was 16-24 from the free throw line.  Defensively, the Mids held Bucknell to season lows for both points (53) and field goal percentage (29.6%).  Navy also held a 46-33 advantage on the glass, and though the Mids ended the game on the short side of turnovers, 12-9, that translated to just a 7-6 edge for the Bison in points scored after turnovers.
 
"At halftime, Coach Emmett Davis challenged us and said we were going to hold them to 55 points," said Kiernan.  "We held them to 53.  If you can hold a good offensively talented team like that to 53, you are going to give yourself a good chance to win.  We just played with a lot of activity and energy, and we didn't give them anything easy."
 
Abdullah paced the Mids in points (17), assists (8), rebounds (6) and steals (4).  He was joined in double figures by John Carter Jr. (Fr., Spring Hill, Tenn.) with 12 points and Kiernan with 10.
 
"It meant a lot to us to get this one on our home floor on senior night," said Abdullah.
 
With one game remaining in the Patriot League regular season, the post-season outlook for the entire league remains in disarray.  The Mids could finish anywhere from the No. 4 to the No. 9 seed in the 10-team league tournament.  Navy will close the regular season with a Saturday game (12 p.m.) at Boston U.
 
Patriot League Standings (final game)
12-5 Bucknell (Army)
12-5 Colgate (at Lafayette)
12-5 Lehigh (at Loyola)
8-9 American (at Holy Cross)
8-9 Army (at Bucknell)
7-10 Lafayette (Colgate)
7-10 Boston U. (vs. Navy)
7-10 Navy (at Boston U.)
6-11 Loyola (Lehigh)
6-11 Holy Cross (American)