Eagles Lose Opening Game to Judson

Coming off their win against the alumni, the Emmaus Eagle's men knew they were in for a fight against their first opponent of the season, Judson University. Judson is an NAIA and NCCAA division 2 school, a bigger opponent but a good test as the Eagles opened their season.

            In the opening minutes of the game, the Eagles fell behind 9-0 despite having good looks at the basket. Matthew Tomlinson entered the game and started the Eagles scoring with two 3 point shots. The game was now on! Justin Allen for Judson was a handful for the Eagles as he tallied 14 first half points. The Eagles had numerous opportunities to cash in from the field, but their shots continued to rim out as Judson continued building their lead. Despite the deficit, Emmaus continued to play hard and battle. The closest the Eagles got in the first half, was when they closed the gap 24-18. At the half, Judson lead 41-24.

            In the second half, Elijah Reeves displayed tenacious hustle and determination, while Nathaniel Glidewell drew a lot of attention from the post. Emmaus never gave up, keeping the Judson lead around 15 points throughout the second half. At the end of the game, the Eagles fell to Judson 74-59. Despite this score, there were many bright spots for the Eagles. For the game, the Eagles only had 7 turnovers, while Judson had 15, caused by the tenacious Eagle defense. The Eagles outscored Judson in the second half as they fought a senior laden team with much more experience. The Eagles shared the ball throughout the game to the tune of 14 assists. Emmaus also led Judson in the steals category, 6-3. Despite the loss, the Eagles left it all on the floor and had nothing to hang their heads about. If a game ball was to be given out, the team agreed that Elijah Reeves' determination and all out hustle would have earned him the award.

            The next game for the Eagles is tomorrow, November 5^th at the Pollard Field House. They will entertain Trinity International at 3:00 pm.