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LANCASTER, PA - Asaf Ganot (Jr., Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) figured in 10 of Franklin & Marshall's final 12 points in a first half comeback as the Diplomats outlasted Swarthmore College 62-48 in the Mayser Center to remain in second place in the Centennial Conference Western Division. Entering the game, F&M was tied with Johns Hopkins University for second in the CC West as the Blue Jays stunned Eastern Division leader Muhlenberg College, 62-52 in Allentown. With a win, the Diplomats would remain a game ahead of Hopkins in the final playoff spot out of the division. Trailing 23-20 with 5:07 left in the first half following a steal and basket by Swarthmore's Bayne Heersink, the Diplomats would go on a 12-0 run to close the first half behind Ganot. With 4:02 to play, he would break free from his defender and drain a three-pointer to tie the game at 23-23. Following a pair of free throws by Alex Kraft (Sr., Lansdale, PA/Lansdale Catholic), Ganot would sparkle on defense stealing a pass and dishing off an assist to Jackiem Wright (So., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) to a four-point lead. Ganot and Wright would connect again with 45 seconds left before halftime, as Ganot drove and flipped a pass back to Wright who buried a three-pointer for a 30-23 lead. Following a missed shot by Swarthmore with five seconds left, Kraft would drive the length of the court before handing off to an airborne Ganot for an easy layup and a 32-23 F&M halftime lead as the horn sounded. Overall, Ganot finished with five points, all in the final three minutes of the first half, four rebounds and a pair of blocks as the Diplomats continued a streak of home victories which dates back to 1972, F&M head coach Glenn Robinson's inaugural season on the Diplomats' bench. Center Steve Juskin (So., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) led all scorers with 18 points as the Diplomats' front-line dominated Swarthmore. The trio of Juskin and forwards Kraft and Cas Thomas (Sr., Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy) combined for 39 points and 16 rebounds. Thomas and Kraft finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the Diplomats wore down the Garnet in the first half with size and in the second half with outside shooting. The duo led F&M's shooting showcase as Kraft drained two and Thomas connected on one three-point basket, three of five the Diplomats converted in the last twenty minutes of the game. Matt Gustafson led Swarthmore with 14 points, while Chris Loeffler added 11 points in the effort as the Garnet fall to 4-16, 1-8 in Centennial Conference action. Franklin & Marshall improves to 17-4 overall, 7-2 in the Centennial Conference, one game behind Gettysburg in the Centennial Conference Western Division. F&M will look to improve upon its record and move into first in the Centennial Conference West when the Diplomats host Gettysburg on February 6 in the Mayser Center. Opening tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
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