12/19/18
RECAP — Facing large deficits against Nazareth is nothing new for the Emmaus boys basketball team.
They’ve been in this situation before.
Just a year ago when the Blue Eagles visited ‘The Hive’, Nazareth jumped out to a 16-point lead before watching the Hornets rally for a 57-50 come-from-behind win.
On Tuesday night in the first of two meetings between the teams in a key early-season Skyline Division matchup, the same scenario played out with Emmaus once again rallying with a big second-half.
Outscoring the visitors 37-24 after intermission, head coach Steve Yoder’s team came up with a gritty, come-from-behind victory as they once again came from behind after being down nine at the break to stun Nazareth 64-60 before a raucous crowd at ‘The Hive.’
Emmaus (4-0 overall, 3-0 EPC) got a balanced scoring attack with four different players reaching double figures.
Senior Mark Swedberg, who played despite being ill all day, led the Hornets scoring attack with a team-high 16 points, teammates and fellow seniors Ethan Parvel and Bryce Diehl each added 13 points, while another senior, Zach Sabol, chipped in with 10 points despite being relegated to the bench most of the game with foul trouble.
Emmaus beat Nazareth for the fifth straight time and for the 11th time in the last 12 meetings dating back to the 2011-12 season.
The Blue Eagles (1-2, 3-2) were led in scoring by senior Kenyon Sheard who had a game-high 18 points. Twin brother Stephon Sheard added 16 and junior Zach Umar 11. The Blue Eagles shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half (15-30) but just 32 percent (8 of 25) after halftime.
For the game, Emmaus shot 42 percent from the floor (22 of 52) and a season-best 65 percent from the free-throw line (15 of 23). The Hornets also had a season-high five 3-pointers in the game, two each from Diehl and Bohman.
Emmaus will return home on Friday at 7 p.m. as they host Central Catholic (1-2 EPC, 3-2 overall)
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Naz – Harris 0-2 0-0 0, Stephon Sheard 7-16 2-3 16, Kenyon Sheard 7-14 1-4 18, Umar 3-6 2-2 11, Viva 2-7 1-4 5. Subs: Briggs 3-9 0-2 8, Stapert 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: FG 23-55, FT 6-15, 3s (8 – Kenyon Sheard 3, Umar 3, Briggs 2).
Em – Bryce Diehl 4-11 3-6 13, Ethan Parvel 4-12 4-4 13, Devon Boyko 1-5 0-0 2, Zach Sabol 4-10 2-4 10, Mark Swedberg 6-9 4-4 16. Subs: Danny Bohman 2-3 0-0 6, Josh Moyer 1-2 0-1 2, Mason Boyd 0-1 0-0, Cameron Brooks 0-0 2-4 2. Totals: FG 22-52, FT 15-23, 3s (5 – Diehl 2, Parvel, Bohman 2).
Naz – 17 – 19 – 8 – 16 – 60
Em – 16 – 11 – 18 – 19 – 64
Fouled out – Naz (Harris, Viva)
JV – Em 49-34
Fresh – Em 53-35 (Witkowski 11, Santos 10, Crawford 9
Mark Swedberg goes up for a shot (Photo: Robert Thompson) 
Danny Bohman looks to drive the lane (Photo: Robert Thompson) 
Bryce Diehl takes a short jumper (Photo: Robert Thompson) 
Ethan Parvel drives to the basket (Photo: Robert Thompson)