Story courtesy of Elon sports information
Elon 90, Montreat 76
ELON, N.C. -- Chris Chalko amassed a career-high 30 points and a contest-best eight rebounds as Elon dispatched Montreat 90-76 in a non-conference men?s basketball contest Wednesday night at Alumni Gym.
Chalko knocked down 11 of his 17 shots from the floor career-high seven of 12 from three-point land as the Phoenix (8-9) won for the sixth time in as many games for its longest winning streak in 15 seasons. The 1990-91 Elon squad fashioned an 11-game winning streak.
The Phoenix exploded to a 12-4 lead to open the contest on a lay-up by Chalko with 15:12 to play in the opening period. Chalko scored Elon?s first 12 points on five field goals, including a pair from beyond the three-point arc.
The Cavaliers (10-9) responded by reeling off the game?s next six points, drawing within 12-10 on an old fashion three-point play by Kinard Barnett at the 12:16 mark. Elon, which never trailed, posted the next seven markers to push its advantage to 19-10 on a putback by Rasmi Gamble with 10:05 left in the first half.
Montreat went on a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to 22-20 on a jumper by Jazz Carthcart with 6:40 remaining in the period. The Phoenix scored 15 of the game?s next 23 points to fatten the difference to 37-28 on a pair of free throws by Montell Watson with 1:19 to play in the opening frame.
Trailing 40-30 after an old fashion three-point play by Chalko with 19:55 left in the game, the Cavaliers forged an 11-5 run to pull within 45-41 on a three-point field goal by Carthcart with 16:09 remaining.
Elon maintained a lead of four to nine points before making its next run. The Phoenix used a 16-7 surge to stretch a 62-53 lead with 8:54 to play into a 78-60 cushion on another Chalko three-pointer with 4:05 remaining.
Jackson Atoyebi (13 points), Scottie Rice (11 points), Watson (10 points and a career-high nine assists) and Brett James (10 points) joined Chalko in double-digit scoring for the Phoenix. Thomas Nicholson (21 points, seven rebounds), Carthcart (15 points) and Aaron Collazo (12 points) led the Cavaliers.
Elon committed only 13 turnovers for the game, including zero in the second half, while Montreat surrendered 19 turnovers. The Phoenix edged the Cavaliers on the battle of the boards by a 33-31 count while outscoring them 34-18 in the paint, 25-12 off turnovers, 12-7 in second chance points, 13-0 in fast break points and 38-25 in bench points.
The Phoenix will host Southern Conference rival Western Carolina at 7 p.m. Saturday at Alumni Gym. Earlier that same day, the Cavaliers will visit Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Bluefield at 4 p.m.