The Elizabethtown men’s basketball team started their 2025-2026 campaign on a high note, beating local rival Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) on the Blue Jays’ home court.
The game was postponed from the original date due to a power outage in Thompson Gymnasium. However, through this adversity, Head Coach Britt Moore is happy with how the game was executed.
“I was proud of the team for playing really hard and dealing with the adversity of changing game days and places,” he said. “Last year we scored well to beat them and this year I thought we guarded well. It was a great way to start the season against a team from across the county.”
Senior Austin Finarelli, a 2024-2025 Landmark All-Conference Second Team honoree, put up 25 points throughout the game to help the Blue Jays secure the win. On the free throw line, Finarelli went 9-for-9. Also scoring double digit points were junior Woody Machado with 13 and senior EJ Finney with 10.
The F&M Diplomats took early control of the lead early in the first quarter. In the first minute of the game, they scored a three-pointer, followed by numerous layups and free throws. Etown responded well, with Machado scoring twice in the same amount of time and a three-pointer by sophomore Anthony Lilly.
After more back and forth action throughout the first half, F&M sat slightly ahead of Etown 32-30. Despite holding a slight disadvantage heading into the second half, the Blue Jays hoped their halftime adjustments would create a spark for their offense.
Just a minute and thirty seconds into the second half, the Blue Jays tied the score with a layup by Machado. This started back and forth action between the teams, seeing the teams regain the lead three separate times each throughout the half.
With several points from Finarelli, Finney, and sophomore Crew Wells, the Diplomats couldn’t hold on, and the Blue Jays won the game 68-59.
Etown shot significantly better in the second half, shooting 39% from the floor, compared to their 34% shooting in the first half.
However, senior Augie Brody believes a different aspect of the team helped them achieve the win.
“Our defense carried us to get the win,” he said. “We were really scrappy in the gaps and were able to force them to have 23 turnovers compared to our seven. That was the difference in the game.”
Sophomore Zuri Harris agrees with Brody about the defense being a strong suit. “We won our game, but it was because of our defense and unselfishness,” Harris said. “From getting rebounds, to fighting through screens, we showed way more effort than F&M, which led to a win.”
Last season, the Jays missed the Landmark Conference championships with an overall record of 7-11 versus conference competition and 10-15 overall. Scranton took the last spot of the bracket also with a 7-11 conference record, but a 12-14 record overall. This year, the team hopes to make the conference championship.
“We have a really good team here at Etown that people need to come out and see,” Brody said.
The men will play four Landmark Conference games before the New Year, competing against Moravian and Susquehanna at home and Drew and Goucher away.
