FISHER TOPS NAZARETH IN CHASE SEMIS, 67-55
Golden Flyers (5-7) compete for third place Saturday
BOXSCORE | UPDATED STATS

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Jan. 14, 2005) – Top-seeded and unbeaten St. John Fisher advanced to Saturday's championship game of the JPMorgan Chase Scholarship Tournament for men's basketball as the Cardinals knocked off fifth-seeded Nazareth for the second Friday night in a row, 67-55.

Fisher, 12-0 and ranked 13th nationally in the most recent poll from d3hoops.com, will play at 8 p.m. at RIT against the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Rochester and RIT. Nazareth (5-7 overall) will play the loser of that game in Saturday's third-place game at 3 p.m.

After losing at St. John Fisher in an Empire 8 Conference game last Friday, the Golden Flyers were more competitive this time as they led for a good portion of the first half. A jumper by freshman Ryan McAdam put Nazareth ahead 19-18 with 6:32 left in the half. Fisher, however, outscored the Golden Flyers 13-4 over the balance of the half to go up, 31-23.

In the second half, a three-point basket by freshman Brian Ameneiros brought Nazareth back within 37-33 with 16:40 to play. A 16-3 scoring run bumped Fisher's lead to 17, 53-36, with 9:30 left and Nazareth never seriously challenged the Cardinals thereafter.

Freshman Joe Canori (pictured) was Nazareth's high scorer with 14 points. McAdam and senior Ryan Shipley each scored 12.