A cold winter rain filled the night around the Gallagher Center at Niagara University as the bi-partisan crowd made its way into the arena to enjoy what turned out to be a barn-burner of a Big 4 basketball game between the Niagara Purple Eagles and the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.


During the first half it appeared the Bonnies were bound to get the best of the Purple Eagles. The St. Bonaventure fan contingent inside the Gallagher Center were much more vociferous than the host crowd; at times, the din of the fan noise would have led you to believe the Bonnies were the home team.


The Purple Eagles, however, showed they were not laying down for the night as they closed an 11-point split, and the game became a seesaw battle until, with five seconds on the clock, after a missed shot by the Eagles’ leading scorer,Antoine Mason, Charlon Kloof a 6-3 senior guard for the Bonnies took the ball down court, busted between three Purple Eagle defenders and laid up the winning basket as the game clock showed 00:00. The Bonnies had won 74 to 72.


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For photos from the game go to Bonnies Top Purple Eagles