NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster men's basketball team won, 81-79, at home against Capital in the first day of the Buzz Ridl Classic in their season opener Friday night.
 
During the first half up 25-20, junior Tyler James (Youngstown, OH / Warren JFK) gave Westminster (1-0) its biggest lead of the first half after two made free throws. As the first half was coming to an end, with four seconds left and the game tied at 35, senior Daniel Ritter (North Lima, OH / South Range) hit a clutch three-pointer off a dish from sophomore Reese Leone (Beloit, OH / West Branch) to give the Titans momentum heading into halftime (38-35).
 
As the second half started, Westminster picked up where it left off as Leone notched two consecutive three-pointers to give the Titans a 44-35 lead. Later on, Anthony Ritter (North Lima, OH / South Range) registered four straight points, first from a layup and then from a mid-range jumper to give the Titans their biggest lead of the game (68-58). Capital (1-1) would not go quietly, as it would score 11 of the next 16 points, making it 73-69 with 1:35 to play. The veteran experience of the Titans' lineup came in handy, as they put the Comets in difficult situations to formulate a game plan, earning them the 81-79 victory.
 
D. Ritter tallied a game-best 25 points, followed by Leone with 20 points, 12 of which were from three-pointers, and a team-high five assists. James recorded 13 points and a game-high of nine boards, while also making his presence felt on defense with a game-best three blocks.
 
Westminster shot 48.4% (30-62) from the field and 57.9% (11-19) from the three-point line.
 
The Titans are back on the court Saturday, November 13 as they host Penn State Shenango in the closing day of the Buzz Ridl Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.