OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Stevenson junior forward Sean Farr led the Mustangs with 16 points while pulling down nine rebounds to push the Mustangs past visiting Hood, 68-53, in the Commonwealth Conference semifinals, Wednesday night at Owings Mills Gymnasium.

With the win, Stevenson (18-8) advances to the Commonwealth Conference championship game for the second straight year where the Mustangs will host Alvernia.  The fourth-seeded Crusaders defeated top-seed Lycoming on the road on Wednesday evening.  The two squads met in last year's title game with the visiting Crusaders prevailing 70-69 on a last second tip-in.

On Wednesday evening, the Mustangs once again utilized a balanced attack as seven players scored at least six points, led by Farr's 16 points and 13 more from junior Erik Fisher.  Fisher also grabbed ten rebounds to record his fourth double-double of the season.

Chris Cook led all scorers with 19 points for Hood (14-12), but the Mustangs held the Blazers to 34.0% shooting on the night, while also dominating the boards for a 49-28 advantage.

Both offenses started slowly despite a frenetic pace as the teams were tied at 3-3 four minutes in.  Farr gave Stevenson its first lead with a steal and lay-up before James Brown answered at the other end for the Blazers.  On the next trip, senior Colby Giacubeno nailed a three from the right wing to reinstate the lead for the Mustangs.  He finished with nine points on the night.

The teams battled back-and-forth in the opening period with the defenses controlling the flow.  The Mustangs slowly built a seven-point lead, 16-9, by forcing turnovers and Fisher cleaning up on the glass.  Giacubeno proved lethal from behind the arc in the opening the half, as well, as the Mustangs claimed their first double-digit lead, 21-11, after a triple from the senior and then a put-back by Farr.

Hood slowly worked its way back into the game and trimmed the lead down to four, 23-19, at the 4:49 mark after a triple by Davon Hill.  The run was cut short, however, as Day made another lay-up and then junior Christian Roberts hit both free throws following a technical foul on Hood's bench to put the Mustangs back up 27-19.

The balanced play continued for the rest of the half as Cook's lay-in brought the visiting Blazers to within six, 33-27, a lead Stevenson would take into the break.

The Blazers started the second half with a jumper by Trevor Magnuski, but Roberts responded on the ensuing possession for the host Mustangs with a step-back three-pointer.  Hood continued its hot start, though, and used an 11-5 run to start the half to pull even with the Mustangs at 38-38.

Minutes later with the game knotted at 40-40, the Mustangs ran off seven straight behind a Farr lay-in, and then a triple followed by a jumper by Fisher.  The grew back to double figures at 51-41 as Kuntz made both free throws, and then Farr threw down a monsterous alley-opp from Giacubeno for a 12-point advantage with 11:10 remaining.

Stevenson pushed on from there, holding the Blazers without a field goal for nearly ten minutes, and building an 18-points cushion, 62-44, after Giacubeno made 1-of-2 at the line with just less than seven minutes left. (15:28-5:43)

Hood did not go quietly, however, and gradually cut into the Mustangs' lead and pulling to within ten, 62-52, with just under two minutes left.  Stevenson answered the bell one last time, pulling away in the final 90 seconds for the 68-53 win to move on to the Commonwealth Conference championship game. 

Tip-off between Stevenson and Alvernia is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Owings Mills Gymnasium on Saturday, with the Mustangs' women's squad hosting Albright for the conference title at 4:00 p.m.