Annapolis, MD- In an electrifying matchup at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Austin Benigni’s career-high 34 points powered the Navy men’s basketball team (1-1) to an 85-80 victory over Harvard (1-1) in the 11th Veterans Classic. The game on Friday evening featured a record-breaking performance from Benigni, who went a flawless 17-17 from the free-throw line, setting a school record for most consecutive free throws made in a single game.
This highly competitive game showcased 14 lead changes and seven ties, creating an exciting atmosphere for fans. Navy head coach Ed DeChellis, who founded the Veterans Classic, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. “I am happy for our team,” DeChellis said. “I think it was a fun game to watch and coach. I like what we did tonight.”
Photo Credit: Bert Hindman/The Southern Maryland Chronicle
Navy faced an early challenge as Harvard surged to a 25-18 lead midway through the first half and extended it to 31-21 with under seven minutes remaining. However, Navy countered with a powerful 19-3 run, capped by eight points from Benigni, to secure a 40-34 advantage heading into halftime.
Benigni continued his scoring prowess in the second half, opening with a three-point play that extended Navy’s lead to 43-34. The Crimson, however, responded with a series of quick scores to pull within two points at 47-45 and later took a brief 52-51 lead. Navy’s Jordan Pennick answered by sparking a 7-0 run that regained a 58-52 edge for the Midshipmen.
Harvard refused to back down, putting together a 10-0 run to retake a 62-58 lead. Pennick, crucial throughout the game, hit two three-pointers to help Navy reclaim the lead at 68-64. The Crimson stayed close, trimming the gap to 70-68 with less than four minutes left.
Benigni, who scored crucial points late in the game, made two free throws to push Navy’s lead to 72-68. Jinwoo Kim followed up with a key basket, and after a series of defensive stops, Pennick sank two free throws to keep Navy in control at 76-70 with under a minute remaining.
Despite a late three-point play by Harvard that cut the lead to 76-73, Benigni secured a critical offensive rebound and putback, followed by four consecutive free throws to put the game out of reach at 82-76. Donovan Draper’s free throw with 12.2 seconds left sealed Navy’s victory.
Navy outperformed Harvard in points off turnovers, scoring 28 to Harvard’s two, thanks to forcing 19 turnovers while committing only seven. “We are trying to play fast,” DeChellis noted. “The number that sticks out to me is that we had 28 points after their turnovers.”
Benigni’s standout night not only set a Veterans Classic record for most points in a game, surpassing the previous mark of 33 by Utah State’s Justin Bean in 2021, but also broke Navy’s single-game free throw record of 16-16 set by Mike Heary in 1997. “He is a tough kid and a competitor, and that is what separates him from others,” DeChellis said.
Pennick contributed 13 points, the second-highest total of his career, and Aidan Kehoe added 11 points on efficient 5-7 shooting along with eight rebounds. “Jordan hit some big shots at critical times,” DeChellis said. “A game like this gives him confidence.”
Harvard, despite making more field goals (30-28) and three-pointers (12-7), struggled from the free-throw line, going 8-15 compared to Navy’s 22-26. The Crimson will look to bounce back in their next game, while Navy will host Rider on Tuesday night.
