Chester (Pa.) knocks off No. 20 Gonzaga College (D.C.), 63-55, at Spalding Hoophall Classic

Arizona commit Rondae Jefferson played his first game since injuring his right shoulder roughly two weeks ago, leading Chester (Penn.) past Gonzaga College (D.C.), the No. 20-ranked team in ESPN's national power rankings, 63-55, Saturday night in the Spalding Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena.

Jefferson, the No. 13 player in the 2013 recruiting class according to ESPN, led Chester with 20 points, nine rebounds and six steals. Jefferson and Richard Granberry (13 points, 10 rebounds) used their superior athleticism to relentlessly attack the hoop off the dribble and on the glass (16 offensive rebounds).

Gonzaga committed 20 turnovers, which allowed Chester to play in transition, where the Clippers excel. Chester scored 24 points off turnovers and held a 12-4 advantage in fast-break points.

"We want to play fast," Chester coach Larry Yarbay said. "We got a little bit out of control towards the end there, but that's the style we like to play."

On the other end, Gonzaga preferred to slow the pace of the game and work the ball inside to senior forward Kris Jenkins, who is committed to play at Villanova next season. Jenkins scored a game-high 23 points, showcasing a potent inside-out game by sinking three 3-pointers.

Late in the third quarter, however, Jenkins picked up his third foul, forcing Gonzaga coach Steve Turner to switch up the defensive matchups. Junior forward Jordan Abdur-Ra'oof (16 points, 13 rebounds) did an admirable job on defense, but Chester's teamwide athleticism ultimately wore down the Eagles.

In the fourth quarter, Chester continued to get the majority of its shots in the paint, while Gonzaga's shot attempts kept getting farther and farther out from the hoop.

"I was not happy with our shots down the stretch. I thought we had an opportunity – we cut it to, I think, three points – but then we settled for the 3-point shot instead of going in and attacking the rim."

Senior guard Charles Glover sunk a three-pointer with roughly 4 minutes remaining in the game to cut Chester's lead to two, 55-53, but Chester finished the game on an 8-2 run to close out Gonzaga.

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