NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team opened play at the annual Buzz Ridl Classic with an 84-81 defeat to the Hiram Terriers Friday night.

The Tomcats went into halftime holding a 46-40 lead but were unable to hold that lead in the second half.

Khari Bess (Waldorf, Md./Maurice J. McDonough) paced the Tomcat offense with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Bess also had a team-high five assists and two steals. Luke Kochka (Monroeville, Pa. /Gateway) recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Kochka also notched two steals.

Tyreik Burton (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) and Clandell Cetoute (Wellington, Fla./Wellington) each scored double figures off the bench. Burton had 13 points while Cetoute had 12 points and four blocks.

J.J. Woodson led the Terriers with a game-high 21 points.

The Tomcats will continue play in the Buzz Ridl Classic on Saturday taking on the Heidelberg Student Princes at 2 p.m. from the Buzz Ridl Gymnasium on the campus of Westminster College.