Chestnut Hill College senior Sara Tamoun on Jan. 20 seemed to live up to the nickname of fellow Easton, Pa., athlete Larry Holmes, the boxing champion known as the “Easton Assassin.”

The Griffins guard landed blow after blow against visiting Jefferson University, finishing with a career-high 26 points (the game high) to help her team knock off the Lady Rams, 75-69.

Both teams came into the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference clash with 6-3 records. After the game, Chestnut Hill was 7-3 in the conference, and 10-8 overall, while Jefferson declined to 6-4, 12-6.

In a little over three minutes, CHC stepped out to a 12-4 lead over Jefferson, and the Griffins would lead at the end of each quarter. The Lady Rams edged ahead several times in the third period, but could not hold the lead. The teams combined to score 47 points in the fourth quarter, with Chestnut Hill favored, 25-22.

Tamoun hit five shots from three-point range and four from closer in, while going three-for-four at the foul line. She also had six assists, four rebounds and four steals. Coming off the bench, sophomore forward Tiayo Adelekan also reached double figures, scoring 16 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Gabby Recinto led Jefferson in both total points (22) and rebounds (13), while junior guard Emily Spratt hit three three-pointers as part of her 21-point performance. Spratt, whose father Bob is the head baseball coach and assistant athletic director at Chestnut Hill, had scored a career-high 31 points a week earlier in a CACC contest.

On Jan. 20 at CHC, Tamoun drove along the right baseline to score the first points of the game. A little later, she would nail a three-point shot from the left wing. Junior guard Tamia Washington funneled in three shots from beyond the arc, and when she made the third one Jefferson called time out, trailing by 10 points (18-8) with 2:52 remaining in the first quarter.

Jefferson’s Recinto then put in her second shot from the paint, but another trey by Tamoun made it 21-10 at the end of the period.

Over the first five minutes of the second quarter, Recinto and Spratt scored for the Lady Rams, as did junior point guard Tori Nigro and sophomore forward Carolyn Sipprell.

Jefferson’s Jade Marquez, a strong freshman guard, hit a three-pointer early in the period and later on she drove for a layup that got the visitors back within two points of the leaders (25-27) with a little over three minutes left in the first half. Late scores on the inside by Tamoun and Adelekan got the Griffins back up by six at the break, 33-27.

With two layups and two made free throws, Recinto led an 8-2 run for Jefferson to launch the second half. The second of these field goals tied the game at 35. In the middle of the period, Spratt made two three-point baskets from a few feet beyond the arc, each time giving the Lady Rams a three-point edge. In between, Tamoun bagged a trey for CHC.

Near the end of the third period, the scoreboard was level again at 47-all. Then, from above the top of the key, Griffins sophomore Anahita Jackson released a ball that dropped through the hoop with two seconds to go. Chestnut Hill entered the fourth frame with a three-point edge.

As the final quarter unfolded, scoring from Tamoun and Adelekan kept the Griffins ahead by two or three baskets. The Lady Rams were behind 60-65 when they called time out with two minutes left to play. They came out with a full-court press, but the Griffins broke it and got the ball to freshman Kourin Carew (another player from Easton) for a layup.

A little later, as the game entered the final minute, CHC freshman Sabria Mann hit a short off-balance jumper to make it a nine-point affair, 71-62. Recinto got two points back from the free throw line at the other end, but the clock was now below 50 seconds.

With three team fouls, Jefferson had to commit two more to put a Griffin on the foul line and stop the clock. It turned out to be Tamoun, who made one of her two shots. Each team missed a layup on its next possession. Then a “three” from the right side by Spratt had the visitors back within five points (72-67) with 22 seconds left.

Jefferson fouled Tamoun a few ticks later, but this time the senior made both of her free throws. Spratt converted off of an offensive rebound for a 74-69 tally, but only seven seconds remained. CHC’s Carew then hit the second of two shots to put the final score on the board.

Chestnut Hill received nine points apiece from Carew (seven rebounds) and Washington. For Jefferson, Sipprell (five rebounds) finished with 10 points, and Marquez scored eight.