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THOMAS MORE EDGES WASH. & JEFF. 72-68 IN PAC MEN'S HOOPS (2/6) CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. -- Daniel McKeehan's two free throws with 12 seconds remaining helped Thomas More earn a 72-68 PAC men's basketball victory over Washington & Jefferson on Saturday at the Connor Convocation Center. The Presidents (9-13, 4-5 PAC) jumped out to a quick 13-5 lead and a three-pointer by junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) extended the advantage to 26-16 at the 7:50 mark. Thomas More regrouped and only trailed 34-30 at halftime despite only shooting 35 percent. W&J went ahead by eight points (43-35) after a layup by junior forward Nick Morelli (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) two minutes into the second half, but the Saints (16-5, 7-2 PAC) changed the game with a 16-4 run during the next six minutes. McKeehan, Brian Muse and Romell Salone all had two baskets during the spurt. The Presidents tied the game twice the rest of the way, but were not able to garner a lead. A Muse bucket with 4:10 left pushed the TMC lead to 64-58 and the Saints won the game at the free throw line. McKeehan led Thomas More with 18 points, seven rebounds and four steals, while Muse added 12 points and seven boards. Thomas More forced 22 turnovers and produced 16 steals, but was outrebounded by a 46-33 margin. Matthews led four Presidents in double figures with 24 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) added 12 points, while senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois C.C.) and Morelli both finished with 10. W&J shot 36 percent overall (24-of-66). W&J looks to get back on track Wednesday evening at Westminster. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Senior point guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) {left} both knocked down jumpers in the final three minutes to help Washington & Jefferson collect a 59-55 men’s basketball victory over Saint Vincent on Wednesday evening at the Henry Memorial Center. The Presidents won despite only making two field goals in the final 11 minutes of the game. W&J connected on 13-of-14 free throws attempts during the second portion of the second half to earn the win. Washington & Jefferson entered the game as the nation’s second-best free throw shooting teams and made 22-of-24 overall from the foul line. W&J (9-12) grabbed a 17-12 lead midway through the first half and extended it to 29-20 at the 4:44 mark following back-to-back triples by Matthews. The Bearcats (5-15); however, ended the half with eight-straight points to narrow the gap to 33-32 at the break. A three-pointer by junior guard B.J. McGill (Upper Marlboro, Md./Suitland) gave the Bearcats a 45-40 lead with 11:39 remaining. Matthews then started and capped a 14-2 Presidents’ spurt during a span of nearly nine minutes which saw W&J grab a 54-47 with 2:48 left. The Presidents were held without a field goal between Matthews’ buckets, but made 10-of-10 free throws. Saint Vincent scored five quick points to only trail 54-52, but Drakeley answered with a basket at the 1:39 mark. McGill’s three free throws in a 24-second span brought the Bearcats to within 57-55 and a W&J turnover gave the visitors a chance to send the game into overtime. McGill was whistled for a charge with four seconds left and Matthews sealed the win from the foul line. Matthews led the Presidents with 18 points and four rebounds, while senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) was the only other President in double figures with 12 points. W&J shot 43 percent (17-of-40) and held a 32-20 rebounding edge. McGill fired in 28 points, including the 1,000th of his career on a free throw with 1:19 remaining. He made 8-of-20 shots overall and 10-of-13 free throws. SVC was limited to 39 percent (18-of-46) shooting, but only committed nine turnovers. The Presidents, who snapped a four-game losing skid, get back into PAC play Saturday when traveling to Thomas More for a 3:00 pm game. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Thiel opened the game on a 15-4 run and snapped a 10-game losing streak to Washington & Jefferson after recording a 78-68 PAC men’s basketball victory on Saturday afternoon at the Henry Memorial Center. The Tomcats (10-9, 3-4 PAC), who never trailed, had not defeated the Presidents since a 73-72 upset victory in the 2006 PAC Tournament quarterfinals in Washington. Thiel used a trio of three-pointers to open the early lead. A triple by junior guard Devon Adams (Philadelphia, Pa./George Junior Republic) made it a 22-9 game at the 9:31 mark, but the Presidents narrowed the gap to 25-19 five minutes later. The Tomcats regained momentum and took a 33-21 advantage into halftime following an Adams trey just before the first-half horn. Senior guard Cory Chaffee (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) extended the lead to 57-38 after knocking down another triple with 7:20 left. W&J narrowed the gap to eight points (76-68) with a minute left before the Tomcats sealed the win at the free throw line. Adams paced the Tomcats with 22 points, four rebounds and three steals. He made 5-of-9 three-point attempts. Chaffee added 18 points and seven boards, while freshman guard Blair Rozenblad (Youngstown, Ohio/Kennedy Catholic) contributed a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Thiel shot 44 percent (25-of-57), including 10-of-18 attempts from beyond the arc. TC also held a 37-36 rebounding edge and forced 16 turnovers. Junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) {above} scored all 23 of his game-high points in the second half. He nailed 10-of-11 free throws. Freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) was the only other President in double figures with 11 points. Washington & Jefferson (8-12, 4-4 PAC) looks to snap its four-game losing streak Wednesday when hosting Saint Vincent at 8:00 pm. The game will not count towards PAC standings as the Bearcats are in the final year of a four-year NCAA Division III provisional stage. -- PRESIDENTS --
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Andy O'Keefe made all eight of his field goal attempts to lift Grove City to a 62-49 Presidents' Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Washington & Jefferson College on Wednesday evening at the GCC Arena. O'Keefe, who entered as the nation's second-leading field goal shooter, also made his first four free throws before missing his final attempt with six seconds remaining. He finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Grove City (12-7, 6-2 PAC) extended its regular-season home winning streak over W&J to 15 games. W&J (8-11, 4-3 PAC) led for the first six minutes before Luke Tomaselli scored three baskets to fuel a 10-3 GCC run and a 17-11 lead. Senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./Dubois Central Catholic) {above} nailed two free throws to put W&J ahead 27-25 with 1:58 left, but Tomaselli gave the hosts a 29-28 halftime advantage with a pair of foul shots a minute later. The Wolverines led 40-37 with 9:20 remaining and extended its advantage to double digits with eight unanswered points. O'Keefe scored twice during the run and the GCC defense held the Presidents without a field goal for nearly five minutes. W&J closed to within 48-41 with five minutes left, but the Wolverines upped the lead back to double figures and cruised to the win. Tomaselli added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Wolverines, who shot 44 percent (24-of-54). Brett Matson and Joe McCoy both netted 10 points. GCC held a 39-30 rebounding edge and forced W&J into 28 percent shooting (15-of-53). Varacallo led W&J with 16 points and four rebounds. Juniors Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) and Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) both contributed 10 points. Washington & Jefferson hopes to snap its three-game losing streak Saturday when hosting Thiel at 4:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS -- HILL’S BUZZER BEATER SINKS PRESIDENTS, 70-69 (1/23) BEAVER FALLS, PA. -- Geneva junior Bryan Hill knocked down a three-pointer as time expired to lift the Golden Tornadoes to a 70-69 victory over Washington & Jefferson College in Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball action on Saturday afternoon. After Geneva missed a pair of late free throws, W&J junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) drilled a three-pointer with seven seconds remaining to give the Presidents a two-point cushion (69-67); however, Hill took the ensuing inbounds pass and buried a triple to give Geneva the dramatic one-point victory. Senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) led the Presidents (8-10) with 19 points, while junior Rich Colick paced the Golden Tornadoes (11-7) with a game-high 24 points. W&J opened the game strong and built a 12-point lead (17-5) at the 14:33 mark of the first half after Varacallo scored nine of his 19 points during the six-minute span. Geneva answered with an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to one-point (17-16) at the midway point of the first half following a three-pointer from sophomore T.J. Bevilacqua. The score remained tight for the remainder of the first half and GC took a one-point lead (34-33) into intermission after Bevilacqua hit a pair of free throws late in the period. The Red & Black regained the lead early in the second stanza, opening the half on a 9-4 run to build a six-point edge (42-36) with 17:08 left. The Golden Tornadoes tied the game 44-44 at the 13:24 mark after senior Brandon Harvey's three-pointer. The two squads continued to trade baskets over the next six minutes and the score remained tied (51-51) with 7:39 remaining on the game clock. The Golden Tornadoes broke the tie with a three-pointer from Collick and built a five-point (66-61) with 56 seconds left. The Presidents didn’t go away as junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) scored five points, including a three-pointer with 26 seconds left to bring the Presidents within one (67-66), but Hill ended the comeback bid with his last-second heroics. Matthews finished the game with 17 points and five rebounds, while Bevilacqua scored 12 points off the bench for GC. Felker also tallied double figures for the Presidents with 12 points. The Presidents shot 47 percent (20-of-43) from the field and kept the game within reach by making 20-of-23 free throws. The Golden Tornadoes, who held a slight rebounding edge (30-29) over the Presidents, made 46 percent (23-of-49) of their shots, but connected on just 53 percent (16-of-30) of their attempts from the foul line. W&J returns to Presidents’ Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening, traveling to first-place Grove City for an 8:00 pm contest with the Wolverines. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Senior forward Joe Testa (Washington, Pa./Trinity) posted 20 points and nine rebounds to help Bethany knock off Washington & Jefferson 82-66 in PAC men’s basketball action on Wednesday evening at the Henry Memorial Center. The Bison (11-5, 4-2 PAC) forced a three-way tie for second place in the conference with W&J (8-9, 4-2 PAC) and Grove City (10-7, 4-2 PAC). Bethany canned 11 three-pointers and used a 37-26 rebound advantage en route to the double-digit win. Bethany never trailed after scoring the first seven points of the contest. Senior forward Jonas Ankrom (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) scored 12 consecutive points midway through the first half to push the lead to 28-12 and Testa’s free throws with 2:19 remaining made it a 37-16 game. W&J scored the final five points of the half to narrow the gap to 16 points. A three-pointer by senior guard Jay Lyonett (Weirton, W.Va./Brooke) at the 15:24 mark pushed the BC lead to 52-30. W&J junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) {above} tried to bring the Presidents back with an 11-point outburst over a three-minute span, but the Bison lead never dipped below double digits the rest of the way. Testa made 6-of-11 shots from the floor and 8-of-9 free throws, while Ankrom finished with 18 points in just 23 minutes. Lyonett made 5-of-15 three-point shots and collected 16 points. The Bison shot 46 percent overall (28-of-61) and only committed nine turnovers. Matthews and junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) were the only Presidents in double figures after 20-point efforts. Matthews added five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Washington & Jefferson shot 41 percent (19-of-46) after connecting on only six first-half field goals. W&J made 22-of-24 foul shots. The Presidents look to get back on the winning track Saturday when traveling to Beaver Falls for a 3:00 pm game at Geneva. -- PRESIDENTS -- PRESIDENTS CONTINUE WIN STREAK OVER LOCAL RIVAL (1/16) WAYNESBURG, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson shot just 29 percent (14-of-48), but still managed to pull out its 11th consecutive men's basketball victory over Waynesburg on Saturday evening at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. The Presidents (8-8, 4-1 PAC) won the game by making 22-of-28 free throws and using a 41-35 rebounding edge. A total of 10 of the 11 Presidents who saw action in the game made at least one free throw. James Allenby opened the scoring for the Yellow Jackets (2-12, 0-6 PAC), but the Presidents led for the next 24 minutes. W&J led by nine points twice in the first half before a late WU run narrowed the gap to 25-24 at halftime. Jeff Nairne's three-pointer put Waynesburg in front 29-27 with 16:54 remaining. The lead changed hands four times in the next six minutes before the hosts built their biggest lead 40-34 with 10:26 left. W&J chipped away, eventually taking a 46-44 lead with 6:10 left after a pair of free throws by senior guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity), but Jeff Young's dunk put Waynesburg ahead 50-48 with 3:42 left. The teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes until Drakeley's three-point play with just over a minute remaining gave W&J the lead for good. W&J made three free throws in the final 37 seconds and Waynesburg missed four three-point attempts in the final minute to help W&J even its record at 8-8 overall. Junior swingman Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) led W&J with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Drakeley added 11 points and five boards. Erik Noone nearly had a double-double for the Yellow Jackets with nine points and 10 rebounds. Waynesburg made 7-of-31 shots from three-point range. Washington & Jefferson closes the first half of its league schedule Wednesday when hosting Bethany at 6:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson junior forward Nick Morelli’s (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) {left} rebound and putback with 13 seconds left in the third overtime period helped lift the Presidents to a wild 84-83 Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory over Westminster on Saturday afternoon at the Henry Memorial Center. The see-saw affair featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes. The Titans (4-10, 1-3 PAC) had shots at the end of the first and second overtime periods, but both missed. Washington & Jefferson led 20-13 midway through the first half and freshman forward Akram Hidmi’s (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) lay-up in the final minute put the Presidents (7-8, 3-1 PAC) in front 38-28 at halftime. Hidmi added another lay-up a minute into the second half for W&J’s biggest lead (40-28), but the Titans chipped away at the lead and went ahead 48-45 at the 9:27 mark following a 20-5 run. Senior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) fueled the run with seven points. Westminster led 53-49 with 5:21 remaining, but the Presidents forced senior point guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity) scored six of W&J’s final seven points to force a 58-58 tie and overtime. The Titans drilled two three-pointers on their first two possessions of the first overtime, but W&J rallied once again to tie at the 2:49 mark following a pair of free throws from junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland). Junior guard Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton) scored with 42 seconds left for a 67-65 Westminster lead, but senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) answered with a jumper with seven seconds left and Murray’s desperation three-point attempt fell short forcing a second overtime. Another Westminster desperation shot fell short at the end of the second overtime. Spinner’s three-pointer with 1:34 left in the third overtime, put the Titans in front 83-79, but Felker answered with a triple on the next W&J trip to trail 83-82. Morelli’s putback finally ended the hard-fought battle. Felker led W&J with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Drakeley added 17 points and five assists, while Varacallo contributed 13 points and six rebounds. W&J shot 41 percent (29-of-71) and led 45-41 on the glass. Westminster connected on 45 percent of its shots (34-of-75) and was led by Murray’s 27-point, 10-rebound effort. Spinner added 14 points. W&J has a week to prepare for its next conference game next Saturday evening at Waynesburg (7:30 pm). -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Senior forward Daniel McKeehan’s (Maineville, Ohio/Little Miami) off-balance jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining helped Thomas More earn an 83-81 PAC men’s basketball victory over Washington & Jefferson on Thursday evening at the Henry Memorial Center. The loss was the third-straight for the Presidents (6-8, 2-1 PAC). The Saints, who trailed by 11 in the first half, improved to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in the PAC. TMC has won three consecutive games. Washington & Jefferson scored the first seven points and increased its advantage to 25-14 with 9:17 left in the half following a three-pointer from senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois C.C.). Thomas More used a 14-4 run late in the half to narrow the gap to 32-31, but the Presidents took a 41-36 lead into halftime after a lay-up by sophomore guard Uchenna Okocha (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/University School). A pair of free throws from senior point guard Romell Salone (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) gave TMC its first lead (43-41) with 18:01 left in the contest, W&J regrouped and went ahead by seven points (58-51) following a pair of foul shots from freshman reserve forward R.J. Pilato (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield). Junior guard Paul Matthews’ (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) {above} three-point play with seven minutes left kept the lead at seven points (69-62), but the Saints responded with a 17-4 run. McKeehan netted seven points during the rally, including a three-point play to cap it with 3:17 remaining. Matthews forced a 79-79 tie with just over a minute left on the clock, but junior forward Eddie Brown (Hamilton, Ohio/Stephen T. Badin) canned two foul shots with 39 seconds remaining for an 81-79 lead. Matthews’ jumper 19 seconds later forced the fifth tie of the game, but McKeehan provided the heroics with his late basket. Matthews’ heave from just inside half court at the buzzer was off the mark. The Saints turned 23 W&J turnovers into 26 points. McKeehan scored all 16 of his team-high points in the second half, while sophomore guard Daniel Neeley (Warsaw, Ky./Owen County) added 13. A total of 12 different Saints scored. Thomas More shot 41 percent (26-of-64) and canned seven three-point shots. Matthews paced the Presidents with a career-high 21 points. He added nine rebounds. Varacallo contributed 16 points and eight boards, while junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and freshman forward Akram Hidmi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) both added 10 points. Hidmi also grabbed seven rebounds. W&J shot 50 percent (26-of-52) overall and held a 36-31 rebound advantage. Both teams made 24-of-30 free throws. Washington & Jefferson looks to snap its three-game losing skid on Saturday when hosting Westminster at 2:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS --
LATROBE, Pa. - Saint Vincent rallied from a 14-point deficit late in the first half and defeated Washington & Jefferson 71-68 in overtime Tuesday evening in men's basketball action at the Carey Center. The loss does not affect the Presidents in the PAC standings; however, due to SVC's final year as a provisional member of NCAA Division III. Saint Vincent (5-7) fired out to a 13-7 lead, but the Presidents answered with a 22-6 run to claim a 29-19 advantage at the 3:23 mark following a triple by junior swingman Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland). Senior point guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity) {above} extended the lead to 36-22 with just under a minute left in the first half, but Stephon Barry's tip-in at the buzzer brought the Bearcats to within 36-25 at halftime. Felker kept the lead at double digits (47-36) after nailing a triple five minutes into the second half, but the Bearcats dominated for the final 15 minutes of regulation. W&J was held scoreless for over five minutes until Felker ended the drought with a basket at the 9:37 mark, but the lead had dwindled to 49-46. Saint Vincent went back on top for the first time in nearly 20 minutes of action with 6:17 remaining as Edmond Wright's free throw put SVC ahead 55-54. Felker knocked down another triple for a 57-56 W&J lead with 3:49 left on the clock and his jumper with 1:46 remaining made it a two-point W&J lead (60-58). Saint Vincent answered with back-to-back baskets; however, Felker had the equalizer once again with a pair of foul shots with 40 seconds left to force overtime. Both teams missed three-point attempts in the final 12 seconds. W&J misfired on its first three field goal and free throw attempts in overtime. B.J. McGill scored the first Bearcat basket of the extra session and his two free throws with six seconds remaining sealed the win. Washington & Jefferson was only able to connect on 2-of-7 shots in overtime and 9-of-31 attempts in the final 25 minutes. Felker netted a game-high 23 points and grabbed four rebounds. He made 3-of-7 shots from three-point range and 10-of-13 free throws. Drakeley established a new career-high with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting. He also notched seven rebounds and five assists. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) was the only other President in double figures with 11 points. He also hauled down eight rebounds and produced three steals. Washington & Jefferson hit 25-of-31 free throws, but only 35 percent (18-of-51) of its field goal attempts. McGill paced Saint Vincent with 22 points, six rebounds and five steals. Mike Watkins dropped in 19 points and amassed six boards. Saint Vincent shot 42 percent overall (27-of-64) and used a 47-36 edge on the glass. W&J looks to remain undefeated in the PAC on Thursday evening when hosting defending PAC Champion Thomas More at 8:00 pm at the Henry Memorial Center. -- PRESIDENTS --
MUSKINGUM, Ohio -- Carson Thomas hit six three-pointers and scored a career-high 22 points to help Muskingum top Washington & Jefferson 79-59 in men's basketball action Wednesday evening at the Muskingum Recreation Center. The Muskies (4-7) led from the start after Cory Bourquin nailed the first of his four three-pointers 19 seconds into the game. W&J grabbed its only lead of the contest 12-11 at the 12:31 mark following a jumper by freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) {right}. Muskingum answered Bellhy's basket with 12 consecutive points and opened a 23-12 advantage with 5:42 remaining in the first half. Bellhy canned a trio of free throws late in the half to narrow the Muskies' lead to 34-25. Muskingum put the game way with 14 unanswered points to start the second 20 minutes. Thomas knocked down a pair of treys, while Bourquin added six points during the run. W&J was unable to narrow the gap to less than 15 points the rest of the way. Thomas drilled 6-of-12 three-point attempts, while Bourquin added 20 points, four assists and three steals. Nick Hershberger contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Muskies, who connected on 14-of-28 shots from three-point range. MU also held a 38-27 rebounding edge. W&J was limited to 39 percent shooting (20-of-51) and committed 16 turnovers. Bellhy scored 15 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois C.C.) netted 13 points, while junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) added 11. Washington & Jefferson is now idle for two weeks during the holidays before returning to action Jan. 5th at Saint Vincent (8:00 pm). -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Freshman reserve forward R.J. Pilato (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) scored a season-high 12 points during Washington & Jefferson’s 75-57 men’s basketball victory over Juniata on Sunday afternoon at the Henry Memorial Center. The Presidents (6-5) broke open a 36-35 halftime lead and outscored the Eagles (5-5) by 17 points (39-22) in the second half. Junior guard E.J. Morascyzk’s (Washington, Pa./Trinity) {right} three-pointer at the 9:10 mark of the first half gave the Presidents a 24-12 lead. Juniata worked itself back into the contest behind the three-point shooting of senior guard Jeff Berkey (Stoystown, Pa./Shanksville-Stoneycreek). He nailed a trio of three-pointers in the final eight minutes and put the Eagles on top, 35-33, following a triple with 1:48 left in the half. W&J junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem), who finished with a career-high 12 rebounds, scored the final three points in the half to put W&J in front 36-35. Juniata freshman guard Mike Walker (Homer City, Pa./Homer Center) drilled a three-pointer to open the second half, but a 20-4 W&J run over the next 10 minutes gave the Presidents a commanding 56-42 lead with 10:05 remaining. Washington & Jefferson canned 12-of-13 free throws during the stretch and the lead increased to as many as 21 (70-49) before the Presidents settled for the 18-point win. Junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) added 13 points for the Presidents, who made 29-of-34 free throws. Pilato also grabbed five rebounds. W&J also held a 46-35 rebounding edge and shot 38 percent (21-of-55) overall. Senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois C.C.) contributed nine points and six rebounds, while Matthews added seven points. Berkey nailed seven three-pointers and finished with a game-high 24 points. Juniata was limited to 5-of-33 shooting in the second half and 27 percent overall (17-of-63). Washington & Jefferson closes its non-conference schedule on Wednesday when traveling to Muskingum (3-7) for a 7:00 pm contest in Ohio. -- PRESIDENTS --
GREENVILLE, Pa. – Junior Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) {right} scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help the Washington & Jefferson College men’s basketball team pick up it third-consecutive Presidents’ Athletic Conference victory on Saturday afternoon at Beeghly Gymnasium. The Presidents (5-5, 2-0 PAC), who never trailed in the contest, shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field, 46 percent (6-of-13) from beyond the arc and corralled 31 rebounds. W&J jumped out to an early 10-6 advantage four minutes into the half after junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) knocked down a pair of free throws. The Red & Black continued to apply the pressure and built a nine-point lead, 26-17, with 7:37 remaining in the half on a jumper by senior guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity). The Tomcats (3-5, 0-1 PAC) clawed back into the game and cut the deficit to four, 28-24, with 5:41 left in the half on a pair of free throws from Devon Adams, but the Presidents ended the half on 12-7 run and held a 40-31 lead at intermission. The Red & Black built its lead to 13, 50-37, at the 15:23 mark on a jumper from senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic), but again the Tomcats fought their way back into the game and cut the lead to three, 60-57 with 8:40 left on the game clock on a jumper from Sean Devinney. The Presidents regained control of the contest and ended the game on an 18-8 run to secure the 13-point conference victory. Drakeley finished the game with 16 points, while Varacallo added nine points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds. Freshman forward Akram Hidmi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) also notched double-figures with 11 points and eight boards. Adams led the Tomcats with 21 points, while Cory Chaffee and Blair Rozenblad also finished in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Presidents will return to action on Sunday, December 20th for a 2:00 pm contest against Juniata College in the Henry Memorial Center. -- PRESIDENTS -- FELKER’S CAREER-HIGH 24 POINT EFFORT LIFTS W&J OVER DENISON, 79-69 (12/9) GRANVILLE, OHIO – Junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) {right} scored a career-high 24 points to help the Washington & Jefferson College men’s basketball team earn a 79-69 road victory against Denison University on Wednesday evening in Livingston Gymnasium. Free throw shooting proved to be the deciding factor in the game as W&J (4-5) shot 87 percent (26-of-30) from the charity stripe, while Denison (1-6) connected on just 52 percent (11-of-21) of its free throw attempts. The Presidents and Big Red traded baskets over the first four minutes and the game was deadlocked at five a piece, but W&J used a 10-1 run to build its biggest lead of the half, 15-6, on a layup from Felker with 12:53 showing on the clock. The Big Red answered with an 11-2 run of their own and evened the score at 17-17 with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half on a three pointer from Chris Luther. With the score tied at 26 at the 6:15 mark, the Presidents reeled off a 10-2 run and led by eight, 36-28, with 3:47 remaining in the half. The Presidents never relinquished their first half advantage and entered intermission leading 41-36. W&J stretched its lead out to seven, 55-48, with just over ten minutes remaining in the game after freshman Max Hoster (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Academy) knocked down a pair of free throws, but Denison responded and scored 10 of the next 13 points to tie the game up at 58-58 with just under eight minutes remaining. The Presidents, who made 23 of their 26 free throws in the second half, regained the lead for good at the 7:53 mark on a pair of free throws from freshman forward Akram Hidmi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington). Felker helped secure the victory for the Red & Black, scoring seven of his career-high 24 points in the final seven minutes. Hidmi finished the game with 16 points, while senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) added 10. Felker and Varacallo also led the Presidents on the glass with six boards a piece. Chris Luther paced the Big Red with 19 points, while Mike Garabedian added 17 points and eight boards. Farmer finished the game with a double-double, scoring 11 points and collecting 12 rebounds. The Presidents shot 41 percent (23-of-56) from the field and hauled in 36 rebounds, while the Big Red shot 47 percent (25-of-53) from the field and grabbed 32 boards. W&J returns to Presidents’ Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Thiel for a 3:00 pm contest with the Tomcats. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson limited Grove City to one made field goal for nearly 16 minutes and cruised to a 65-43 Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory on Saturday afternoon at the Henry Memorial Center. The Wolverines (3-3, 1-1 PAC) were held scoreless for 11 minutes and 29 seconds between the end of the first half and the first part of the second half. Grove City started strong with a 9-2 lead, including six points from junior forward Luke Tomaselli (Cresson, Pa./Penn-Cambria). Washington & Jefferson (3-5, 0-1 PAC) dominated from that point; however, outscoring the Wolverines 26-6 during the rest of the half. Freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) canned a pair of free throws at the 9:30 mark for the Presidents’ first lead (11-9) and junior guard Brian Felker’s (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) {above} triple at the 7:12 mark put W&J in front for good. Senior forward Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) knocked down a jumper at the first-half horn for a 28-15 advantage. W&J then tacked on the first 18 points of the second half to run away with the win. Junior guard E.J. Morascyzk’s (Washington, Pa./Trinity) three-pointer at the 10:14 mark pushed the lead to 36 points (58-22). Felker netted a game-high 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Bellhy posted 10 points. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) and Morascyzk contributed nine and seven points, respectively. Washington & Jefferson shot 41 percent (20-of-49) and held a 36-32 rebounding edge. W&J made 10-of-22 shots from beyond the arc. The Presidents forced 16 turnovers and limited GCC to 27 percent shooting (12-of-44), including 5-of-23 accuracy in the first half. Tomaselli and senior center Andy O’Keefe (Perry, Ohio/Perry) led the Wolverines with eight points a piece. Grove City was only able to connect on 4-of-23 three-point attempts. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior guard Richard Colick (New Castle, Pa./Mohawk) scored 14 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to help Geneva record a 77-65 men’s basketball victory over Washington & Jefferson on Wednesday evening at the Henry Memorial Center. The Golden Tornadoes (3-3) also received 19 points from sophomore guard Dave Phillips (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls). Phillips knocked down a pair of early three-pointers to put Geneva in front 11-4. W&J narrowed the gap to 17-14 after freshman guard Zach Bellhy’s (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) basket at the 11:55 mark, but the Golden Tornadoes maintained the lead and stretched it to 35-27 at halftime. Senior point guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity) {right} brought the Presidents to within 44-40 following a three-point play five minutes into the second half. Colick scored three-straight baskets over the next five minutes to push the lead back to 10 points (9-49) and his lay-up at the 4:39 mark gave the Golden Tornadoes their largest lead (63-52). W&J ripped off seven consecutive points, capped on a fastbreak lay-up from freshman guard Max Hoster (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Academy), and trailed 63-59 with 2:54 remaining. Colick added a game-high eight rebounds, while making 7-of-16 shots from the field. Geneva held a 40-31 rebounding advantage and shot 47 percent (27-of-57). Drakeley paced the Presidents with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) knocked down three triples and finished with 15 points, while junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) collected 12 points and four rebounds. Freshman forward Akram Hidmi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) led the team with seven rebounds. Washington & Jefferson shot 41 percent (25-of-61) and only committed eight turnovers. -- PRESIDENTS --
GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Will Conoley bucketed a game-high 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting to help Franklin (Ind.) earn a 75-72 victory over Washington & Jefferson in the consolation game of the Mike Rokicki Community Versus Cancer Men's Basketball Challenge on Sunday afternoon at Neal Fieldhouse. DePauw, the tournament host, won the championship after edging Wabash 65-57 in the title game. DU's Tony James was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Conoley and W&J junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) were selected to the All-Tournament Team. The Presidents (2-4) trailed during the opening 10 minutes, but a 16-3 run put W&J in front 24-16 with 7:22 remaining in the half. Freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) fueled the run with five points. Senior point guard Matt Drakeley's (Washington, Pa./Trinity) {above} jumper in the final minute gave the Presidents a 36-33 halftime edge. The second half was tightly contested as the teams were tied on seven different occasions during the first 15 minutes. A three-pointer by junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) put W&J in front by a 67-62 margin with 3:29 left on the clock, but Conoley answered with three-straight baskets for the Grizzlies (2-3) to tie the game with 1:26 remaining. Franklin forced a W&J turnover and Clay Starrett buried a three-pointer with 39 seconds left for a 71-68 advantage. Drakeley canned a jumper with nine seconds left to bring W&J to within one point, but four-straight free throws from Starrett sealed the win. Starrett added 20 points for the Grizzlies, who shot 54 percent overall (30-of-56). Conoley notched six rebounds and three assists. Franklin totaled 16 assists, but was outrebounded by a 27-26 margin. Washington & Jefferson made 50 percent (26-of-52) of its shot attempts and had five double-figure scorers. Drakeley led the way with a season-high 18 points. He also dished out four assists. Matthews contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Felker connected on all four of his attempts from the field and finished with 11 points. Bellhy and senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) both bucketed 10 points. Washington & Jefferson looks to snap its three-game losing skid Wednesday evening when hosting Geneva at 8:00 pm. The Golden Tornadoes are in their third year of a four-year NCAA Division III provisional stage so the game will not count towards Presidents' Athletic Conference standings. -- PRESIDENTS --
GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Ryan Russell led five Tigers in double figures with 13 points as DePauw opened the Mike Rokicki Community Versus Cancer Men's Basketball Challenge with a 76-68 victory over Washington & Jefferson on Saturday evening at Neal Fieldhouse. The Tigers never trailed in the contest and improved to 3-0 on the season. Russell gave the hosts an early 9-3 lead after canning a three-pointer, but the Presidents hung tough and drew within two points (19-17) after junior guard Brian Felker's (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) {pictured} three-pointer at the 7:50 mark. DePauw responded with a 19-8 run to end the half and took a 38-25 lead into halftime. The double-digit lead remained for a majority of the second half and Steve Lamasters stretched it to 64-49 with 6:22 remaining. Washington & Jefferson clawed its way back into the game with a 17-4 run during the next five minutes. Senior guard Albert Varacallo's (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) free throws with 1:31 left narrowed the gap to two points. Lemasters answered with a triple 18 seconds later and Drew Wills' three-point play inside 30 seconds sealed the win. DePauw shot 48 percent (24-of-50) and forced 19 W&J turnovers. Sean Haseley (12), Lemasters (11), Wills (10) and Tony James (10) all scored in double figures. James added eight assists. Felker led the Presidents with a game-high 19 points. He made 7-of-9 shots from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range, and grabbed six rebounds. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) netted 14 points and had three assists, while Varacallo contributed 13 points and six boards. Freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) drilled 3-of-4 shots from beyond the arc to collect nine points. W&J (2-3) held a 30-27 rebounding edge and will face the Franklin/Wabash loser in the consolation game tomorrow at 2:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS -- KENYON RECORDS 83-72 HOME VICTORY OVER WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON (11/24) GAMBIER, Ohio -- J.T. Knight drilled five three-pointers and finished with game-high totals of 27 points and 11 rebounds during Kenyon's 83-72 victory over Washington & Jefferson on Tuesday evening at Tomsich Arena. The Lords (2-2), who drained 16 three-point field goals, jumped out to a 41-31 halftime lead and extended their advantage to as many as 21 points (74-53) late in the second half. Kenyon scored 11 of the game's first 15 points and widened its advantage to 36-23 with 2:23 left in the first half after Uros Vasiljevik nailed a three-pointer. Junior guard Brian Felker's (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) triple in the final 30 seconds brought W&J to within 10 points at the break. Senior point guard Matt Drakeley (Washington, Pa./Trinity) dropped in back-to-back baskets for the Presidents early in the second half to narrow the deficit to 46-43, but the Lords responded with an 11-0 run, including three-straight treys. Knight's consecutive three-pointers pushed the lead to 21 points with 4:24 remaining. W&J senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) fired in 10 points during a 64-second span to close the gap to 77-70 with 1:28 left on the clock, but Jay Findlay's three-point play halted the run and sealed the KC victory. Knight made 8-of-15 shots from the field (5-of-9 three-pointers) and added five assists. Findlay contributed 13 points and five assists, while Marcus Heasley added 10 points. Kenyon shot 46 percent (26-of-56), including 16-of-34 accuracy from three-point range. Varacallo led the Presidents' offensive attack with 20 points. He made 7-of-13 field goal attempts. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) netted 12 points, while Felker and Drakeley tossed in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Washington & Jefferson shot 42 percent (24-of-57) and was outrebounded by a 39-30 margin. Both teams committed 16 turnovers. The Presidents (2-2) hope to get back in the win column on Saturday when traveling to the Depauw Tournament and taking on the host Tigers in the opening round at 6:00 pm. Wabash and Franklin play the second game of the tournament. -- PRESIDENTS --
CRESSON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson raced out to a 35-point halftime lead and cruised to a 96-56 consolation round victory over Penn State-Mont Alto on Saturday at the Mt. Aloysius Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. The Presidents (2-1) had 14 different players score and used a 47-22 rebounding advantage. The Presidents shot 47 percent (32-of-68) from the field, including 13-of-26 from three-point range. W&J never looked book after jumping out to a 31-8 lead during the first 11 minutes. Junior guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) scored eight-straight points to cap the early run. Freshman forward Akram Hidmi's (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) jumper 23 seconds before halftime pushed the Presidents' lead to 50-15 at halftime. The lead stretched to as many as 48 points (82-34) following a basket by sophomore guard Zak Boyd (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort) midway through the second half. Junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) {above} bucketed a game-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Felker contributed 15 points, while freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) knocked down four three-pointers and collected 13 points. Hidmi finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Penn State-Mont Alto was led by Kevin Oneyaka's 11 points and six rebounds. The Lions shot 40 percent (22-of-55) and were limited to seven first-half baskets. PSU-Mont Alto also committed 20 turnovers. Washington & Jefferson looks to move to 3-1 before Thanksgiving on Tuesday when traveling to Kenyon for a 7:30 pm game. -- PRESIDENTS -- YORK TOPS W&J IN MT. ALOYSIUS OPENING ROUND (11/20) CRESSON, Pa. -- Nick Brady bucketed a game-high 26 points to help York (Pa.) upend Washington & Jefferson 80-57 in the opening round of the Mount Aloysius Tournament on Frinday evening. The Presidents (1-1) will meet Penn State-Mont Alto in the consolation final Saturday. Host Mount Aloysius knocked off PSU-Mont Alto 101-79 in the other first-round game. W&J fell behind 16-6 early on and Todd Maciejewski's free throw 19 seconds before halftime gave the Spartans a 38-27 lead after 20 minutes. The Presidents closed to within 49-41 on junior guard Brian Felker's (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) with 14:12 remaining, but a 13-1 Spartan run put the game out of reach. Brady made 11-of-16 field goals, including four three-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds. Jeremy Skoloda was the only other Spartan in double figures with 10 points. Felker finished with 15 points and six rebounds to lead the Presidents. Freshman Akram Himdi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) added 10 points and five boards. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior reserve guard Brian Felker (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) {left} fired in 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half as Washington & Jefferson opened its 2009-10 men’s basketball season with a 71-64 victory over Penn State-Altoona on Monday evening at the Henry Memorial Center. The Presidents (1-0) drilled 9-of-25 three-point attempts, including three by senior guard Albert Varacallo (DuBois, Pa./DuBois C.C.). W&J opened a 24-18 lead with 8:04 mark of the first half following a three-pointer from junior guard Paul Matthews (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem). The Lions followed with nine of the next 11 points, but W&J answered with an 11-6 run to end the half and take a 37-33 lead into halftime. Penn State-Altoona grabbed a 44-40 lead at the 15:49 mark following a free throw by freshman forward John Brennan (Philadelphia, Pa./St. John Neumann-Goretti) and held the advantage for the next five minutes until a trio of three-pointers put the Presidents in front for good. Varacallo knocked down a pair of treys, while freshman guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) added another for a 56-50 W&J lead with 9:03 remaining. Felker added three-straight baskets to cap a 16-2 W&J run and help the Presidents extend the lead to 63-52 with 7:02 left on the clock. The Lions were able to chip away at the lead and close to within 68-64 with just over a minute left, but the visitors were not able to get any closer. Washington & Jefferson won its season opener for only the second time in the past six seasons. Felker made 7-of-12 shots from the floor in 28 minutes of action off the bench. Varacallo contributed 16 points and nine rebounds, while Matthews notched 14 points, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists. Bellhy contributed 11 points (3-of-5 three-point range) in his collegiate debut. The Presidents shot 41 percent overall (23-of-56) and forced 15 Penn State-Altoona turnovers. Junior forward Kirk Peters (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) and senior guard Zach Spitz (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) led the Lions with 19 and 17 points, respectively. Spitz added eight rebounds and four assists. The Lions shot 46 percent (24-of-52) and held a 36-32 rebounding edge. W&J returns to the hardwood on Friday when it meets York (Pa.) in the opening round of the Mount Aloysius Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. The Presidents and Spartans tip off at 6:00 pm. Mount Aloysius and Penn State-Mont Alto play in the nightcap. -- PRESIDENTS -- |
/paulmatth11.jpg "Matthews, P.")
W&J TOPS SAINT VINCENT TO SNAP FOUR-GAME SKID (2/3)/felk2w.jpg "Felker 09-10")
EARLY RUN HELPS THIEL SNAP 10-GAME LOSING STREAK AGAINST W&J (1/30)/albertvara321w.jpg "A Varacallo 09-10")
WOLVERINES EVEN SEASON SERIES WITH PRESIDENTS (1/27)/nickmorel3w.jpg "Morelli 09-10")
W&J OUTLASTS WESTMINSTER IN TRIPLE OVERTIME, 84-83 (1/9)/paulmatt2w.jpg "P. Matthews 09-10")
MCKEEHAN’S LATE JUMPER LIFTS SAINTS TO VICTORY (1/7)/drake1w.jpg "Drakeley 09-10")
BEARCATS RALLY TO KNOCK OFF PRESIDENTS IN OVERTIME, 71-68 (1/5)
MUSKINGUM STOPS W&J'S FOUR-GAME WIN STREAK (12/23)/ejm15'14.jpg "EJ Morascyzk 15")
PILATO AND FELKER LIFT PRESIDENTS TO 18-POINT WIN (12/20)/2008-09_Roster/P. Matthews-bio.jpg "P. Matthews")
W&J IMPROVES TO 2-0 IN PAC PLAY WITH 78-65 WIN OVER THIEL (12/12)/Felker-3web.jpg "B. Felker (12/9)")
/Felker-42.jpg "2 Felker")
PRESIDENTS THROTTLE WOLVERINES, 65-43 (12/5)/drakeley13.jpg "13 M Drakeley")
COLICK’S BIG SECOND HALF LIFTS GENEVA TO VICTORY (12/2)/2008-09_Roster/M. Drakeley-bio.jpg "M. Drakeley")
PRESIDENTS FALL IN ROKICKI CONSOLATION GAME TO FRANKLIN, 75-72 (11/29)/2008-09_Roster/B. Felker-bio.jpg "B. Felker")
DEPAUW HOLDS OFF W&J IN OWN TOURNAMENT, 76-68 (11/28)/felker2.jpg "#2 B. Felker")
W&J OPENS SEASON WITH HARD-FOUGHT 71-64 VICTORY (11/16)
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