Box Score
Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly) poured in a team-high 21 points, while
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) added 20 to lead Wilkes to a 98-78 win over Penn College for its second victory in as many games.
The Colonels have been on fire, hitting better than 50 percent in their first two games, including shooting 55.2 percent tonight. More than half of Wilkes' points came in the half, putting in 51 inside the key and scored 28 points off of Penn College's 18 turnovers. “Offensively we have spent a lot of time on in practice,” head coach Jerry Rickrode said. “We make good passes and don't turn the ball over much and we have a strong post game.”
Wilkes jumped out to a 20-7 lead when
Anthony Gabriel (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) hit a pair of free throws with 14:32 to go. He would finish 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting while pulling down six rebounds. The Colonels would keep their double-digit lead until Joe Simon hit a three-pointer with 2:04 to go in the half to bring the Wildcats within eight (35-27). It would be the only field goal Simon would make on the night. The Colonels closed out the half with a 7-0 run to take a 42-27 lead into the locker room.
Kyle Ruby (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) gave Wilkes its largest lead of the game when he drained a three-pointer with 16:54 to go to give the Colonels a 56-36 advantage. Wilkes hit just 2-of-8 three-pointers in the first half, but made 7-of-10 in the second. Ruby would finish with nine points, all on three's, hitting 3-of-4 for the game.
The Colonels would eventually lead by as many as 23 with just over five minutes to go on a three-pointer by DeRojas. They would lead by at least 20-or more until Leroy Joiner, who scored a game-high 24 points made a layup with 2:02 to go to pull Penn College within 19 (93-74).
“We are skilled and have guys that can make shots. We are deep at the post position which allows us to use several guys inside,” commented Rickrode. The Colonels have scored 198 points in two games and have had at least two players score 20-or-more points in both wins.
Wilkes will be back in action Friday night when it hosts Kean at 7 p.m. in the Marts Center.
