box score
Chris DeRojas (Dallas/Bishop O'Reilly) and
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) combined for 51 points to lead Wilkes to a 75-62 win over FDU-Florham to even their Freedom Conference record at 1-1. The Colonels also made the most of their opportunities as they hit 24-of-27 free throws.
DeRojas poured in a season-high 27 points hitting 7-of-14 shots from the field including three buckets from beyond the arch while draining 10-of-10 free throws. Kresge on the other hand was 9-of-15 and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
The two teams played a fast-paced first half, going back and forth exchanging buckets. Kresge gave the Colonels a quick 2-0 lead with a layup with 19:24 to go, but the Devils' Adam Katz gave FDU-Florham the lead with a three-pointer 23 seconds later. Katz would finish with a team-high 24 points. FDU would keep the lead until Kresge tied the contest with a 12-foot jumper in the paint to tie the game at 10 with 14:02 to go. After being fouled on the play, he would hit the free throw to give Wilkes an 11-10 lead which they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
Wilkes used an 11-3 run to lead 31-21 after DeRojas drained a three-pointer with 7:16 to go. FDU would pull within single digits until
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) hit his only three-pointer of the game with 1:-01 to go before the break. The Colonels would eventually take a 43-32 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Colonels helped cause 13 first half FDU turnovers that resulted in 17 points for the Colonels, while out-scoring the Devils 14-8 in the paint.
Wilkes led by as many as 15 in the second half when Kresge connected on another jumper with 9:28 to go, giving the Colonels a 60-45 advantage. The Devils would go on an 8-2 run to pull within nine (62-53) with 5:18 to go, but neither team was able to score until nearly two minutes later when Kresge made a layup with 3:40 to go.
FDU was able to pull within six when Joe Missale hit one of his four three-pointers on the day making the score 65-59 with 1:53 to go, but it would pull no closer the rest of the way. Wilkes would eventually go on a 10-3 run the rest of the way, hitting 10-straight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
The Colonels improved to 4-2 on the year, while FDU fell to 0-6. Wilkes will be back in action on Wednesday to take on Elizabethtown on the road at 7 p.m.
