Box Score
Wilkes used an 8-0 run over the last 2:47 of the game to take a 54-49 win over Manhattanville to stay in the middle of the Freedom Conference race. The duo of
Steve Kline (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley), who both surpassed the 1000-point mark for their careers this season, each scored a team-high 13 points in the win.
Kresge, who was recognized before the game for reaching the milestone, shot 5-of-8 from the field and pulled down eight rebounds, while Kline was 3-of-6 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line.
Despite shooting 58 percent from the free throw line, the Colonels scored 14 points from the charity stripe, while Manhattanville was just 1-of-4 from the line.
Manhattanville's Wesly Wicks gave the Valiants their first lead of the game with 9:23 to go in the first after making a layup. They would hold the lead the rest of the first half and nearly the rest of the way until Kline hit a pair of free throws with 1:04 to play in the game. Wicks' bucket would be the only one he would make on the night.
Manhattanville used an 8-0 run with 6:02 to go in the first to lead 20-12 after Angelo Laroche made a layup. The Colonels would close out the half with a 12-5 run to pull within one (25-24) at the break.
The Colonels hit a cold spell to start the second half, scoring just six points over the first 9:49 of the period. The Valiants would eventually lead by as many as 11 (43-32) when Trevoy Pointer made a layup with 9:20 to play.
Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly), who finished with seven points, nailed a three-pointer with 3:21 to play to make it 47-46 in favor of Manhattanville. Pointer hit a 15-footer with 2:47 to give the Valiants a 49-46 lead, but it would be the last bucket they would score the rest of the way.
The win improved the Colonels to 12-9 overall and 8-6 in Freedom Conference play. Wilkes will play its final home game of the season Saturday when it hosts Alvernia at 3 p.m. in the Marts Center.
