Box Score
Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly) put in a career-high 37 points including 26 in the first half to lead Wilkes to a 77-63 victory over Alvernia for the Colonels' third-straight win. Wilkes now stands at 13-9 overall and 9-6 in Freedom Conference play.
Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) and DeRojas nearly out-scored the entire Alvernia team with a combined 55 points with Kresge putting in 22 on 9-of-15 shooting. The Colonels shot nearly 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the three-point line. DeRojas knocked down seven of the team's nine shots from downtown.
The 37-point performance marks the second time in his career in which he has surpassed the 30-point barrier. He was 11-of-18 from the field and 7-of-11 from behind the three-point line. Even more impressively, he scored the Colonels final 20 points of the first half over a span of five minutes.
Alvernia led by as many as seven (18-11) in the first half with 10:21 to go after Charlie Hughes knocked down a pair of free throws. Marcel Roane gave the Crusaders a 20-14 advantage with 9:41 to go in the half, but the Colonels would use a 32-6 outburst the rest of the way to explode to a 46-26 lead at the half.
Steve Kline (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan), playing in his final home game of his collegiate career, scored seven of his 11 points in the first half and made the only three-pointer he attempted. He finished with a team-high six rebounds and dished out five assists.
The Colonels would keep a double-digit lead the rest of the way, but a 14-3 run to start the second half brought the Cursaders within 11 with 12:59 to go. They would come no closer the rest of the way. Two players scored in double-figures for Alvernia with center Nick Rivera leading the way with 12 points. Guard Eric Barefield added 10 points and five assists for the Crusaders.
Thirteen players saw action for the Colonels as they avenged a 19-point loss to the Crusaders in Reading back on Jan. 17.
The Colonels will return to action Tuesday when they head to Dallas to take on Misericordia at 8 p.m.
