Box Score

Three players scored in double-figures led by Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley)'s 15, while the Colonels hit 34 free throws en route to a 64-60 win over Delaware Valley in the first round of the Freedom Conference Playoffs. They will now face No. 1 seed DeSales on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Center Valley.  

 

The Colonels were able to overcome a 26-point effort by James Jones, who finished the regular season as the leading scorer in the Freedom Conference. Jones made the most of his opportunities by hitting a perfect 14-of-14 shots from the free throw line. Only the five starters scored for the Aggies with Mike Williams and Chris Mayo putting in 12 and 11 points respectively. 

 

Wilkes trailed the entire second half including as many as 10 (52-42) with 8:27 to go, but the Colonels closed out the game with a 15-2 run and held the Aggies scoreless during that span until Jones made a layup at the buzzer. 

 

Despite shooting under 30 percent in the first half, hitting 7-of-27 shots from the field, the Colonels did make 11-of-14 free throws to trail 26-25 at the break. The first half saw six lead changes and eight ties with neither team leading by more than four points. 

 

Not only did the Colonels score over half of their points at the free throw line, they dominated the glass, out rebounding Delaware Valley 54-29. Kresge recorded the game's only double-double with 13 pull downs, while Anthony Gabriel (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) finished with eight boards and 12 points. Steve Kline (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) would finish with 13 points and seven rebounds in his final game in the Marts Center.  

 

The Colonels were unable to get into a rhythm in the second half, scoring just four points in the first four-and-a-half minutes. Delaware Valley would take a 35-29 lead with 14:35 to go after Jones hit a pair of free throws. The Aggies would eventually lead by as many as seven (40-33) with 12:02 to go before the Colonels used a 7-0 run to tie the game at 40 with 10:45 to go after Chris DeRojas (Kingston, Pa./Bishop O'Reilly) hit two free throws. 

 

Delaware Valley countered with a 12-2 run over the next two minutes thanks to six points by Jones – all from the free throw line. 

 

While the Aggies couldn't buy a basket over the last five minutes, the Colonels made just two field goals during that span including a three-pointer by Chris Gulla (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) with 2:27 to go. His bucket gave Wilkes a 59-58 lead which it would not relinquish. Even though the Colonels were unable to convert from the field, they did drain 10 free throws to seal the victory. 

 

The win moves the Colonels to 15-10 overall and will face DeSales for the third time this season. The Bulldogs won both meetings earlier this season.