box score

Despite playing what head coach Jerry Rickrode called a lackluster performance, the Wilkes University men's basketball team overcame its mistakes en route to an 80-68 win over John Jay in the second day of the Wilkes-Barre Challenge. The Colonels were the only team in the field to win both games as Tom Kresge (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) and Anthony Gabriel (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) were named to the all-tournament team.

Kresge, who put in a team-high 19 last night, followed that up with 18 today, while Gabriel scored a combined 25 points, 16 of which came against John Jay.

"To be able to win a game like we did last night against a ranked team then turn around about 18 hours later and win is good. I thought our effort was lackluster and poor, but we found a way to win which is always a good thing," Rickrode said. For the second-straight game, the Colonels shot better than 50 percent from the field and dished out a season-high 20 assists.

Fourteen different players saw action for the Colonels, who improved to 7-3 on the year with guard Matt Meier (Endicott, N.Y./Seton Catholic) playing a career-high 14 minutes where he was 2-of-2 from the field, both of which were three-pointers. "I think Matt played the most solid. He made some three's and made good passes," Rickrode said. Four different players scored in double-figures with Chris DeRojas (Dallas/Bishop O'Reilly) and Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) putting in 14 and 13 points respectively.

Wilkes used an inside-outside threat, scoring 34 points in the paint while taking advantage of John Jay's mistakes with 19 points off turnovers.

The Colonels would take control of the game midway through the first half after a 22-5 run gave them a 33-13 advantage with 5:03 to go to play before the break. Wilkes' defense was a key factor in the run, holding the Blood Hounds without a field goal for nearly six minutes during its run.

John Jay would use a run of its own to get back in the game, pulling within nine at the half after closing the period with a 15-4 advantage. Despite the setback, Wilkes held a 37-28 lead at the break.

Wilkes opened the second with a 6-0 run, but were unable to pull away as John Jay would close the gap to seven (45-38) with 16:40 to go. They would come no closer the rest of the way. "We didn't continue to do what was working for us. We stopped going inside and went away from our offense," commented Rickrode.

Two more runs by the Colonels would eventually give them a 79-59 advantage with two minutes to go, but would hit just one free throw the rest of the way. John Jay on the other hand scored seven straight points and made two final free throws with 30 seconds to play to close out the scoring.

The Colonels will have a few days rest before they head to Scranton to take on Marywood on Tuesday at 7 p.m.