Box Score

WILKES-BARRE – Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) had 22 points and Chris DeRojas (Dallas/Bishop O'Reilly) added 18 as the Colonels rolled in their first of two games in the Wilkes-Barre Challenge on Sunday evening. Wilkes led the entire contest, ultimately defeating Albany Pharmacy by a score of 98-61.

The game began with a 23-1 run by the Colonels, fueled by a barrage of three-pointers by both Mullins and DeRojas. Of those first 23 points, the two guards combined for 19 points on five three-pointers. Albany was never able to recover, although the Panthers were able to put together a string of baskets near the end of the half. Nearly every time Albany scored, Wilkes answered, as the Colonels shot a blistering 62.2 percent in the period.

Wilkes was led by Mullins in the half, who poured in 15 points in just nine minutes of play, hitting three three-pointers. DeRojas added 13 points and three assists in just 10 minutes, as Wilkes has a comfortable 56-29 lead at the break.

In the second half each team kept rolling, with the Colonels ensuring themselves of at least a 30 point lead for most of the period. DeRojas and Mullins had help in the half, as early baskets by Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) and free throws by Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) helped enlarge the Colonel lead.

Other Wilkes players got in on the action as the game surged on. Mike Boylan (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls) took just two shots in the game, both of which were three-pointers and both were good. Tyler Breznitsky (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) hit on three jumpers in a row midway through the period on his way to scoring 10 points on five-of-six from the floor. Eventually, 12 Colonels scored while Wilkes secured the 98-61 victory to head to 4-5 on the season.

Mullins and DeRojas combined for 40 points on the night in just 39 minutes of play, while Breznitsky was the other Colonel in double figures scoring with 10. Steve Blish (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), Craig Thomas (Avenel, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick) and Huch each added eight points, and Huch pulled down eight rebounds to lead Wilkes.

The Colonels will now look to finish 2-0 in the Wilkes-Barre Challenge when they play Curry College on Monday, Jan. 3 at the Marts Center. That game will begin at 7:30 p.m.