Steve Finkernagel

WILKES MEN’S BASKETBALL SUFFERS 95-85 OVERTIME SETBACK AT DELAWARE VALLEY

1/28/2012 6:08:00 PM

Box Score

WILKES MEN'S BASKETBALL SUFFERS 95-85 OVERTIME SETBACK AT DELAWARE VALLEY

DOYLESTOWN, PA – Up nine points with just under a minute left in regulation, Wilkes University was unable to hang on to the lead dropping a 95-85 decision at Delaware Valley behind Nathan Bollinger's school record 50 points in Freedom play Saturday afternoon.

Wilkes drops to 13-5 overall and suffers its second straight defeat in conference play standing 6-2. Delaware Valley improves to 4-15 overall and collects its first league win of 2011-12.

The Colonels led 72-63 with :52 left in regulation following two free throws from Jeremy Hartman (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional). Delaware Valley cashed in on five of six free tosses in the next two possessions to cut the Wilkes lead to 72-65 with :32 ticks on the clock. Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) would make one of two from the line followed by one free throw from the Aggies to keep the score 73-68 with :24 left.

After Tyler Breznitsky (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) made two charity tosses, Bollinger drilled a deep three-pointer as Del Val trailed 75-71 with :16 on the clock. One of two free throws from Wilson extended the Wilkes advantage to five at 76-71, but Bollinger kept his historic day going when he was fouled shooting a three-pointer with eight seconds left. He made all three free throws to make the score 76-74 Wilkes setting up the final possessions.

Del Val fouled to stop the clock and Craig Thomas (Avenel, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick) made one of two free throws to leave the door open for an Aggie comeback. From there, Bollinger took an inbound pass with two seconds remaining and dribbled to the top of the key letting a 30-footer go that found the bottom of the net to send the game into overtime tied at 77.

Del Val rode the momentum of the game-tying shot into the extra frame scoring the first two buckets. Bollinger canned his six trey to put the Aggies up 82-77 with 4:18 left in the extra stanza. Wilkes answered and cut the lead to two following a Wilson layup, but Bollinger cashed in on his 50th point on a jumper with :58 left and an Aggie three-pointer on their next possession sealed the Freedom victory.

The teams traded baskets throughout the first half as the game went into the half tied at 31 apiece. The overtime period proved to be the difference as Del Val outscored Wilkes 18-8 in the extra frame.

Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) led Wilkes with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) followed with 18 tallies and five boards while Breznitsky chipped in 13 points and a game-high eight assists. Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) (12 points) and Hartman (11 points) rounded out the Colonels in double figures.

Bollinger enjoyed the finest day in Del Val history finishing with 50 points on 15-for-26 shooting including a 6-for-13 performance from behind the arc and 14-for-16 from the foul line. Jeremy Beckett provided a hand finishing with 24 points and six rebounds.

Wilkes returns to the court Wednesday with another important Freedom road test at local rival Misericordia University. Game time is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

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