Steve Finkernagel

Paul Huch closed out his career with 24 points and 12 rebounds, his seventh double-double fo the season against Alvernia

WILKES MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDS SEASON IN ECAC QUARTERFINALS AT ALVERNIA, 78-64

2/29/2012 9:24:00 PM

Box Score

WILKES MEN'S BASKETBALL ENDS SEASON IN ECAC QUARTERFINALS AT ALVERNIA, 78-64

READING, PA – Wilkes University senior forward Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) went for a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the season, but host Alvernia University saw four players reach double figures in a 78-64 win over the visiting Colonels Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the ECAC South Region Tournament.

With the loss Wilkes concludes its season with a 17-10 overall mark. Alvernia improves to 18-8 overall and will move on to the semifinals against the winner of top seeded Juniata and eighth seeded Penn State Behrend on Saturday.

Wilkes entered the contest without senior All-Freedom center Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) who suffered a hand injury in the first half of the Freedom Championship game against Misericordia on Saturday. After the Crusaders jumped out to an early nine-point lead, Huch cashed in on a transition score to cut the lead to 11-4 with 14:14 left in the first half. Nic Wilkins (Dushore, PA/Sullivan County), who saw significant minutes due to the Hinze injury, connected on a jumper bringing the Colonels to within five, 17-12, with 8:58 on the clock. Alvernia responded with a 9-0 run capped by a deep trey from the corner to build its lead back to double-digits, 26-12 with 5:34 until the break. Back-to-back three-pointers from Huch and Steve Blish (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) sent the Colonels to the half down by twelve, 44-32.

Alvernia used another quick spurt to start the second stanza, this time an 8-0 run over the first four minutes of play pushing its lead to 52-32 with 15:54 left to play. A Wilkins score in the paint followed by another Huch jumper brought Wilkes back to within fourteen, 54-40 with 12:32 remaining. The Colonels found some momentum for a second half comeback mid-way through the frame when Wilkins cleaned up his own miss cutting the Alvernia advantage to nine, 57-48, the closest Wilkes would reach in the final ten minutes of play. Wilkes was unable to muster together enough defensive stops to make one more comeback push as Alvernia cashed in late from the charity stripe to seal the victory.

Huch finished 10-for-18 connecting on two three-pointers. Five of his team-high 12 boards came on the offensive end leading to Wilkes second chance points. Wilkins followed with a season-high 12 points filling in for Hinze, while Brendan Sheldon (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) added seven points and four rebounds in a starting role.

Cory Boone led the Crusaders attack with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Stefan Thompson also scored 18 points, while Brian Nerney contributed 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds and Terrance Bridgers added 15 tallies.

Wilkes says goodbye to its senior class of Hinze, Huch, and Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley). The trio combined to go 60-43 through their four years in the Navy and Gold. The Colonels return a core group of players in 2012-13, including Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley), looking to get back into Freedom postseason play.

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