Wilkes University Athletics

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Steve Finkernagel

Wilkes dropped its first league game of the year falling 75-71 at DeSales Saturday

WILKES MEN’S BASKETBALL LATE COMEBACK BID FALLS SHORT AT DESALES 75-71

12/7/2013 5:29:00 PM

Box Score

WILKES MEN'S BASKETBALL LATE COMEBACK BID FALLS SHORT AT DESALES 75-71

CENTER VALLEY, PA – Four Colonels reached double figures in a balanced scoring effort, but a late comeback bid fell short as Wilkes University dropped a 75-71 decision at preseason favorite DeSales University Saturday afternoon at Billera Hall.

Wilkes falls to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league play following the defeat. DeSales improves to 5-2 on the year, 2-0 in league play after the victory.

DeSales led most of the second half with the lead growing to as many as 12 points, 51-39 with 15:39 left in the frame. Wilkes responded with a 10-0 run midway through the second half to edge to within two 51-49 with 12:36 on the clock. Three treys from Alec Wizar (Lebanon, PA/Annville Cleona) and a Pat Furst (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks West) layup did all of the damage for Wilkes during the quick spurt.

The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes until DeSales used its own 10-0 run to push the advantage back to 12, 65-53, with 7:22 left in the contest. Five straight points from Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood), including an old-fashioned three-point play brought the Colonels to within four 67-63 with just under three minutes left.

Two Nic Wilkins (Dushore, PA/Sullivan County) free throws cut the lead to two, 72-70 with just under a minute to play. DeSales used one of two free throws to push the lead back to four, but a driving layup from Tyler Jackson (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) made it a one possession game with three seconds left. Wilkes tried for a quick steal and score, but the Colonels were forced to foul sending the Bulldogs to the line with one second remaining. Two Kyle Hash free throws iced the game for DeSales and gave Wilkes its first Freedom defeat of the year.

Wilkes was efficient on the offensive side of the ball shooting 52.8 percent (28-53) from the field as four Colonels hit for double figures. Furst led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds missing just four shots on 11 attempts. Wilkins followed with 14 points and five boards, while Hinkel and Wizar added 13 and 12 points respectively. Wizar canned four of Wilkes' eight made three-pointers on the afternoon.

Hash and Paul Pammer each scored a team-high 16 points to lead DeSales. Brian Laird added 14 points on 4-for-4 shooting from long range. DeSales shot a blistering 14-for-25 from beyond the arc, good for 56 percent.

Wilkes remains idle until Saturday night when the Colonels compete in the King's College Monarch Classic. Wilkes opens the two-day tournament against Berkeley College at 6:00 p.m. before a matchup against Susquehanna University on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

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