Wilkes Men's Basketball Falls in Conference Action at DeSales

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Trailing by 11 with 3:54 left in the game, the Wilkes University men's basketball team sliced the deficit with a 6-0 run on a free throw and three-pointer from Rob Pecorelli (Huntington, NY/Harborfields) plus a layup by Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) that made the score 71-66. However, a 10-6 run to close the game helped DeSales University defeat the Colonels 81-72 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action on Saturday afternoon.

Wilkes is now 9-12 overall and 2-8 in conference play.

DeSales started the contest on a 9-4 run through the initial three minutes before a Mark Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) jumper, Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) layup, and two free throws from Mullins gave Wilkes a 10-9 lead. With 15:21 remaining in the first half.

The Colonels secured an 18-13 lead after a Donovan Breeding (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) three-pointer at 12:02 and stretched the lead to 21-15 after a Noah Jackson (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood) free throw.

The Bulldogs finished the first 20 minutes on a 22-6 run as Wilkes entered the break trailing 37-27.

DeSales started the second half on a 5-0 run to take a 42-27 lead just over a minute in.

The Bulldogs held the lead throughout the duration of the second leading to the Colonels late-game comeback attempt.

Pecorelli led Wilkes with 14 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. Nickerson DeMelfi (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) added 12 points while Mullins finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Robel contributed 12 points and five rebounds and Breeding had 10 points, both off the bench.

Timmy Edwards led DeSales with a game-high 25 points, six rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Mike Bealer, Kweku Dawson-Amoah, Ben Pratt, and Dat Lambert all finished in double-figures for the Bulldogs.

The Colonels return to the court on Wednesday when they will host Misericordia University for an 6:00 p.m. MAC Freedom contest.