Marshall's 21 Points Propels Wilkes Men's Basketball Over Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, PA – Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) scored 11 of his 21 points in the second half as the Wilkes University men's basketball team went on the road to compete in the Gettysburg Tip-Off Tournament, taking a victory over host Gettysburg College 64-48 Friday night.
Wilkes improves to 2-0 on the year, which is the sixth time in seven seasons that the Colonels have won their first two matchups of the year. Gettysburg drops their home opener and falls to 0-1.
Both teams scored their first four points apiece, as Marshall and Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) scored for the Colonels to make it 4-4 in the opening minutes. Wilkes would then score the next six points behind Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) four points during that time to make the lead 10-4 within the first four minutes of the game.
The Bullets would not let the lead go by, as they would keep up with Wilkes and tie the game at 19-19 halfway through the first period with Akim Joseph, Nate Williams, and Jordan Stafford all hitting three pointers during that stretch. Both teams would keep trading the lead, with Gettysburg heading into the half with a 31-28 lead, even with Wilkes having a 48% field goal percentage to the Bullets 31.25% shooting.
The second half would see the Colonels tie the game up at 34-34 with just three minutes into the period. Wilkes would take the lead behind two free throws and a layup from Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) and a shot from Matthew Prociak (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer). Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) would hit a three pointer, as well as two shots in the paint from Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and Marshall to help Wilkes pull away from Gettysburg and hold a 47-39 lead. Gettysburg would get as close as eight points, but the Colonels would not let the Bullets get closer as they would pull away and secure a spot in tomorrow's championship game in the Gettysburg Tip-Off Tournament.
Marshall would lead the Colonels with 21 points while recording six rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Merrifield would follow behind with nine points, while Zvorsky and Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) got six points apiece. Argento and Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) would tie for team lead with seven rebounds, with Fisher getting seven assists on the night. Wilkes would shoot 48% on the day, while Gettysburg shot 24.6% with the team only making five field goals in the second half.
Wilkes will go into the championship game for the Gettysburg Tip-Off Tournament at 4:00 p.m. Saturday to face Eastern University, who beat Wilson College in the other semifinal matchup tonight.
