LA PLUME, PA – Host Keystone College saw its starting five score all the points necessary for a 79-73 non-conference victory over the Wilkes University men's basketball team Tuesday afternoon.
 
The loss snapped the Colonels two-game win streak moving its overall record to 7-5. Keystone improved to 4-6 overall on the season.
 
The Giants led from start to finish through the first twenty minutes as Javen Flowers-Smith scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the opening half of play. A Keystone three-pointer followed by a Flowers-Smith jumper gave the Giants their largest lead of the half up 27-14 with 9:27 on the clock. Wilkes responded with a quick 8-0 run thanks to a three from Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township), jumper from Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) and three from Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) to cut the deficit to 27-22 with just over seven minutes until the break.
 
Keystone picked up the pace offensively over the next five minutes as buckets from Flowers-Smith and Pete Laidley kept the hosts in front 45-35 with 1:44 to play in the frame. Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) finished off the Wilkes scoring in the opening half nailing a three-pointer with :14 on the clock as the Colonels trailed 45-38 at the break.
 
The teams traded baskets to begin the second half before a bucket from Marshall and back-to-back threes from Zvorsky and Argento pulled the Colonels to within three trailing 60-57 with 12:08 remaining. The teams continued to score on each end before another trey from Argento finally tied the game for Wilkes at 67 with 6:52 on the clock.
 
Keystone then scored six straight points to break the tie and never relinquished the lead from there as Flowers-Smith knocked down three of four free throws in the final :30 to seal the home win for the Giants.
 
Marshall led all Wilkes scorers with 21 points on an efficient 10-for-16 shooting adding seven rebounds and two assists. Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) followed with 12 points and three asissts while Zvorsky added 11 points, three rebounds and three helpers. The Colonels received a boost off the bench with 21 points coming from reserves including Argento's 13 points on four three-pointers.
 
Flowers-Smith led all scorers with a game-high 26 points as all five Keystone starters accounted for all 79 points. Jack Anderson, Daivel Jackson and Laidley all chipped in 17 points each in the home victory.
 
Wilkes will remain idle through the Christmas holiday before returning to the court Wednesday, December 28 when the Colonels travel to the University of Pennsylvania for an exhibition game at 2:00 p.m. in the famed Palestra in Philadelphia.