WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes men's basketball team came out on top after their 73-62 defeat of the Delaware Valley University Aggies in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes improves to 9-7 on the season and 4-3 in conference. Delaware Valley falls to 7-9 overall and 2-5 in the MAC Freedom.
 
The first half was kept close, with the score getting tied up five times. With five minutes left in the half, Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) kicked off an 11 point run for the Colonels, leading the Aggies 40-29 at the end of the half. Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) led Wilkes in points in the first half with 12, nine of those points coming from three-pointers. First year Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) followed behind him, earning nine points in the half. Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot), Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff), and Fisher each had two assists in the half.
 
Delaware Valley had a total of 29 points in the first half, and five assists.
 
Wilkes started the second half of the game strong, with Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) and Lesko scoring back to back three-pointers for the Colonels. With 9:32 left in the game, the Colonels took a 14 point lead over the Aggies when Lesko made a free throw.
 
Towards the end of the half Delaware Valley tried to close in on the lead that Wilkes had created, but the Colonels could not be caught. Wilkes was able to maintain their lead for the entire second half, ending the game with a 73-62 win over the Aggies.
 
Lesko led the Colonels in points in the game, earning 18. He was followed by Davidheiser who had 15, and Fisher with 12. Zvorsky earned five assists for Wilkes, Merrifield had four, and Marshall and Fisher each had two. Fisher had 13 rebounds for the Colonels, Lesko had seven, and Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) had four.
 
Tyriq Toney-Bailey led the Aggies in points with 19 in the game. Justin Savage had the most assists for Delaware Valley with three. Jordan Gombs had six rebounds for the Aggies.
 
The Colonels had a FG% of 47.3%, and had 45 rebounds. The Aggies had a FG% of 38.2% and 30 rebounds. Wilkes took over scoring in the paint with 26 points, and Delaware Valley had 22.

The Wilkes men's basketball team returns to the court on Wednesday when they travel across town to take on King's College at 6:00 p.m.