COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Wilkes University men's basketball team started their season off with an emphatic win in the Ursinus College Tip Off Tournament, defeating Washington and Lee University 63-50 to win the opening game of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Colonels opened the game hot with a 10-0 run to take the early lead with 13:21 remaining in the first half. Lesko and Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) picked up right where they left off last campaign contributing nine of the run's points. Momentum swung in the way of the Generals as the first half progressed, taking a 17-9 run to close the gap to just two points with 3:40 remaining in the first frame, down 19-17. A quick layup and triple from Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) followed by another Lesko bucket gave the Colonels a 26-17 lead going into halftime.

The Generals came out of the break hot hitting two three-pointers, but Lesko came out hotter scoring the Colonels' first seven points of the frame including an emphatic fast break dunk to make it a 33-23 ballgame. Two more Argento shots from beyond the arc pushed the Colonels lead to 16, their largest of the day, and the held it the rest of the way en route to victory.

Lesko opened the season with a double-double, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The junior was also a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line. Argento was the other Colonel with double-digit scoring putting up 17 points and a team-high three triples. Eli Becker (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) led the team with 11 rebounds, with Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) joining him and Lesko with double-digit boards at ten. Merrifield distributed the team best four assists in the victory.

The Colonels dominated in the paint with 32 points compared to only 18 for Washington and Lee.

John Laughlin led the Generals with 21 points, going 5-8 from beyond the arc. Colin Ryan led the team with 11 rebounds, while four Generals dished out a team-best two assists.

Wilkes will now play in the tournament championship tomorrow against hosts Ursinus College, with tip off set for 3:00 P.M.