Small college basketball: Baker cooks up PAC win for Waynesburg
Observer-Reporter
Antone Baker had 21 points and 19 rebounds, and Waynesburg used some stellar free-throw shooting down the stretch to defeat visiting Bethany 87-80 in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night.
The win was the second in a row for Waynesburg (2-1, 2-4) while Bethany (0-1, 5-1) suffered its first loss.
Bethany led 41-38 at halftime and by as many as seven points (63-56) in the second half. Waynesburg, which had five players score in double figures, battled back and used a 9-0 run to open a 74-65 lead.
The Yellow Jackets stayed ahead by making 16 of 20 free throws in the second half. They were 5-for-6 at the stripe in the final 20 seconds.
P.J. Suggs scored 17 points, Jalen Goins had 13, Korey Mitchum 12 and Jaylen Davis 11 for Waynesburg.
Jess Roller led Bethany with 21 points. The Bison were only 8-for-37 from three-point range.
Daemen 111, California 77
California was shorthanded again when it made the trek to Amherst, N.Y. for a non-conference matchup of top-20 teams in NCAA Division II.
The matchup turned out to be a mismatch.
Benjamin Bill scored 25 points and 14th-ranked Daemen rolled to a 111-77 victory over 10th-ranked California.
It was the second consecutive loss for Cal (6-2) after starting the season with six wins. The Vulcans played without starters Keith Palek and Bryson Lucas and key reserve Antoine Arnett as all three are sidelined with injuries.
The game was close for the first 13 minutes. A basket by Cal’s Donald Whitehead, who led the Vulcans with 20 points, cut Daemen’s lead to 27-23 with 7:24 left in the first half. Daemen (5-0) then closed the half on a 24-4 run that opened a 51-27 halftime lead.
Duncan Moy scored 13 points for Cal and Jordyn Buchanan scored 11.
Daemen seven players make at least one three-point field goal.
Chatham 74, Washington & Jefferson 72, OT
Dian Pinkett made a go-ahead three-pointer with 36 seconds left in overtime and Chatham held on for a 74-72 win over host Washington & Jefferson in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Pinkett’s basket gave Chatham a 72-71 lead and the Cougars’ Luca Robinson added two free throws with 14 seconds left.
W&J (2-1, 4-2) forced overtime at 65-65 when Michael Plasko made a layup with 20 seconds remaining in regulation.
Robinson scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Pinkett finished with 19 points and Lovenson Xavier 11 for Chatham, which made 11 three-point field goals.
Plasko came off the bench to score 21 points for W&J. Matt Seidl had 13 points and Quinton Burlenski 11. The Presidents also had 11 three-pointers but made seven of 11 free throws compared to Chatham’s 19-for-24.
Women’s results
Wash & Jeff 64, Chatham 54
Washington & Jefferson tightened its defense in the second half, holding visiting Chatham to only 22 points as the Presidents pulled away for a 64-54 victory in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game.
Stellanie Loutsion had a big game for W&J (3-0, 5-1), scoring a game-high 24 points on 8-for-10 shooting. Katie Kovalchick came off the bench to score 15 points for the Presidents, Bryn Bezjak had 12 and Meghan Dryburgh grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.
The game was tied 32-32 at halftime and W&J moved ahead 53-49 at the end of three quarters.
Chatham (1-2, 3-3) was held to one field goal in the fourth quarter. The Cougars were led in scoring by Hannah Chenault’s 13 points. Madison Nereu had 11.
Bethany 99, Waynesburg 77
Kate Bottis had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Lindsey Garrison scored 23 points and Bethany pulled away in the fourth quarter to blitz host Waynesburg 99-77 in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game.
Bethany (2-0, 3-2) led 48-45 at halftime but pushed the advantage to 67-56 at the end of three quarters. The Bison scored 32 points in the fourth quarter.
Kaedlee Potter tallied 16 points for Bethany, Bella Skobel (Charleroi) had 15 and Ashleigh Wheeler tossed in 11.
Kara McFadden led Waynesburg (0-3, 4-3) with 20 points. Madisen Dayton had 16 points and Julz Mohrbacher scored 13. The Yellow Jackets have lost three in a row after winning their first four.