Box Score Johnstown, Pa. – Sr., G
Mike Wilson (Philadelphia, Pa. / Martin Luther King) launched a career-high 28 points, 6-for-9 from three, while teammate
Matt Wisely (Emmaus, Pa. / Emmaus) laid up a career-high 21 points to lead West Chester on a second-half comeback past Pitt-Johnstown 88-82 inside the Sports Center Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Rams (3-0, 2-0 PSAC) fell behind by nine heading into halftime (49-40), but flipped the momentum around shooting an impressive 63 percent from the field in the second half compared to the Mountain Cats 28 percent. Pitt-Johnstown's (2-2, 1-1 PSAC) Nate Snodgrass went 7-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-3 from three-point range to end the first half with 17 points and finished with 25 for the game.
Both teams exchanged three-point baskets in first minute of the game to set up what was to become a back-and-forward battle down the stretch. With 1:19 left to go on the clock, the teams were knotted up going into a 30-second timeout. Out of the break, Wiseley made a two-point jumper to begin an 8-2 run to close out the victory for West Chester.
Malik Jackson (Lansdowne, Pa. / Penn Wood) and
Josh Trumpy (Camp Hill, Pa. / Trinity) each added ten points apiece to help WCU secure their third win of the season.
Wilson went baseline right to cut the lead back to five. Quick passes got the ball to Wiseley for the floater and three point deficit off a UBJ turnover. Then another turnover by UPJ ended in two shots for Wilson off the steal in transition. He would make both and then on a miss layup by by the Mountain Cats, Wiseley found Trumpy for the layup as the Golden Rams took the lead for the first time since the early stages of the first half., 58-57.
Mountain Cats' Olando king added 20 points, going 7 of 12 in the game. A.J. Leahey scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Dale Clancy in the loss.
Off a missed layup by Issac Vescovi, Trumpy grabbed the rebound and made a quick outlet pass to freshman Matt Penecale (Jenkintown, Pa. / Abington), who drove it all the way to the hoop for a three point opportunity that received a roar from the Golden Rams bench going into a media timeout at 8:41 with WCU holding on by two, 64-62.
Back-to-Back 3-ppinters by King and Snodgrass tied it up at 78-78. Wiseley put the Golden Rams' back up by two with a layup, which would be matched as Clancy found Vescovi on a back door cut from the near corner for the left-handed layup to tie it back up at 80-80.
Penecale would create off the dribble drawing the defense into the paint and left Wilson open on the near wing to launch a three pointer to go up by six and increase the pressure on the Mountain Cats. Wilson found Wiseley on the pick and roll on a straight line to the basket (5:01) as the Golden Rams took control late by six points.
West Chester gets back on the court tomorrow to face off against Indiana (Pa.) at 3 p.m.
Game Notes:WCU: Sr., G Wilson career-high 28 points, 6-for-9 from three-point range, three assists, and two rebounds…Sr., F Wiseley career-high 21 points, 9-for-14 FG, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals…UPJ: G Snodgrass team-high 25 points, 7-for-13 FG, and two assists, …G King Jr. 20 points, 7-for-12 FG, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals…Bench Points: WCU 36 UBJ 7…Points In The Paint: WCU 40 UBJ 18…UBJ shot 58 percent in the first half; WCU shot 63 percent in the second half.
