West Chester Hangs On For Win Over Cal, 72-70

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Tyrell Long (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) scored a team-high 19 points, and West Chester held off a late challenge from California (Pa.) to earn a 72-70 PSAC victory inside Hollinger Field House Friday night.
 
West Chester (6-7, 4-4 PSAC) stopped a two-game slide and evened its conference mark while Cal (3-11, 0-8) is still in search of its first league win.
 
A 3-pointer from Long at the 14:17 mark of the second half knotted the score at 52-all and sent the host Golden Rams on a 12-3 run over the next 8:26 that enabled them to open up a 64-55 lead. The lead stood at nine (68-59) with 3:12 to play when the Vulcans made their final push.
 
Outscoring West Chester 11-4 down the stretch, Cal got as close as two three different times, but could not get the equalizer. Miko Jenkins (Harrisburg, Pa./Steel) buried a hook shot in the paint, and Zach Bare (Reiserstown, Md./St. Paul's) knocked down two of three free throws to keep the Vulcans at bay.
 
West Chester also weathered a 17-0 run from Cal in the first half to go into the locker rooms at halftime tied at 37-apiece. The Rams were held scoreless over a 4:35 stretch when the Vulcans turned a 21-12 deficit into a 29-21 advantage.
 
Matt Penecale (Jenkintown, Pa./Abington) hit a 3-ball to send West Chester on its 16-8 spurt to close out the first half. Bare added five of his 12 points off the bench during that run as well. Penecale, known more for his scoring and dishing out of assists, grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds on the night. He finished with seven points and five assists.
 
Jackson Hyland (Avondale, Pa./Kennett) posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.
 
Cordell Smith led Cal with 35 points on the night. Jay Tucker had 10. The Vulcans, who finished 12 of 14 from the free throw line in the game, did not attempt a foul shot in the second half.
 
West Chester hits the road on Monday for a PSAC East showdown with East Stroudsburg inside Koehler Fieldhouse. Tip is set for 8 p.m. The Golden Rams will then travel to Shippensburg on Wednesday.