LOCK HAVEN, Pa.-Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) and
Kyle McGee (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's of the Assumption) each turned in career-best efforts led by a career-high 24 points from Allen and 19 points from McGee, which tied his career-high as West Chester (16-9, 10-9) earned a critical victory over Lock Haven (11-13, 8-12) by an 87-83 final. After clinching a playoff spot on Wednesday night, this afternoon's victory was crucial for West Chester as it gives the Golden Rams the season sweep of the Bald Eagles and improves the Golden Rams chances of earning the fourth seed and a first-round home game in the upcoming PSAC Tournament.
After a back and forth first half, West Chester led by as many as 11 points late in the second half but Lock Haven closed the game strong, hitting a clutch three with just nine seconds to play in regulation, to trail by just three. West Chester went to the line with seven seconds to play but was unable to convert the front end of the 1-and-1 giving Lock Haven a chance to even the game late. On the ensuing possession, Lock Haven missed a three-point attempt but was fouled on the rebound, sending the Bald Eagles to the line. Lock Haven hit the first free throw and missed the second, looking to get an extra possession but West Chester secured the rebound and Allen was fouled and set a new career-high hitting both of his free throws to give West Chester an 87-83 lead, which the Golden Rams would prevail by.
In addition to his career-high 24 points, Allen also led West Chester in rebounding, collecting eight rebounds while
Dame Wall (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) led the team in assists with nine helpers in the victory. Allen and McGee were two of four Golden Rams in double figures in the victory as
Jamil Manigo (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and
Marcus Littles (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann Goretti) ended with 11 points each in the crucial victory.
In the first half, West Chester got out to an early 8-2 lead in the first three minutes of action, before stretching its lead to 13-6 with 14:47 to play in the first half. Lock Haven answered with a 15-5 run, led by eight points from Eli Washington to take a 21-18 lead with 10:03 to play.
West Chester countered with a 9-3 run, led by seven points from Allen to take a 27-22 lead with 6:42 to play. Lock Haven rallied back to even the score at 35-35 with just two minutes to play in the first half.
Manigo restored the Golden Ram lead with a tough finish off an offensive rebound with 90 seconds to play to give West Chester a 37-35 lead before Allen knocked down a three off a Lock Haven turnover to give the Golden Rams a 40-35 lead with just over a minute to play. Lock Haven countered with a quick three pointer to trim the deficit to two points (40-38) with under a minute to play in the first half. Lock Haven cut the deficit to one point after a 1-for-2 trip to the stripe before McGee drained a three off an assist from Allen to give West Chester a 43-39 lead heading into the halftime break.
In the first half, Allen led West Chester in scoring with 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting while McGee finished the half with eight points of his own following his late three to help West Chester to a four-point lead heading into the halftime break.
As a team, West Chester shot 42.9 % (15-of-35) from the field while shooting 36.8 % (7-of-19) from three-point territory and 85.7 % from the line. For Lock Haven's part, the Bald Eagles shot 48.4 % (15-of-31) from the field led by 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from Eli Washington.
Lock Haven opened the second half scoring with a three from the left wing before West Chester countered with a 4-0 run following a pair of made baskets by Allen to take a 47-42 lead with 18:30 to play in regulation. Over the next two minutes, West Chester continued its run, extending its lead to 10 points, which was its largest lead of the game to that point following a made three by McGee, to hold a 52-42 lead with just over 16 minutes remaining.
Lock Haven answered this run with a quick 6-0 run to pull back within four points with 14:40 to play before a quick five-point burst from West Chester gave West Chester back a 57-48 lead, prompting a Lock Haven timeout with 13:32 to play.
With 9:26 to play, McGee hit his fourth three of the afternoon to give West Chester an 11-point (66-55), which was its largest lead of the contest at that point. In the closing moments of regulation, Lock Haven attempted to mount a comeback, trailing by just three with nine seconds to play. Lock Haven closed the gap to two points in the waning seconds, but West Chester held on for a narrow 87-83 victory over its hosts to spoil senior day for the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven.
As a team, West Chester shot 47.8 % from the field and 40.7 % from three while also shooting 75.0 % from the line to hold on for the six-point victory.
For Lock Haven, Washington and Mark Anthony Fidelis ended with 19 points each while Damir Montague had 18 including the clutch three late in the second half to make it a three-point game with under 10 seconds to play in the setback.
As a team, Lock Haven shot 52.4 % from the field and 34.6 % from three but just 53.3 % from the line, which proved to be a problem late in the setback against the Golden Rams.
West Chester ended the game with a narrow 36-35 advantage in rebounding and a 7-11 lead in the turnover battle, ending the game with a 10-4 advantage in second-chance points and a 14-7 lead in points off turnovers. The Golden Rams bench continued to be effective as it has all season, ending the game with a 23-3 lead in points off the bench, led by 11 from Littles to earn the important late-season victory.
West Chester will be back in action on Wednesday evening at PSAC East leading Millersville with that contest set to begin at 7:30 p.m.
