Greater Allegheny Men's Basketball Takes Tough Loss over #1 Mont Alto, 84-72

McKeesport, Pa. - In a huge #1 vs. #3 Penn State University Athletic Conference battle, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team fell to Penn State Mont Alto, Saturday afternoon, in a 84-72 edge.

Sophomore guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) came out of the gate with a three-pointer as sophomore guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) and freshman guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) both added two points each, 7-4 GA. McMunn downed another three as senior guard Jashaun Fontanez (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) denoted a jumper, 12-11 GA.

Hicks put up a jumper as sophomore forward Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) dominated a dunk, 17-11. After that, Mont Alto swelled over Greater Allegheny before freshman forward Scott Przybysz (Elderton, Pa./West Shamokin) snapped the silence with two made buckets from the free-throw line.

Hicks and Payne both add jumpers before Payne tied the game at 26 ith a three-pointer. McMunn matched him with a three before Fontanez and junior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) both posted layups, sending the two teams into halftime with Mont Alto leading 38-33.

McMunn drained a three-pointer before Mont Alto continued to add points. Payne put up points in the paint before Newby drained six straight points, 58-44 Mont Alto just seven minutes into the second half. Payne dropped a jumper as Fontanez and McMunn put up points from the foul line off of Mont Alto technical fouls.

Payne and Hicks put up two points each as Fontanez went on a six-point streak, 70-60 with five minutes remaining in regulation. Hicks put down a jumper and a three-pointer as Fontanez rode out the remainder of the game with two from the foul line, a jumper and a three-pointer, Greater Allegheny falling to the #1 seed Mont Alto, 84-72.

Fontanez came back crucial in the second half with 20 points with 70% (7-of-10) of his shots from the foul line, with five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Payne, Hicks and McMunn all added 13 points a piece as Payne pulled down six boards, three assists and two steals. Newby put up 4-for-4 from the foul line with eight points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists.

As a team, Greater Allegheny shot 78.9% (15-of-19) from the foul line while bucketing just 30.9% (25-of-81) from the floor. Despite being narrowly out-rebounded 47-44, the Lions downed 26 points in the paint, 24 points off of turnovers and 13 points off second-chance.

Greater Allegheny (11-10, 9-3 PSUAC) will go on the road, Tuesday, for another PSUAC double-header. The men are set to tip-off against Penn State Beaver, Tuesday night, at 8 p.m. Click here for live stats.