Monaca, Pa. - In the final regular season game of the 2016-17 season, head coach Tyler Care and the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team took a 75-59 victory over Penn State University Athletic Conference adversary Penn State Beaver, Saturday evening. With the win, the Lions marked themselves in the record book with the first 20-win season in Greater Allegheny history.
Five years ago, through the 2011-2012 season, the Lions finished the season with a 5-20 overall, 3-14 PSUAC record. With playoffs to go, PSUGA currently stands 20-5 overall, 14-2 PSUAC.
Senior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) consisted of the first seven points as junior forward Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) and junior guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) put down points in the paint, 13-10 GA.
Junior guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) and Newby continued from the paint as senior guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) completed a jumper. Newby zipped up six while Hicks and McMunn contributed points. Senior guard Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Franklin, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) and Hicks slashed jumpers while Newby swelled with a pair of layups. Boyer-London completed the final points of the first half with a jumper, Greater Allegheny in front 40-30.
Butler-McDaniel and sophomore guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) drained jumpshots while Newby and Butler-McDaniel posted two each from the foul line. Alli, Hicks and sophomore forward George Prota (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) laid points from the paint as both McMunn, Hicks and Payne posted jumpers, 63-50 with just seven minutes remaining in regulation.
Payne added six straight while Butler-McDaniel downed a layup. Payne finished the final game of the regular season with a good jumper, Greater Allegheny notching their 20th win on the season, 75-59.
Newby denoted his 12th double-double of the season with 18 points, ten rebounds and four steals with 57.1% (8-of-14) of his shots dropping from the floor. Payne put up 15 points with five boards, three steals and two assists. Hicks came off the bench for ten points, five assists, three steals and two boards. Alli added nine points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist with 66.7% (4-of-6) of his shots falling from the floor.
As a team, Greater Allegheny shot 47.8% (32-of-67) from the floor with 58.3% (7-of-12) from the foul line. The Lions were out-rebounded by Beaver 41-34 but allowed the home team to lead just once through the entire contest; just 40 seconds in. The men polished off 38 points in the paint, 25 points off turnovers and 12 points off second-chance.
Greater Allegheny (20-5, 14-2 PSUAC) not only leads the league in total wins on the season, the men sit number two in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, just behind #1 Penn State York (18-6, 15-1 PSUAC). The men receive a first-round bye and will play in the semi-finals on Saturday at #1 Penn State York on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set at 1 p.m. against the winner of #6 Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. #3 Penn State Schuylkill.
Good luck, Lions!!!
