McKeesport, Pa. - Advancing their Penn State University Athletic Conference record to a perfect 3-0, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team elevated themselves over PSUAC rival, Penn State Beaver, Friday night, by the score of 98-66.
Sophomore forward Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) was the first on the board with a jumper before senior forward Tyler Burkhart (Morgantown, W.Va./The Kiski School) added two himself, 4-0. Senior guard Jashaun Fontanez (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) roped a layup as Beaver found themselves ahead, 6-11. Burkhart banked two from the foul line as freshman guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) dropped five points, 16-15 Beaver just five minutes into the game.
Freshman forward Scott Przybysz (Elderton, Pa./West Shamokin) made a layup as Newby dropped a jumper. Junior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) made two layups in a row, 23-20 GA. Sophomore guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) denoted a layup before he hammered down a three-pointer. Fontanez ripped a jumper as sophomore guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) made a layup, 32-29 with just seven minutes until halftime.
Hicks downed a jumper before Newby laid on a dunk to take the lead at 36-35 and excite the crowd. Fontanez marked a jumper as Hicks rode out the remainder of the first half with a jumper and a three-pointer, 43-38 Greater Allegheny. Newby added two more before Payne drilled down another three and Burkhart placed a jumper, 50-40.
Fontanez posted three points as Greater Allegheny went on a 14-0 run, including a pair of Payne three-pointers. The Lions are now sitting atop Beaver with a 67-46 overthrow. Newby and Hicks hit back-to-back layups before freshman forward Isaiah Fluker (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) downed a trey.
Hicks, Burkhart and Fontanez were responsible for the next 12 Greater Allegheny points as Payne made himself known from the floor with a jumper and a three-pointer. Fontanez silenced the opposing team with another three-pointer to inflate the Greater Allegheny margin over their nemesis, 94-59 with just three minutes to play in the game.
Newby placed a layup as freshman guard Eronn Hammond (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) slashed a pair of free-throws, sending the two teams into Greater Allegheny's third PSUAC win in a matter of five days.
Assisting the overtaking, three Greater Allegheny stand-out student-athletes contributed double-doubles to combine efforts to take down their PSUAC competitor. Newby pulled down 16 boards witih 14 points on 63.6% (7-of-11) of his shots taken from the floor. Fontanez posted 18 points with ten rebounds, denoting 75% (3-of-4) of his shots from the foul line. Burkhart went 50% (5-of-10) from the floor while adding both free-throw attempts, 12 points and ten rebounds on the night. Payne ripped a team-high 21 points with six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Hicks was just behind him with 20 points, while the sophomore added six rebounds, six assists and a steal.
As a team, Greater Allegheny out-rebounded Beaver 69-43 while GA outshot the visitors from every place on the floor. The Lions capitalized 22 points on Beaver turnovers, 27 points on second-chance and 48 points in the paint. GA placed 41 buckets from the floor while hitting nine three-pointers and adding seven points from the foul line.
The Penn State Greater Allegheny Lions now sit at a perfect 3-0 in the PSUAC, not having held that record in well over five seasons.
Greater Allegheny (5-6, 3-0 PSUAC) takes an extended break for the holidays before they come back for more Penn State University Athletic Conference action on Tuesday January 12, 2016. The men are scheduled to travel to Penn State DuBois for an 8 p.m. tip-off.
