Hazleton, Pa. - Through a back-and-forth battle in a vital Penn State University Athletic Conference match-up, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team pulled out a 84-82 overtime triumph over Penn State Hazleton, Friday night.
Senior guard Jashaun Fontanez (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) dropped a pair from the foul line before junior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) made a layup before Fontanez drained a three-pointer, 7-7.
Sophomore guard Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) laid points in the paint before freshman guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) put down points outside the arc. Junior forward Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Somerset, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) added a jumper as Fontanez went on a string of four points. Newby and Butler-McDaniel put up points in the paint as sophomore guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) drained a three-pointer, 27-21 GA.
McMunn nailed a mirror of a three as freshman forward Scott Przybysz (Elderton, Pa./West Shamokin) made a jumper. McMunn answered with a good layup before Alli made a jumper to send the two teams into a halftime break with Greater Allegheny in the driver's seat, 36-33 GA.
Alli and Newby denoted points from the foul line while Newby and McMunn put up points in the paint, GA up a narrow 44-41 just four minutes into the new half. McMunn and Payne hammered down a duo of treys as Fontanez put up five points. Butler-McDaniel came back in for a pair of layups while McMunn threw up a set of three-pointers and a pair from the free-throw line, 67-65 Greater Allegheny.
Fontanez and sophomore guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) added points from the foul line as Fontanez capitalized on a layup. Payne slashed a free-throw as the two teams ended regulation at a 74-74 halt.
In extra minutes, Newby jumped out with a quick four points for GA. Fontanez tacked on a three-pointer before Butler-McDaniel and freshman forward Isaiah Fluker (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) dropped points from the foul line, Greater Allegheny narrowly getting out of the first overtime period, 84-82.
McMunn elevated the Lions 21 points, with five three-pointers denoted, along with two rebounds and a steal. Newby marked a double-double with 14 rebounds and 13 points with four steals and two blocks.
As a team, Greater Allegheny was out-rebounded 44-33 as they forced 19 Hazleton turnovers. The men marked 54.8% (17-of-31) of their shots from the free-throw line with 43.9% (29-of-66) from the floor. The Lions added 31 points off turnovers, 26 points in the paint and 15 points off second-chance.
The Penn State Greater Allegheny Lions (11-12, 9-5 PSUAC) will continue their Penn State University Athletic Conference weekend with Schuylkill on Saturday. The men's game is set for tip-off after the women's game, about 3 p.m.
