Greater Allegheny Men's Basketball Gets Short End of Stick Against New Kensington

McKeesport, Pa. - Despite being up by twenty points at halftime, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team fell short in a Penn State University Athletic Conference showdown against Penn State New Kensington, Saturday night, 68-67.

The game began back-and-forth, as both teams answered the others mark. Senior forward Nick Dizon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) and senior forward Aaron Byrd (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise) notched points toward the GA tally before sophomore guard Chris Dixon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Steel Valley) hit a ringer of a three-pointer, to boost Greater Allegheny 7-6 within the first five minutes. For the remainder of the first half, it was Greater Allegheny's show.

Junior guard Petrie Addison (Fort Myers, Fla./Florida Christian) achieved a jumper before the hot shot managed two three-pointers to lift the swell, 15-10. Dixon followed him with a huge three-pointer to continue upward. Addison and Dizon linked up for eight with seven minutes left to play until halftime. Dizon hit one outside the arc before sophomore guard Peter Olumese (Switzerland/College du Leman) completed a layup to lift Greater Allegheny, 32-17. Dizon continued to contribute as he bucketed both a layup and a jumper. Addison added another three-pointer with less than two minutes to play. Byrd closed the first half scoring drive, as the forward dropped a jumper heading into halftime leading, 43-23.

Both Dizon and Addison contributed 14 points apiece in the first half; Addison went 4-for-5 from the three-point arc as Dizon completed the one attempted. The team dropped 53.1% (17-of-32) of their shots taken within the first twenty minutes of action.

Dixon opened up the second half with a three-pointer to boost their lead. New Kensington's offense put up ten points within the first two minutes of the second half, holding GA's run. Dixon, Dizon and Olumese managed to contribute to the tally as each of them completed baskets toward the Lion lead. New Kensington was battling back, as they trudged onward to close the gap. Byrd was the only Lion to achieve positive marks toward GA through the final eleven minutes of play, as he added 13. New Kensington continued to battle through final minutes, as consecutive NK scoring drives were completed. NK earned a layup with 22 seconds left to play, catapulting the visiting team over Greater Allegheny, 68-67.

Rebounds would be the demise of Greater Allegheny, as New Kensington out-grabbed GA 48-33. New Ken managed to drop 40 points in the paint alongside 15 on second chance points. Greater Allegheny added 21 points off of New Kensington turnovers. The team ended the game with completing 44.3% (27-of-61) field goals through forty minutes as well as dropping 42.1% (8-of-19) of three-pointers attempted.

Byrd closed the game with 20 points and seven rebounds alongside shooting 9-for-17 from the floor. Dizon netted 16 along with grabbing nine boards, completing 7-of-13 of his shots taken. Addison had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds as he completed 4-of-6 three-pointers taken.

The team takes some time off for the holidays, as their next contest is not scheduled until January 16, 2014. The Lions (1-12, 0-5) are set to open up their new year of play in a Penn State University Athletic Conference match-up against Penn State DuBois. A double-header with the women, the men will tip-off at 8 p.m.