12 Different Lions Answer in the 98-55 Rush over CCAC-Boyce

McKeesport, Pa. - In the first game of the Penn State Greater Allegheny Tip-Off Tournament, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team pummeled CCAC-Boyce by a margin of  98-55.

Greater Allegheny zipped up to a 13-1 lead in the first four minutes of action, leading CCAC-Boyce into their first time out of the contest. Sophomore forward George Prota (Elizabeth, Pa./ElizabethForward) noted a layup to kick off the game as junior guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) rang a three-pointer. Junior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) bucketed points in the paint as sophomore guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) slashed a free-throw. Prota laid down points in the paint as Payne capped down a three-pointer; time out CCAC-Boyce.

Junior guard Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) nailed down a layup before junior guard Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Franklin, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) mirrored him, 17-5. Newby earned two from the foul line before junior guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) dropped a jumper. Butler-McDaniel, Prota and Hicks laid three straight layups before Butler-McDaniel added a free-throw.

Prota laid on points in the paint to wind the clock down within five of halftime. Butler-McDaniel mirrored that before McMunn drained a pair from the foul line, 34-14 GA. Prota hit two more as McMunn nailed a three-pointer. Hicks finished off the scoring drive for the first half, GA leading 40-18.

GA went on another run to start the second half; 14-4 within the first four minutes. Newby was first on the board in the new half before McMunn added points in the paint and one. Prota strong-armed in the paint for another layup as Newby dropped two from the foul line, 49-19 Greater Allegheny.

McMunn drilled a trey as Payne added four straight before McMunn wrapped up two more from the foul line. Butler-McDaniel put up four more as freshman guard Connor Paoletti (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) added points in the paint. Newby and McDaniel supplied points in the paint to move the score to 70-39 with nine minutes left of regulation. 

Sophomore guard Juwan Ledbetter (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) killed eight straight points before Butler-McDaniel and junior guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) landed six straight. Paoletti demolished a three-pointer as freshman guard Colby Hall (Hopewell, Va./Dinwiddle High) mimicked him, 92-49 with three minutes left to play.

Paoletti and Hall each added layups as freshman guard Steven Ennis (South Park, Pa./South Park) solidified the win with a layup of his own, 98-55 Greater Allegheny.

McMunn posted a team-high 16 points with a trio of three-pointers and a perfect 5-for-5 from the foul line alongside two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Butler-McDaniel came off the bench for 15 points and eight assists as Prota and Newby matched one another with 12 points each; Prota grabbing seven boards and Newby with nine.

As a team, Greater Allegheny out-rebounded the visitors 64-47 as they shot 45.7% (37-of-81) from the floor with 72.7% (16-of-22) from the foul line. The Lions noted 50 points in the paint, 16 points off fastbreak and 29 points off turnovers.

Greater Allegheny (3-2) looks forward to the final game of the PSUGA Tip-Off Tournament. The Lions are set to battle Penn Highlands at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.