Lions Stride to a 8-1 PSUAC Record with 87-76 Triumph over Brandywine

McKeesport, Pa. - In the second-half of a Penn State University Athletic Conference weekend, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team overcame Penn State Brandywine, Saturday afternoon, by a tally of 87-76.

Brandywine jumped out to a 5-0 lead on GA before junior forward Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) added the next four points. Junior guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) and sophomore forward George Prota (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) laid on points in the paint to tie the game at eight. Senior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) and junior guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) mirrored one another with a layup each as freshman guard Colby Hall (Hopewell, Va./Dinwiddle High) marked a layup himself, 17-14 BW.

Newby continued as both sophomore guard Juwan Ledbetter (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) and freshman guard Connor Paoletti (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) got on the board with eight minutes remaining in the first half. 

Prota slashed a point from the foul line as Hicks and Prota both hit layups, 25-25. McMunn reigned with a three-pointer and a jumper to bring GA ahead of Brandywine, 30-25. Sophomore guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) laid down a trey for the Lions before Newby and senior forward Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Franklin, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) added points from the foul line. Newby netted the final points of the half by the way of a jumper, 38-30 Greater Allegheny heading into halftime.

McMunn was first to answer in the new half before Butler-McDaniel added a free-throw point, Greater Allegheny leading by ten. Prota laid on a jumper before Payne slammed down a trey, 47-34 just five minutes into the new half. Prota continued in the paint as Newby netted four straight. Junior guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) zipped up six points himself to lead into a Brandywine timeout, GA leading 59-49 with eleven minutes in regulation.

Ledbetter added two from the free-throw line as Boyer-London hit a layup and one and Hicks clobbered Brandywine with a trey, 67-49 home team. Prota added a jumper before Hicks nailed down another jumper and one opportunity, continuing the Lion charge.

McMunn broke the Brandywine scoring drive with a good three-pointer as the clock wound down to under five minutes. Prota slashed a pair from the foul line before Hicks downed a far jumper, GA leading by 18 with time counting down. Freshman guard Duane Tymous (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) netted a fastbreak layup and a foul shot before Hicks dropped a three as time ran out for Brandywine, GA in front 87-76.

Newby recorded yet another double-double on the day, as the forward had 13 points and eleven rebounds with two blocks, one assist and one steal. Prota and McMunn both put down 13 points a piece as Prota had seven rebounds, one steal and one block and McMunn had two rebounds and two blocks. Hicks came off the bench with 50% (6-of-12) of his shots going in from the floor with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Boyer-London shot 100% (5-of-5) from the floor as he added eleven points, four assists, a board and a steal.

As a team, Greater Allegheny out-rebounded Brandywine 50-45 as they managed 63.2% (12-of-19) from the foul line and 47.9% (34-of-71) from the floor. The Lions added 30 points off turnovers, 44 points in the paint, 24 fast break points and eight points off second-chance.

Greater Allegheny (14-4, 8-1 PSUAC) sets their sights on their PSUAC nemesis, Penn State Fayette, on Tuesday. The conference showdown is set for tip-off at 8 p.m.