Lion Men's Basketball Survives and Advances to PSUAC Championship

York, Pa. - In the semi-final round of the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) championship at #1 Penn State York, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team went on to overcome Penn State Wilkes-Barre in a overtime decision, 69-63. The men will now go on to play #1 Penn State York on Sunday evening for the title, set for a 5 p.m. tip-off.

Sophomore guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) was the first to score in the contest with a hummer of a three-pointer. Sophomore forward George Prota (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) accounted for the next four points as junior guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) laid on another trey, 10-7 GA just five minutes into the game.

Payne added another three before Wilkes-Barre gained some room on GA, 20-13. Prota put up a jumper and one before junior guard Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) and senior forward Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Franklin, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) added points from the floor and from the foul line. Freshman guard Colby Hall (Hopewell, Va./Dinwiddle High) placed a jumper while senior forward Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) tacked on two from the foul line, 29-29 all to send the two teams into halftime.

Payne hit a pair of jumpers to start the second half before Butler-McDaniel, McMunn and junior guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) assisted with jumpers themselves, 41-41 with 13 minutes remaining in regulation. 

The two teams continued to battle as Payne clobbered a three-pointer. Alli added four as Newby, Prota and Hicks continued to score from the floor. Payne surged with another trey as GA found themselves ahead 57-51. Newby and Alli hit jumpers as Wilkes-Barre would not give up, ending the second half in a tie at 61 - overtime.

Greater Allegheny allowed Wilkes-Barre just two points in the extra time, as the Lions drive and determination sealed the deal. Butler-McDaniel and Newby added points from the foul line as Newby hit a jumpshot, Greater Allegheny taking the semi-final game 69-63.

With his 13th double-double of the season, Newby put up 12 points and 11 rebounds with two blocks and a steal in the win. Payne denoted 16 points, accompanied by four three-pointers, alongside four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Butler-McDaniel contributed 13 points with six rebounds and an assist while Prota polished off nine points, three boards, two steals and a block.

As a team, Greater Allegheny was out-rebounded 47-36 as the men put up 57.1% (12-of-21) from the foul line alongside 43.3% (26-of-60) of their shots going in from the floor. The Lions added 18 points off turnovers, 14 bench points and ten points off second-chance.

Greater Allegheny (21-5, 14-2 PSUAC) moves on to the Penn State University Athletic Conference Championship game, Sunday evening, against the #1 seed, Penn State York. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.