DECEMBER 7, 2002
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S MEN FALL TO DESALES, 69-60
WILKES-BARRE -- Visiting DeSales scorched the nets
from long-range to build a huge first-half lead, then held off a late
rally to defeat King's College in an MAC Freedom Conference matchup
Saturday in Scandlon Gymnasium.
King's scored the first basket of the game but would
quickly counter with an explosive 15-0 run, capped by three consecutive
three-pointers, two by David Spadt and one by Brian Weller to take a 15-2
lead with 12:52 remaining in the opening half. After the Monarchs closed
to within 15-7 on a three-pointer by Britt Moore and a basket by Jonathan
Veet, the Bulldogs went on a 8-2 spurt on three-pointers by Jeff Clifford
and Joe Trepovitch.
DeSales extend the lead to 29-11 on consecutive treys by Mike Venafra,
then closed out the half with a 8-2 run to take a commanding 37-13 lead
into the break. The Bulldogs shot 50.0 (14-28) percent in the first half,
including 53.8 (1-13) percent from three-point range.
In the second half, King's would close whittle away
the lead and draw to within eight points, at 54-46 on a three-pointer by
Dannie Evans with 4:30 left. The Bulldogs would extend the lead to 57-46
on a three-pointer by Clifford, before King's trimmed the lead to 59-53 on
a three-point play by Brandon Abney and a basket by Kasim Holloman with
1:59 left. But with King's forced to foul, DeSales connected on
seven-of-nine charity tosses to seal the win.
DeSales was led by Clifford with 14 points while
Venafra added 13. Kyle Koch and Trepovich chipped in with 10 each as the
Bulldogs improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in MAC Freedom Conference action.
Holloman paced King's with 15 points and seven
rebounds, while Evans added 10 points. Landon Gabriel added nine points
while Moore followed with seven points and eight rebounds as the Monarchs
fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
King's will be idle until December 16 when the
Monarchs host Muhlenberg College in a make-up which was postponed du to
the weather on Thursday.
