FEBRUARY 4, 2006
BOB ZIADIE
KING’S MEN USE BALANCE TO POST 80-58 WIN AT DESALES
CENTER VALLEY – The King's College men's basketball team used one of its
most balanced efforts of the season as the Monarchs posted an important
80-58 victory over host DeSales University Saturday in Center Valley.
The win propelled King's into sole possession of first place in the
Freedom Conference after Wilkes dropped a 93-84 verdict at Delaware
Valley.
It was a road rare win at DeSales for King's as the Monarchs had lost
eight of their previous nine games in Billera Hall. King's had lost
eight straight contests at DeSales until the Monarchs defeated the
Bulldogs Center Valley in the 2005 Freedom Conference title game.
With the victory, King’s improved to 14-7 overall and 8-2 in Freedom
Conference play. The Monarchs also won their fifth straight game and 12
of their last 14. DeSales slipped to 14-6 and 5-5 in league action.
In the first half King’s would build a 10-9 led thanks to a pair of
three-pointers from Thomas Moore and Kofi Dwebeng. DeSales would answer
with a 6-0 spurt to take a 15-10 lead following a bucket by Eddie
Ohlson. The Monarchs would answer right back on three-pointers from
Shawn Swim and Jim Welsh, while a short jumper by Dwebeng capped a 10-0
run to give the Monarchs a 20-15 lead. After a DeSales basket, Welsh hit
another three-pointer, followed by a rebound and basket by John
Soboleski as the Monarch lead grew to 25-17 with 6:19 left in the half.
King’s would eventually take its biggest lead of the half when a
three-pointer from Bob Nenstiel upped the Monarch advantage to 31-21
with 1:59 remaining. DeSales would sandwich three-pointers from Ohlson
and Sedale Walton around a bucket by Swim and one of two foul shots from
Vince Scalzo with 0:01 on the clock as the Monarchs took a 34-27 lead
into the halftime break.
The Monarchs would come of the locker room on fire in the second half as
Vince Scalzo scored nine points in a 17-7 run as King’s lead grew to
51-34 on a Nenstiel bucket with 12:42 left in the contest. King’s led
continued to row when Swim and Welsh hit consecutive three-pointers,
Soboleski converted a traditional three-point play, and Dwebeng followed
with a steal and lay-up to give the Monarchs a 62-41 lead with 10:15
left.
After DeSales closed to within 64-46 with 6:361 left, the Monarchs used
a 10-3 spurt capped a three-pointer from Nenstiel as the Monarchs took
their biggest lead of the game at 71-49 with 3:39 remaining in the
contest.
Nenstiel led King's with 14 points on the day. Soboleski followed with
13 points and six rebounds while Scalzo also added 13 points with five
boards. Moore, Dwebeng and Welsh netted nine points each while Jamie
Cousart contributed five points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
DeSales was led by Stricker with 22 points and 11 boards while Eddie
Ohlson netted 10.
King's will next travel to Williamsport to face Lycoming College
Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
.
