Tale of two halves for the Knights as they fall to Frederick CC
By Blake Myers
Knightly News Sports Reporter
blake.myers@mymail.centralpenn.edu
Photos by Dylan Bowman
Knightly News Sports Photographer
The Central Penn College Knights men’s basketball team fell to the Frederick (MD) Community College Cougars by a score of 76-68 in a USCAA contest Monday night from East Pennsboro Middle School in Enola.
The Knights were looking to make a statement in this contest, as it had been over a month since the Knights played in front of a home crowd, playing their last six consecutive games on the road.
In the first half, the two teams traded baskets, though the Cougars built a seven-point lead in the first five minutes of the game, leading to a quick timeout from coach Gary Martin. From there, Darius Wallace sparked the team’s offense, sinking three 3-point baskets and adding two steals over the next five minutes, giving the Knights their first lead of the game, 22-21.
Then, Dahsan King hit a 3-pointer that sent the crowd into a frenzy, and Anthony McClinton added two lay-ups to help the Knights maintain a 27-23 lead with about five minutes left in the first half.
Then, the Knights got on a roll. Even in the face of two 3-point buckets by Aiden Igwebe and Julian Ludwig of Frederick Community College, Riley Young answered with back-to-back 3-point baskets. McClinton added another 3-pointer to allow the Knights to build a nine-point lead, 38-29.
Before the break, the Cougars’ Mike Davis added two lay-ups to claw back, but the Knights took a narrow 42-37 lead into halftime.
Fredrick Community College came out of the break with a renewed defensive intensity, holding Central Penn to just 26 points in the second half. Al-Ameen Sanni anchored the Cougar defense, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds, while Thierry Perry provided a spark off the bench with 12 points and seven rebounds.
For the Cougars, a Davis lay-up just over three minutes into the second half allowed them to regain the lead, 47-46. Then, after a turnover on the next offensive possession for the Knights, Davis went the other way with a thunderous dunk, which took the momentum away from Central Penn.
But the Knights hung around. At about halfway through the second half, Young hit a 3-point basket from the corner, tying the game at 53-53 and getting the crowd back into the game.
With about eight minutes left, King and McClinton hit clutch baskets to keep the game close, and the Knights trailed 65-59, but the story of the game was Frederick Community College’s rebounding. The Cougars capitalized on second-chance opportunities, as they held the rebounding advantage over Central Penn 47-30, and their improved ball movement led to several key baskets, including a crucial three-pointer from Kentavious Dancy with about six minutes left.
With under two minutes remaining, the Knights found a spark, with McClinton sinking two baskets to pull Central Penn within six. But the Cougars proved to be too strong for the Knights, sinking two free throws down the stretch. The Knights came up just short, falling in the contest, 76-68.
There were some obvious bright spots for the Knights, who showcased solid three-point shooting (12-33 for the game). They also won the turnover battle, committing only 10 in the contest.
The Weis Knightly News Player of the Game was King, who poured in 15 points and two assists, going 3-for-9 from beyond the arc. McClinton also added 15 points, while Wallace and Young both scored 12 points.
For Frederick Community College, Igwebe was the star, contributing 18 points and nine rebounds. Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Dancy had 14, including a massive 3-point basket late in the game.
This loss pushed the Knights’ losing streak to eight games, falling to 1-10 on the season. The Cougars improved to 4-6.
The Knights will return to the floor on Tuesday on the road against Manor College for their last contest before the winter break. They next return home on Jan. 11 for a home tilt against Five Towns College.
Editor’s Note: Knightly News Sports Reporter Blake Myers will be graduating at the end of the fall term and this will be his last game coverage. We at the Knightly News genuinely appreciate his efforts in advancing our sports broadcast team during his time here and wish him the best in his graduation.
