Turnovers plague Lady Knights as they fall to Five Towns

By Bret Saveleski
Knightly News Reporter
bret.saveleski@mymail.centralpenn.edu
The Central Penn College Lady Knights basketball team fell to the Five Towns College Sound by a score of 63-46 in a USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) matchup at East Pennsboro High School on Saturday.
The game was a story of two halves, as the Lady Knights came out to a large lead early. The first quarter featured many score changes, with the lead alternating between the two teams. Made free throws followed by a key layup by Allison Yoder gave the Knights an early lead, though the two teams remained scoreless for several minutes as both teams felt each other out.
Toward the end of the first quarter, Cayla Thomas made a layup to extend the Knights’ lead, 13-7. As the game flipped to the second quarter, Brandi Swinton grabbed a critical rebound followed by a contested layup that extended the Knights lead to eight. Then, Yoder hit a clutch jumper, allowing the Knights to build an 11-point lead, their largest of the game.
But that is where the tide turned, as the Sound closed out the last five minutes of the half on a 10-3 run, narrowing the gap before halftime. Danayjha Moore was the catalyst on this run, hitting two 3-point baskets in just over one minute, drawing the Sound closer and providing a spark to the team. At the break, the Knights held a four-point lead, paced by 10-points from Yoder.
As the Knights went to the second half, the momentum shift at the end of the first half continued for the Sound. After trading baskets to start the third quarter, Shionna Nash hit back-to-back 3-point baskets on consecutive possessions, giving the Sound their first lead since early in the game. Then, Moore hit another 3-point basket and Raine Mears hit a contested layup to allow the Sound to extend their lead to 10 points.








In the third quarter, the Knights went cold from the floor, only posting six points on 3-for-18 shooting. Toward the end of the quarter, Moore hit another 3-point basket, giving her 10 points in the period, and distancing themselves from Central Penn, 45-34.
As the game went to the fourth quarter, Yoder and Jayla Pearson tried to carry the team. Yoder made contested shots on three separate occasions while adding a steal and a block in the final frame. Pearson, playing the entire quarter, had four points, three rebounds and two assists to lead the way for the Knights. With these efforts, the Knights kept it within striking distance, getting to within 11 points early in the quarter.
But, the Sound proved to be too much. With about eight minutes left, Des Bishop hit a key shot and was fouled, completing the 3-point play and allowing Five Towns to build a 14-point lead. Later, Moore hit another shot which allowed Five Towns to build a 55-40 lead. A few possessions later, with about three minutes left, Bishop had a block, regaining possession, and took it down the floor for an easy lay-up.
In the end, the Lady Knights had too many turnovers to sustain any type of comeback, committing 36 throughout the game, 12 more than Five Towns College. The Sound had an 18-8 advantage in points off of turnovers, as well as 16-6 advantage in second chance points, two key areas that allowed for them to hold their lead in the second half.
The Weis Knightly News Player of the Game was Yoder, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 assists. Pearson contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Swinton chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.
The Five Towns College, Moore was the story, dropping 22 points, adding five steals and making four 3-pointers. Nash added 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Bishop had 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Lady Knights fell to 4-8 on the season. There next contest will be on Jan. 26 at home against rival Bucks County Community College. Five Towns improved to 5-0 on the year.
Savelski is co-president of The Knightly News Media Club @ Central Penn College, which produces content for this blog, the Central Penn College student newspaper, The Knightly News.
Comment or story idea? Contact KnightlyEditors@CentralPenn.Edu.
Edited by media-club co-advisers Paul Miller and Michael Lear-Olimpi.