Knights hang close in the first half, fade down the stretch versus Penn State York
By Paul Miller
Knightly News Co-Adviser
Photos by Dylan Bowman
Knightly News Sports Photographer, Owner of Fellowship Studios
The Central Penn College Knights men’s basketball team fell to Penn State York on Sunday by a score of 108-67 in a USCAA contest at East Pennsboro Middle School on Hoop Knight.
Penn State York came into the contest ranked #1 in the latest USCAA rankings, with a 13-2 mark on the season. The Knights came into the game looking for their first victory of the season, so Central Penn had a tough road to climb.
Central Penn got off to a slow start against the Nittany Lions, falling behind 12-4 in the first three minutes thanks to 3-pointers from Quentin Wells, Tony Benkovic and John Godinez. But the Knights answered with back-to-back layups from senior center Donnell Loud, followed by another bucket from Keon Blanding-Dockens to bring the score to 14-10 five minutes into the half.
The Knights kept pace with the Nittany Lions over the next five minutes, capped off by a thunderous dunk from Loud at about the 8:30 mark, sending the crowd into a frenzy and bringing the Knights to within four, 20-16.
The game remained close over the next five minutes, though a 3-pointer by Donnell Campbell Jr. for Penn State York extended the lead to 10 at about the halfway point of the first half. The Knights answered, though, with a contested basket from Aaron Harrison Jr., as well as buckets from Khalil Dukes and Gabriel Kearney.
The Nittany Lions began to create some distance on the scoreboard. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Wells gave Penn State York its largest lead of the game to that point, allowing them to take a 13-point lead with about six minutes to play. Shortly thereafter, Francisco Mattei hit another 3-pointer, continuing to build Penn State York’s lead, giving them a 50-32 advantage with about three minutes left.
The Knights were able to gain some momentum before the end of the half, with Harrison hitting a massive 3-point play after getting fouled on a made layup. But the Knights had a tough task going to the second half, down 50-35 at the end of the first.
Gabriel Kearney hits a contested jumper.
During a special halftime show for Hoop Knight, a community-focused event that also welcomed recruits, fans were invited onto the floor to shoot from different areas for a chance to win gift cards. Hoop Knight was sponsored by Verbal Dental.
While the Knights got on the board first in the second half with a basket from Harrison Jr., Penn State York went on a 19-4 run over the next five minutes, thanks to back-to-back steals and buckets from Godinez. He then went on to hit a 3-pointer from the corner, extending the Nittany Lions’ lead to 30 only five minutes into the second half.
While the Knights continued to fight, little went their way, with the Knights committing 11 turnovers in the second half alone. They also struggled from the field, shooting only 33% in the second half, while also losing the rebounding edge 26-17. Even while trying to get back in the game, the Knights struggled from beyond the arc, going only 2-11 in the contest on 3-pointers.
A bright spot in the second half was Darwin Cruz, a new player to the team in the second half of the season. Off the bench, Cruz was able to provide a spark, adding seven points and going 3-for-4 from the field.
Additionally, Harrison Jr. showed the leadership that has been greatly needed in the second half, consistently motivating the team to give their all despite a large deficit. Harrison Jr. added seven points and five rebounds in the second half.
Ultimately, the Knights were unable to get anything going against the #1 Penn State York Nittany Lions, falling by a score of 108-67.
The Knightly News Player of the Game was Loud, contributing 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Harrison Jr. added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Blanding-Dockens chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
For Penn State York, four players posted double figures, led by Godinez’s 24 points, five assists and three steals in only 18 minutes. Campbell Jr. posted 17 points, while Neal added 14 points.
With the loss, the Knights are still looking for their first win of the season. They travel to Frederick Community College on Wednesday, then take a 10-day break until their next contest. They will return home on Feb. 3 to take on ESAC rival Bucks County Community College.
The Knightly News Media Club will be broadcasting all of the Central Penn College men’s and women’s home games during the 2025-26 season. You can tune in at https://www.youtube.com/@KnightlyNewsCPC.
On this broadcast, Knightly News Hall of Famers Brian Christiana and Parker Rose were on the call, with Paul Miller producing the show.
