Knights fall to Penn State Lehigh Valley
Knights sports update: After the game described below, The Knights lost to Navy, in Annapolis, 102-46, on Nov. 8, making the record 0-3. The Knights will face Penn State Schuylkill on Thursday at 8 p.m., in Schuylkill Haven. The Knightly News doesn’t cover Central Penn away games. Read about the Central Penn-Navy game on the Knights Athletics page.
By Brandon Drumheller
Knightly News Sports Reporter
The Central Penn College men’s basketball team hosted Penn State Lehigh Valley on Nov. 5 at East Pennsboro Middle School, but despite a second-half rally, came up short, 74-68.
The Knights came out firing, forcing turnovers and knocking down shots to jump out to an early 14-5 lead. A pair of layups and blocks from Cameron Wilson helped fuel the Knights’ intensity and bring the home crowd into the game.
But Lehigh Valley regained control with a 26-1 run. With about five minutes left in the first half, Central Penn found itself trailing, 37-21.
The Lions continued their offensive success, taking a 49-35 lead into halftime. CamRon Black led the way, with 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting performance.
Wilson also shot 100% from the field in the first half, leading Central Penn with eight points.
Lehigh Valley’s physical play created challenges for the Knights, who faced fouls heading into the break.
Back to the court
The second half brought a different level of intensity from Central Penn. The Knights opened with several defensive stops, including blocks and steals, to begin chipping away at the deficit.
Gabriel Kearney connected on a three-pointer early in the half, cutting the Lions’ advantage to single digits. Lehigh Valley responded with easy baskets and trips to the free-throw line, but the Knights refused to go away.
Kearney knocked down another three-pointer to bring the deficit within five. Central Penn continued to battle, eventually cutting the lead to three points, but Lehigh Valley managed to extend its advantage back to 10 before the final four minutes.
With the home crowd growing louder, the Knights continued searching for an opportunity to complete the comeback. Despite a few good looks from Kellen Jones, costly turnovers and Lehigh Valley’s ability to capitalize at the free-throw line proved too much to overcome.
The Lions iced the game at the free-throw line, securing a 74-68 victory in a physical contest.
Standout scorers
Wilson led the Knights’ second-half charge, going 11-for-12 from the field, and scoring 15 points after halftime. He finished with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double. Kearney added 16 points, shooting 50% from beyond the arc.
Darwin Cruz and Nicholas Glatfelter fouled out as the physical matchup took its toll on Central Penn. The Knights also struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 45% of their attempts, an area that could have made a significant difference in the final score.
For Lehigh Valley, Black led four double-digit scorers, with 16 points. The Lions were more efficient from the field and the free-throw line, despite committing 25 turnovers.
Central Penn showed plenty of fight, battling back from a significant halftime deficit and giving itself a chance late in the game, but falling short, bringing the team to 0-2 on the season at the end of that game.
Drumheller is vice president of The Knightly News Media Club @ Central Penn College. Comment or story idea? Contact [email protected].
