Box Score Box Score
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- Freshman Johnathan Williams hit nine of his 10 free throw attempts while scoring 19 points to help lead the Lycoming College men’s basketball team over visiting Messiah College 67-62 on Wednesday, Jan. 13, improving the Warriors to 3-1 in the Commonwealth Conference.
The win was the first time head coach Guy Rancourt has beaten Messiah, and improves the series to 12-9 in favor of Lycoming.
It was a close game throughout, with neither team leading by double-figures. The Falcons (8-5, 1-3 Commownealth) jumped out to an 8-0 lead, their largest of the game, in the first five minutes of the contest. Freshman Ihsaan Davis (Jamaica, N.Y./Christ the King Regional) knocked down a free throw to get Lycoming on the board, down 8-1 with 14:56 left in the first half.
Fellow freshman Johnathan Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Rice) knocked down a three-pointer to pull Lycoming within four. Messiah regained a seven point lead, but the margin was quickly closed by Lycoming (12-2), tying the game for the first time at 10:44.
Williams was intentionally fouled on a fast break, but scored the bucket and was awarded two free throws, which he scored, giving Lycoming its first lead of the game, 16-14. John Caggiano (Mt. Arlington, N.J./Roxbury) scored a layup to increase the Warrior advantage to four.
But the Warriors could not pull ahead after Messiah canned back-to-back baskets, tying the game for a second time at 18 with 8:23 remaining in the half.
Mike Bradley (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph’s Prep.) broke the tie with a layup, but again the Falcons answered with a layup of their own. After James Oberlies and Will Kelly (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Twp.) each hit the back end of a one-and-one to put Lycoming up two, Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) stole the ball and scored a fast break layup. Bradley hit another free throw to put Lycoming up by five with 4:29 left in the half, 25-20.
Once again, Messiah stopped Lycoming from running away with the game, tying things up at 25 with a combination of a layup and a three-pointer.
Kelly broke the fourth tie of the game with a midrange jumper. After a Falcon free throw, Johnathan Williams ended the half with another pair of made shots from the charity stripe, sending Lycoming in to halftime with a 29-26 lead.
The Warriors continued their scoring trend early in the second half after Oberlies (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph’s Prep.) stole the ball and rolled in a fast break layup. Lycoming led by seven, 36-29, with 17:50 left in the first half.
Messiah took the lead with 12:33 left on the second-half clock, 43-42. Both teams traded the lead until Lycoming took the lead at 5:36 on yet another pair of Johnathan Williams’ free throws, 55-53. With the lead, Lycoming never relinquished it.
Williams’ 19 points led the game, followed by Kelly’s 15 points. Kelly was the team’s leader in rebounds, pulling down seven boards, five of which came on defense. Bradly and Davis each posted nine points.
As a team, Lycoming shot 39.3 percent from the floor, hitting 22 of its 56 shots. The Warriors made the most of the Falcon’s mistakes, scoring 22 points on turnovers.
Lycoming is on the road for its next game when travels to Glenside, Pa. to face Arcadia University. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. following the women’s basketball game, also against Arcadia.
