Box Score

READING, Pa. – Freshman William Wingate (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter) finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five steals and senior Anthony Martin (Detroit, Mich./Christ the King) added 20 points, five blocks and four rebounds for the No. 3 Lycoming College men’s basketball team, but a second-half surge by the Commonwealth Conference’s top seeded Alvernia University helped it take a 78-68 decision in the conference championship at the Physical Education Center on Saturday, Feb. 23.
 
Alvernia (23-4 overall) scored the first four points of the second half to take a 38-37 lead, marking the start of a back-and-forth half. Lycoming (17-10 overall) got the lead back at 46-44, as senior Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) got a steal and drove in for a fastbreak layup with 15:28 left.
 
However, Alvernia responded with an old-fashioned play from Lamont Clark to get the lead back before he added another layup. Lycoming stayed within two points until a pair of free throws from Terrance Bridgers ignited the Crusaders on a 12-2 run, giving them a 65-55 lead with 5:53 left after a steal and fastbreak layup by Brian Parker.
 
The Warriors closed within five points at 65-60, with Martin hitting a breakaway jumper with 2:37 left. Alvernia responded as Chris Davis hit a pair of free throws stopping the run and Lycoming never got back within five.
 
Alvernia jumped out to a 16-4 lead through the game’s first seven minutes, as Parker and Kahlil Bennett each knocked down six points during the run.  The Warriors responded in a big way, though, and by the time Wingate knocked away an errant pass and punched down a dunk, the Warriors had a 27-25 lead with 4:36 left in the half, capping a 23-9 run.
 
The Warriors expanded the lead to five points, as sophomore Patrick Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) canned a 3-pointer a minute later to make it 32-27. The Crusaders closed the gap and tied the game at 32 with 1:55 left, but senior Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) got the last bucket of the half, drilling a 3-pointer with 1:04 left, giving the Warriors a 37-34 lead at the break.
 
Williams added 12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals in his final collegiate game and Dougher added seven points, four rebounds and two steals.
 
Parker finished with 30 points for the Crusaders, adding 11 rebounds and two blocks. Clark added 18 points and Bridgers posted 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
The NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket will be announced on Monday afternoon, Feb. 25, with the first round of the tournament set for Saturday, March 2.