CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Four Lycoming College men's basketball players finished in double figures as the team shot 48 percent from the field in the second half and 94 percent at the free throw line en route to a 72-63 win at Wilson College, who reached the last two NCAA Division III Championship fields, on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 26, at Gannett Memorial Field House.
 
Sophomore Isaiah Valentine (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) led the team with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks, sophomore J.J. Beagle (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) added 12 points and five rebounds, senior Brendon Blackson (Laurel, Md./Laurel) added 11 points, five rebounds and three steals and senior Steven Hamilton (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area) added 10 points and three assists, as he hit all six of his free throws for the Warriors (3-2 overall). First-year Hayden Pardoe (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) added eight points, three blocks and two steals and junior Ivan Komitski (Sofia, Bulgaria/Lee Academy) also posted seven points.
 
With the game tied at 60 with less than six minutes left, a driving layup from Pardoe was followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from Valentine and Blackson, as Lycoming scored the next 12 points with its defense forcing five missed shots and three Wilson turnovers to lead 72-60 with 1:15 left before Wilson scored the last three points of the game.
 
An old-fashioned three-point play from Valentine three minutes into the second half kicked the Warriors into high gear, rolling out 13 straight points by the time a second-chance layup from senior Mavin James (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) dropped through to make it 49-39 with 13:40 left. The Phoenix (2-3 overall) worked it back to a one-possession game two minutes later and tied it at 53 off a driving layup from Darryl Garib before taking a one-point lead off a 3-pointer from J Perry with 8:21 to go. First-year J.T. Kirbie (Spring, Texas/Klein Cain) responded with a trifecta, but Wilson tied it at 60 as the clock ticked under six minutes.
 
Wilson, who won the final two Colonial States Athletic Conference titles, took a 13-7 lead in the game's first four and a half minutes before the Warriors scored the next six points and shortly thereafter, embarked on a 11-3 run to lead 26-18 after a 3-pointer from Komitski with 5:54 left in the opening half. The Phoenix answered with 10 straight points to take the lead, which they took into the break after the period's sixth lead change, 35-34.
 
The Warriors held a 40-25 advantage on the glass, which led to a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Garib posted 20 points, six rebounds and three assists to lead the Phoenix and Tyrik Ward-Hoyte notched 14 points, four rebounds and two steals.
 
The Warriors open Landmark Conference play on Wednesday, Nov. 30, when they head to Juniata College for a 7 p.m. game.