GA Drops Brandywine In Double Overtime

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine played its second double-overtime in the last six days, but unlike Monday, this time the Lions came up short as Penn State Greater Allegheny outlasted Brandywine 115-107 on Saturday afternoon in Penn State University Athletic Conference men's basketball action.

Isiah Cook (Reading, Pa./Reading) sent the game to a second extra session by burying a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining in the first overtime, tying the game. Cook poured in a career-high 26 points to lead five players in double figures. He also grabbed nine rebounds, while Quentin Beasley (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) also set a career high, scoring 21 points.

Greater Allegheny took the lead for good during the second overtime when Kenneth Rouse buried a triple to make the score 99-96. The visitors pushed in front 107-97 before Brandywine clawed back to within four with 31 seconds to play following three made free throws from Andrew Persaud (King of Prussia, Pa./Upper Merion). Curtis Newby answered with a layup, but Donte Winfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) countered with two free throws to bring the Lions back within four.

However, Greater Allegheny sank four shots from the free throw line during the final 18 seconds to secure the key PSUAC victory. Brandywine and Greater Allegheny, along with Penn State York and Penn State Wilkes Barre, own two conference losses at the conclusion of play Saturday.

Brandywine led throughout the first half, swelling the lead as large as 12 points when Chima Lawrence (Wilmington, Del./Concord) canned a triple to cap a 17-7 run with 21 seconds to play in the stanza, making the score 52-40. George Prota made a pair of free throws for GA to make the count 52-42 at the break.

Greater Allegheny scored 11 of the first 13 second-half points to close within two, but the Lions steadily grew the margin back to double figures, leading by 10 following Ameer Staggs' (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) layup with 9:45 to play.

Beasley's layup made the lead 12 points nearly two minutes later; however, GA found the range from beyond the arc, hitting four three-pointers in a span of less than five minutes as Jordan Payne's triple tied the score 82-82 with 1:56 to play. Each team sank one-of-two free throws during the final 93 seconds to send the game to overtime.

Both teams netted eight points during the first 4:19 of overtime, but three a free throw from Khari Hicks and two more from Payne put GA in front by three with nine seconds to play.

Cook knotted the score at 94-94 with a his fifth triple of the game off a feed from Winfield just before time expired, extending the contest for five more minutes.

Brandywine made 14 triples and shot 40 percent from the field, but allowed Greater Allegheny to knock down 15 three-pointers and connect on 43 percent of its shots from the field. GA also held a 64-52 edge on the boards.

Brandywine received 18 points from Terrence Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech), while Winfield added 12 points and Staggs chipped in 10. Winfield also handed out six assists, while Staggs and Dwayne Coleman (Philadelphia, Pa./Delaware Valley Charter) both grabbed eight rebounds.

Brandywine (11-6, 7-2 PSUAC) plays its final nonconference game of the season on Tuesday when the Lions face Williamson College of the Trades on their home court at 7:00 pm.