Brandywine Holds Off New Kensington For 76-62 Victory

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine's 11-point halftime lead was erased by Penn State New Kensington, but Brandywine bounced back with a late run to hold off the hosts 76-62 in a Penn State University Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon.

Brandywine used a 18-2 surge spanning less than six minutes to vault in front 29-11 midway through the first half. Isaiah Lester (Morton, Pa./Ridley) got the surge started by knocking down a three-pointer at the 14:50 mark, while Isiah Cook (Reading, Pa./Reading) and Dwayne Coleman (Philadelphia, Pa./Delaware Valley Charter) spurred the Lions on by combining for the next 12 points. Quentin Beasley's (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) layup capped the run with 9:20 to go in the first half.

New Kensington closed within 10 points when Juwan Willis buried a triple three minutes later, but Brandywine countered with eight-straight points to make the lead 43-25. The hosts scored the final seven points of the stanza to slice the deficit to 11 points at the break.

New Kensington's run continued into the second half, holding Brandywine scoreless for nearly six minutes. Willis completed the 19-0 surge with a triple that sent New Kensington into the lead at 44-43.

With 11:18 to play, Cook's three-pointer tied the score and 65 second later, Ameer Staggs' (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) bucket began a run of nine-straight Brandywine points that handed the Lions a 59-50 edge.

Donte Winfield's (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) jumper at the 7:02 mark made the lead double figures, where it would stay for the next four minutes, before back-to-back baskets by Dorian Broadwater reduced the Lions' edge to seven; however, New Kensington would not get closer during the final minutes as four free throws by Winfield and one from Terrence Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) helped ice the game for Brandywine.

Winfield made 6-of-12 shots from the field and 7-of-8 at the charity stripe to pace all scorers at 21 points. He also tallied four assists and four rebounds, while Cook buried three triples, finishing with 19 points, along with eight boards.

Brown chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and three steals, while Staggs produced seven points and seven boards.

Brandywine forced 18 turnovers and held a 37-30 edge on the glass to win its second road game in less than 24 hours after defeating Penn State Fayette 74-70 in overtime late Friday night. The Lions now own a 9-2 mark away from their home court.

Brandywine (14-6, 9-2 PSUAC) play the first of three home games next week on Tuesday against Penn State Mont Alto at 8:00 pm.