Second-Half Cold Spell Dooms Lions At York

YORK, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine led by nine points with 8:47 to play in the second half, but was held without a field goal the rest of the way and suffered a 66-65 Penn State University Athletic Conference men's basketball loss to Penn State York on Saturday.

Jacob Hunt (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) sank two free throws to complete an 11-4 spurt that gave the Lions a 60-51 edge; however, Brandywine was held scoreless for the next 4:51, allowing York to rally to grab a 61-60 lead.

Dwayne Coleman (Philadelphia, Pa./Delaware Valley Charter) connected on a free throw to tie the score, but John Gillespie buried a three-pointer during York's ensuing possession to put the hosts back in front. Michael Coleman added a basket for York to make the score 66-61 before Josh Smith (Glassboro, N.J./Glassboro) set down two free throws with 1:07 left in the game to trim the margin to three. Hunt then added two more free throws with nine seconds to go, pulling Brandywine to within one.

With Brandywine forced to foul, York missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity at the charity stripe and the Lions grabbed the rebound with seven seconds on the clock, but a turnover ended the Lions' chances for victory.

The setback dropped Brandywine into a tie with Penn State Hazleton for third place in the PSUAC East, one game in front of Penn State Lehigh Valley for the final playoff spot. York moved to 10-6 in the conference and now holds a two-game lead over the Lions for second place with three regular-season games to play.

Brandywine, which trimmed a 12-point, first-half deficit to three points at the break, netted the first seven points of the second half to take a lead in the game for the first time.

Leading 49-47, Coleman knocked down back-to-back jumpers, while Bryce Barrouk (Glen Mills, Pa./Rustin) buried a triple to extend the advantage to 56-49. After a York basket, Hunt scored the final four points of the Lions' run that put them ahead by nine points.

Pat Gallagher (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the first half, while Hunt collected 16 points, five assists and three steals. Anthony Lattanzi (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) topped the Lions with seven rebounds and netted eight points and Coleman produced 10 points, along with four boards.

Brandywine shot 39 percent from the field and committed just 11 turnovers, but five of those miscues came during the final eight minutes.

Brandywine (12-10, 8-8 PSUAC) visits Penn State Hazleton Monday night at 8:00 pm with third place in the PSUAC East on the line.