Wilkes-Barre, PA, (December 4, 2003) – Wilkes University built a 15-point second half lead and held on down the stretch in defeating the DeSales University men’s basketball team, 63-56, in Freedom Conference action on Saturday afternoon in the Marts Center. 

 

        Leading by two points, 36-34, early in the second half, the Colonels (3-1, 1-1 Freedom) went on a 13-0 run over the next 6 ½ minutes to take a commanding 49-34 lead with 10:54 left.  WU’s John Sclafani highlighted the run by scoring 11 of the 13 points including three treys.

       

        The Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1 Freedom) refused to quit however and answered Wilkes’ spurt with an 11-0 run of its own over the next four minutes to cut the lead to four points at 49-45 on a running jumper by senior Kevin Welsh (Havertown, PA/Haverford) as the shot clock buzzer went off.

 

        The two teams traded baskets over the next two minutes before senior Kyle Koch (Lehighton, PA/Lehighton) hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it a 55-50 game.  Two consecutive misses on the other end were followed by consecutive misses by the Bulldogs before Evan Walters of Wilkes converted a lay-up pushing the lead to seven points with 1:28 remaining.

 

        Lay-ups by freshman Eddie Ohlson (Allentown, PA/Parkland) and Koch were sandwiched by a Wilkes free throw as the lead was cut to four points, 58-54, with 42 ticks left.  DSU fouled Sclafani who connected on 1-of-2 free throws but DSU missed a jumper on the other end and WU converted 4-of-4 charity tosses to provide the final margin.

 

        In the first half each team went on a run with DeSales taking a 24-13 lead with 9:03 left on the strength of a 15-5 run, before Wilkes answered with a 21-6 run giving them a 34-30 into the locker room.  The Bulldogs shot 60.9 percent in the first half but just 37.5 in the second half.

 

        Koch finished the game with a career-high 27 points on 12-of-23 shooting and senior Michael Venafra (Belmont Hills, PA/Lower Merion) added 10 points to lead the scoring attack.  Senior David Spadt (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) added six points and a team-high six rebounds.

 

        Wilkes had three players reach double figures including Sclafani and Ryan Milford with 12 points and John Yanniello with 10 tallies.