PENN STATE WILKES-BARRE REPEATS AS USCAA MEN’S DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPION

PETERSBURG, Va. – Defending USCAA National Champion Penn State Wilkes-Barre outscored Cincinnati-Clermont 49-37 in the second half to rally from a four-point deficit and claim its second straight USCAA Men’s Division II National Championship with an 83-79 win on Wednesday evening at Virginia State University. 

Penn State Wilkes-Barre opened the second half on a 14-6 run to tie the game at 48-all on a pair of Teequan Holley free throws with 15:03 left. The Cougars followed that with a 12-1 run to lead 60-49 on a Dae-Shawn Wright layup at the 10:21 mark. 

The Mountain Lions methodically clawed back into the contest and took their first lead on a Jedidiah Ashton layup with 4:02 on the clock for a 70-69 lead. That run was part of an 11-2 burst to put Wilkes-Barre up 77-71 1:52 left on a pair of Jalen Willis free throws. From there, Wilkes-Barre made enough free throws to keep Cincinnati-Clermont from making a major threat. 

The Cougars opened the game jumping out to an 8-2 lead early on a pair of Jackson Gregory free throws with 16:28 left. Penn State Wilkes-Barre trailed the entire first half, trimming the deficit to one on three occasions. The last of those being on an Anton Berga free throw at the 7:53 mark for a 23-22 deficit. 

The Cougars held as much as a nine-point lead and took an eight-point advantage into halftime on a Wright jumper with 23 seconds left for a 42-34 lead. 

Willis topped Penn State Wilkes-Barre with 20 points off the bench, while Berga added 18 and Holley chipped in with 17. Dalton Kramer had 25 points for Cincinnati-Clermont, while Kenyon Gardner added 22 with 10 boards and David Froedge chipped in with 11.

2024 USCAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Kent State-Tuscarawas – Kyle Shockley

UC-Clermont – Dalton Kramer, Kenyon Gardner

Penn State Wilkes-Barre – Wilvens Fleurizard, Teequan Holley

Tournament MVP: PSU Wilkes-Barre – Jalen Willis