Presidents Take Down UPG in Home Opener

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team overcame a five-point second half deficit and rallied to defeat Pitt-Greensburg 74-67 in the first varsity basketball game in the newly-renovated Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
 
With the victory, W&J is off to its first 2-0 start since the 2011-12 season.
 
Facing a 42-37 deficit with 17:22 remaining in the second half, W&J responded by scoring 13 of the next 19 points with contributions from five different scorers. A three-pointer by Zach Queen (Jeannette, Pa./Hempfield Area) capped the run to hand W&J a 50-48 lead and the Presidents never trailed again.
 
UPG tied the game at 50 and came within two at 59-57 with 7:41 remaining. The President defense powered a 9-3 spurt in which Pitt Greensburg shot 1-8 and put W&J up 68-60 with under two minutes remaining in the half.
 
W&J connected on four free throws in the final minute to keep the game out of reach.
 
The Red and Black opened the game on a 21-9 spurt that included seven points from Nicholas Campalong(Sewickley, Pa./Ambridge) and six from Jonathan DeVito (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic).
 
The Bobcats responded with 11 straight points in a little over three-and-a-half minutes thanks to six W&J turnovers in seven possessions. Pitt-Greensburg opened its largest lead of the evening with 2:24 remaining in the first at 33-26.
 
A Campalong three, an Alexander Skowron (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley) three-point play and a few free throws by Primo Zini (Morgantown, W.Va./Trinity Christian) narrowed the deficit to 36-34 at the halftime break.  
 
Back-to-back three-pointers by UPG's Jojo France put the Bobcats up 42-37 before W&J closed the margin for good.
 
DeVito led the Presidents with 15 points and three steals on five-of-10 shooting, connecting on three-of-six three-point attempts.
 
Campalong joined DeVito with 15 points and added nine rebounds. He knocked down both of his three-point attempts on the evening. Zini chipped in 13 points and five rebounds and Skowron added nine points and five rebounds.
 
Cameron Seemann (Loveland, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller) poured in eight points, Okikiola Agbale (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) and Queen added five apiece and AJ Blue (Kensington, Md./Sidwell Friends (D.C.)) had four points.
 
W&J posted a superior shooting percentage from the floor and from deep. The Presidents shot 46.4% (25-of-56) from the field and 46.7% (7-of-15) from three. W&J took 25 trips to the free-throw line, sinking 15.
 
A +12 margin (28-16) in bench points helped power the Presidents to the win.
 
The Presidents look to start the season 3-0 for the first time in over 15 years on this weekend at Buffalo State's Coles Classic. The Presidents take on Morrisville State, the defending NEAC Champions, on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m.