WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – What's fast becoming a signature style of play made a grand debut for the 2010-11 season on Monday night at Lamade Gym, as the Lycoming College men's basketball team scored 24 points off turnover and ran away with a 91-66 win over Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference preseason favorites Pitt-Bradford.
The Warriors (1-0 overall) were led by a career-high tying 25 points and five rebounds from sophomore Ihsaan Davis (Jamaica, N.Y./Christ the King), a career-high 20 points, four assists and two steals from sophomore Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) and 18 points and seven rebounds from junior Mike Bradley (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep).
Lycoming did plenty of damage with its press and a lineup that ran 13 players deep, forcing 23 turnovers against a Pitt-Bradford squad that returned three all-conference players, helping to negate the Panthers' 50-39 edge in rebounding.
"Bradford is a very good team that is going to win a lot of games this year," Lycoming head men's basketball coach Guy Rancourt said. "Our depth helped wear them down as the game went on. We were fortunate to come out with a good win."
The Panthers (0-1 overall) took an 11-6 lead after a layup by Joseph Coppola with 16:29 left in the first half, but from there, a free throw and a jumper from Williams cut the lead to two points and ignited the Warriors on a 16-4 run that was capped with a trifecta from Williams, the 2009-10 Commonwealth Conference Freshman of the Year.
Pitt-Bradford got as close as three points twice more in the first half, but the Warriors kept the pedal to the floor, as freshman Tyrone McFadden (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) scored on a fastbreak off a steal by freshman Kevin Anthony (Atlanta, Ga./Bridgton Academy) before Davis converted a 3-point play to take a 10-point lead at 36-26 with 5:04 left.
The Warriors stretched the lead to 13 after a free throw from McFadden before the Panthers used two buckets and a pair of free throws to cut the lead to seven points as the half ticked down. As time wound out in the half, though, the Warriors retook a double digit lead when senior Will Kelly (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Township) found Davis outside the arc and the 6-3 forward dialed up the bomb to give Lycoming a 46-36 lead at half.
The Panthers found some holes in Lycoming's press early in the second half, cutting the lead to three points with a 9-0 run to open the half, paces by two treys by Joseph Coppola. The Warriors never let the Panthers get closer than the one-possession game though and after a trey by Zachary Moore made it 58-55 with 12:56 left, the Warriors ignited on the closing 33-11 run to seal the win.
The run started with an 8-1 run capped by a fastbreak bucket from Davis to take a 66-56 lead. From there, the closest the Panthers could get was six, as a pair of free throws from senior Ethan Lee (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) with 1:40 left gave Lycoming a 90-65 lead and the teams each traded a free throw before the clock ran out.
Anthony posted seven points, three assists and two steals and senior Sebastian Sabella (Bayside, N.Y./Episcopal School) added seven points, five rebounds and two swipes for the Warriors, who shot a healthy 46 percent (31-for-68) in the season opener. Kelly added five points, five rebounds and four assists.
Pitt-Bradford was led by 17 points from Alexander Moore, one of four Panthers to finish in double-figures. Coppola added 15 points and seven rebounds and Ferguson added 14 points and seven boards. Zachary Moore posted 10 points and six rebounds and Sam Moore added six points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
The Warriors get back in action on Wednesday when Penn State Hazleton heads to Lamade Gym for a 7:30 p.m. clash.