WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Another balanced performance by the Lycoming College men's basketball team, highlighted by a 19-point, 13-rebound game from tournament MVP Mike Bradley (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) helped lead the Warriors to an 83-75 win over Johnson & Wales in the finale of the Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20, at Lamade Gym.
Bradley, who won the MVP award of the Tip-Off Tournament for the second time in as many years, averaged 14.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in wins over Johnson & Wales and Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Sophomore Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) posted 14 points, five assists and four steals to also earn a slot on the All-Tournament team for the second straight year after posting 11 points, seven assists and six steals against Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
The Warriors (4-0 overall) busted open the game 12 minutes into the first half, using a 10-3 run to take a 3-point lead to double figures with five minutes left in the half, where it stayed for much of the next 20 minutes, as two free throws from Williams gave the Warriors a 75-52 lead with 5:00 left.
The Wildcats (1-2 overall) closed the gap though by way of the 3-pointer and the turnover, with Darren Faust hitting a three to start the run before Lamonte Thomas, who finished fourth in the NCAA Division III in scoring in 2009-10, hit three treys to highlight a run of 14 straight points.
Forced to seal the game on the line though, the Warriors did just that, hitting six in the final two minutes as they never let the Wildcats within two possessions to take the 83-75 win.
"They're a very athletic team and that gave us some problems at times," Lycoming head coach Guy Rancourt said. "The fact that their starters logged so many minutes, I'm sure at the end started to hurt them a little bit."
Bradley led the Warriors on the glass all game long, as Lycoming posted a dominating 61-40 advantage on the glass and the Warriors added a 40-30 advantage in the paint to keep the game in their control.
"We have two talented post players in Mike Bradley and Justin Miller," Rancourt said. "I think they did a great job (Saturday). They made a big difference in our success."
The Wildcats took a 14-7 lead with 15:13 left in the first half after a 3-pointer from Faust, but the Warriors responded quickly, with senior Will Kelly (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Township) hitting a layup in the paint before drilling a 3-pointer to take the lead to two points. Layups from freshman Justin Miller (Agawam, Mass./Bridgton Academy) and senior Sebastian Sabella (Bayside, N.Y./Episcopal School) gave the Warriors 16-14 lead, but another three from Faust gave the Wildcats a one-point lead.
Each team traded buckets before a traditional three-point play from Bradley with 8:57 left started a run of seven straight points for the junior, capping it with a fastbreak dunk with 6:54 left. A 3-pointer from sophomore Ihsaan Davis (Jamaica, N.Y./Christ the King) made it 32-22 with 5:35 left and the Wildcats cut the lead to seven points, but the Warriors ended the half on a 7-1 run to enter halftime with a 44-31 lead.
In the second half, the Warriors got the lead to 20 points thanks to a 9-3 run that was capped by a layup from Bradley with 15:04 left and the Wildcats couldn't get closer than 14 until their late 3-point blitz.
Kelly posted 18 points, five rebounds and three assists and Davis added 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Miller posted six points and four rebounds and Sabella tied a career-high with eight rebounds, also adding four points and a steal.
Faust led Johnson & Wales with 26 points, hitting six 3-pointers, two assists and two steals. Thomas added 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and Calvin Jones posted 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals.
The Warriors get back in action with a rivalry game on Tuesday, Nov. 23, taking the short trip down Route 15 to face Susquehanna in a 7 p.m. tilt.
Tip-Off Tournament
All-Tournament Team
MVP - Mike Bradley, Lycoming
Jerald Williams, Lycoming
Lamonte Thomas, Johnson & Wales
Darren Faust, Johnson & Wales
Connor Flanagan, Franciscan
Desmond Simms, Penn State Wilkes-Barre