ERIE, Pa. – As it has been all season, multiple players stepped-up to the challenge and lifted the Hawks to victory. 

Jerame Owens, Trevor Stark and Sean Weisansal put points in the scoring column but Kirkland Ottey, Xavier Major andRyan Brewster were tough defenders who helped take down the #23 ranked Penn State Behrend tonight in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference semi-final game. 

After dropped two games to the Lions in the regular season, the Hawks beat Behrend 64-59 and move into the AMCC Championship game tomorrow, February 28 at 3pm in the Junker Center.

Gritty, gutsy play and defensive pressure by the Hawks held Behrend to a season low field goal percentage (30.4%) and limited them to a single 3-point field goal after averaging six makes a game throughout the regular season.

The game opened as expected.  Each teams traded hoops early. Hilbert held a 10-5 lead before Behrend knotted the game at 15-15 thanks in part to the foul line.  The Lions went 7 for 8 at the charity stripe and knocked down their only 3-pointer for the game in that stretch to force the games third tie. 

From there, Hilbert went on a 9-0 run which started with a Jerame Owens tip-in.  Then on the next defensive possession,Sean Weisansal volleyball-spiked a ball away from the rim and led the fast- break charge the other way which resulted in a Trevor Stark layup.   Hilbert seemed in control with a 27-19 advantage, but Behrend put together a 13-1 run and closed the half ahead 32-28.

Hilbert held advantages over Behrend from the field (42.3% - 34.8%) and off the glass (31-29).  But the Hawks were whistled for twice as many fouls (12-6) which resulted in the hosts attempting three-times as many free throws.

Behrend scored 15 first-half points from the charity stripe while the Hawks connected only three times.

Hilbert defensive intensity forced four missed shots and two turnovers which the Hawks converted into a six point swing and a 34-32 lead in the opening minutes of the second half.

After Owens converted a traditional three-point play (Hilbert 41-36), the Lions responded with a five-point swing of their own, capped off by their old fashioned and-one tally to knot the score at 41-all.

Six lead changes later and the Hawks were in charge after another Owens tip-in at 7:05. Statistically, Hilbert's defensive pressure forced the Lions into an uncomfortable 29% field goal percentage shooting at that time of the game.  But to their credit, Behrend kept their chances alive with several offensive rebounds or tip-backs to team mates around the arc.

At 2:50, Behrend's Nick DeLisio scored his first bucket of the game and kept his home team close.  But after DeLisio was called for a foul, Ryan Brewster made a trip the foul line and stretched the Hawks hold to 60-55.

With 39-ticks left on the game clock, Delisio sank a pair of free throws and put the pressure back on Hilbert who led 61-59.  The Lions extended their defense to full court and created a Hilbert turnover just over the mid-court line and called a timeout with 26-seconds left.

On the ensuing play, Ryan Brewster came up with THE block of the game denying a game-tying bucket.  

Hilbert withstood the late-game nerves and put the game away hitting three of four shots 15-feet from the end line for the 64-59 victory.

Jerame Owens led the trio of double figure scorers with 21 points and maintained his double double average with 10 rebounds (four assists).  Trevor Stark picked up the Hawks with 12 points and added four steals and three assists.  Sean Weisansal chipped in 11 points and led the Hawks with five assists.

Ryan Brewster came up big with two blocks and two steals while adding seven points, sinking 3 of 4 shots.  Jordan Kumrosank two long balls for six points.  Ryan Bradt stepped in when foul trouble began to hurt the Hawks and the junior forward posted two points and two rebounds as well as one assist.

Xavier Major and Kirkland Ottey were two, tough defenders on the court whose value can't be measured in points tonight.

Hilbert will now return to the AMCC Championship game for the second consecutive year. The Hawks will face Medaille College who claimed a 79-73 semi-final victory over Pitt-Greensburg.

Hilbert claimed a 90-84 victory over Medaille on December 3 in Hamburg and suffered a 70-61 defeat January 22 in North Buffalo.   The last time Hilbert and Medaille played on a neutral court, Hilbert battled to an 80-77 AMCC semi-final victory last year, also on the hardwood at Junker Center at PS Behrend.

With tomorrow's game, Trevor Stark will tie CJ Hodge '14 as the two leaders in the men's basketball program, participating in 108 career games.  Stark jumped over Hodge tonight and climbed into the #2 man on career assists chart with 386.  He trails and won't catch Michael Reyes '08 who tallied 528 assists.  And Stark moved to #6 on career scoring with 1,224 points when he inched over Cecil Foster '97 (1,224).