NOVEMBER 13, 2015

KING'S MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS SEASON WITH 84-65 WIN OVER PENN STATE ABINGTON

WILKES-BARRE -- Opening their 2015-16 season on Friday the 13th proved to be no problem at all for the King's College men's basketball team as the Monarchs utilized a balanced attack with five double-figure scorers to post an 84-65 victory over visiting Penn State Abington in Scandlon Gymnasium.

After a slow start for both teams the Monarchs began to get untracked and built a 7-0 spurt to build a 17-4 lead with 12:46 left in the half after a three-pointer by Nate Oliver and a mid-ranger jumper by John Dini. The Monarchs later built their biggest lead of the half at 23-7 with 8:56 to play on a Connor Hughes trey.  The Lions used a 11-4 run to cut the lead to nine when a Devin Jones three-pointer set the score at 27-18 with 6:18 on the clock. But the Monarchs outscored Abington 13-8 the rest of the way to take a 40-26 lead into the locker room.

In the second half King's extended the lead to 18 points after a layup by John Fazzini and a Hughes jumper. The Monarchs eventually built their biggest lead of the game at 19 points following a jumper from Dini and another three-pointer by Oliver to stretch the score to 61-42 at the 11:49 mark.  Abington drew to within 68-57 on a three-pointer by Jones with 68-57 left. But after a King's time-out the Monarchs built the lead back to 17 points with 3:56 to go after five straight points from John Fazzini.

Dan Rutecki led King's with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists while Tom Heston followed with 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Hughes tallied 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists while Oliver added 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range. John Fazzini contributed 11 points and two assists  while Dini and Chris Fazzini chipped in with seven and five points respectively.

King's shot 46.0 (29-63) percent from the field and were 7-of-9 from three-point range. The Monarchs also made good on 73.1 (19-26) percent from the foul line.

Abington was paced by Devin Jones with 20 points on 4-of-8 shooting form three-point range. Spencer Barton and Dequan Jackson added 13 and 10 points respectively.

KIng's returns to the court Monday with a 7:00 p.m. game at Penn State Hazleton.