NOVEMBER 22, 2016

KING'S MEN'S BASKETBALL USES SECOND HALF SURGE TO POST 99-80 VICTORY OVER DREW

WILKES-BARRE — The King's College men's basketball built a 46-39 half-time lead but used a 30-13 run to start the second half to earn a 99-80 victory over visiting Drew University Tuesday night in Scandlon Gym.

With the win King's improved to 3-1 on the year while Drew slipped to 1-2.

In the first half the Monarchs built a 21-14 lead  with 11:25 on the clock after a Connor Callejas three-pointer, but Drew battled back and used a 14-3 run to take a 28-24 lead following a driving lay-up by Blaine Taylor with 7:38 left in the opening stanza.  The Monarchs, though would counter and used a 17-4 surge of its own over the next 4:48 to take a 41-32 lead after a three-pointer by John Fazzini, an inside bucket from Ryan Wasley, and another three-pointer by Callejas with 2:50 remaining to take a  41-32. The Monarchs would eventually settle for a 46-39 lead at the break.

In the second half, Drew trimmed the lead to 50-44 after a pair of foul shots by Yonathan Napoleon at the 18:34 mark, but the Monarchs would kick it into high gear.  A three-pointer by John Fazzini, a driving lay-up from Chris Fazzini, a Callejas three-pointer and an inside bucket from Wasley ignited a 17-6 King's run as the Monarchs opened a 67-50 lead with 14:25 to play.

After a Drew bucket, King's went on a 9-2 spurt to build its biggest lead of the game at 76-52 after an inside basket by Brent Piontkowski and another Callejas three-pointer with 10:59 left. The Monarchs would lead by no less than 16 points the rest of the way.

John Fazzini paced King's with 18 points and three assists while Callejas followed with 17 points on 5-of-7 three-point shooting and four assists. Dan Rutecki added 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while Jake Barber tallied 13 points and three rebounds. Chris Fazzini chipped in with nine points and four rebounds for the Monarchs.

King's shot 57.1 (36-63) percent from the floor and 54.2 (13-24) percent from three-point range. The Monarchs also out rebounded Drew 35-28 for the game

Nate Aldrich paced Drew with 15 points while Darius Reiter and Riley Collins added 14 and 12 points respectively.

King's returns to action Saturday and Sunday with the Cross County Challenge at Wilkes University. On Saturday King's faces Scranton at 1:00 p.m. before meeting Marywood Sunday at 1:00 p.m.