JANUARY 21, 2017

KING'S MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO WILKES 64-63 ON FOUL WITH 00.05 REMAINING

WILKES-BARRE — Marcus Robinson was fouled with 0:05 left in regulation and made one-of-three foul shots to lift the visiting Wilkes University men's basketball team to a controversial 64-63 Freedom Conference victory over King's College Saturday in Scandlon Gymnasium.  

With the win, Wilkes improved to 9-8 overall and 3-3 in league competition while King's fell to 4-12 and 0-6 in Freedom games while suffering their 10th straight defeat on the season.

The Monarchs trailed 34-29 at the half after shooting just 29.2 (7-24) percent from the field and fell behind 44-33 with 15:56 left in the contest.  But Kings suddenly found its offensive rhythm and outscored the Colonels 13-2 to take a 47-46 with 10:32 to play after buckets from Dan Rutecki, Chris Fazzini and a driving lay-up by Connor Callejas.

Over the next six minutes the teams traded scores, engaging in two lead changes and six ties. With 4:54 to play King's forged a 55-55 tie when Jake Barber made one-of-two foul shots. After a Wilkes miss, the Monarchs took a 60-55 lead with 4:01 on the clock after an inside basket from Chris Fazzini and a three-pointer by Barber. Wilkes later tied the score when Robinson was fouled while making a three-pointer and converted the subsequent free throw to complete a four-point play, tying the score at 63-63 with 1:35 remaining.

The Monarchs had a chance to take the lead from the foul line with 1:14 left but failed on the front end of a one-and-one. After a Wilkes miss with 0:58 on the clock, the Monarchs were off the mark on two shots on their next possession, leaving the game deadlocked at 63-63 with 0:22 to play.  

After a Wilkes time out, the Colonels ran the clock down to attempt the game's final shot. With the horn about to sound, Robinson hoisted a three-point attempt from well behind the arc. As the ball caromed off the rim, King's Chris Fazzini was called for a foul as the horn expired. After game officials discussed the play, Robinson was sent to the foul line and 00.05 (five tenths of a second) was put back on the clock, infuriating King's head coach J.P. Andrejko who vehemently argued the call.  Robinson made the first attempt to put the Colonels ahead 64-63 before missing the second.

After King's called timeout, Robinson intentionally missed his third foul shot in an attempt to run out the clock. But Rutecki immediately called timeout after securing the rebound with 00.03 on the clock.  Needing to go the full length of the court, King's ran a play with Connor Callejas running up the right sideline. Rutecki's inbounds pass hit Callejas in stride as the junior guard immediate hoisted a three-quarter court shot on the run. But the shot fell wide of the backboard as Wilkes walked away with the victory.

Rutecki paced King's with 13 points and nine rebounds while Chris Fazzini and Jake Barber added 10 apiece. John Fazzini and Andrew Hudak chipped in with nine points each. After shooting 29.2 percent in the opening half the Monarchs improved to 56.0 (14-25) percent in the second half, their best half of shooting this month.

Robinson paced Wilkes with 22 points and was the only player to score in double figures. Zach Brunner added eight points while Johnny Bamford followed with seven.

King's will return to the court Monday when the Monarchs host Muhlenberg College in the last non-conference game of the season at 7:00 PM.