JANUARY 25, 2017

KING'S MEN FALL AT DESALES, 77-74

CENTER VALLEY -- The host DeSales University men's basketball team out scored King's College 14-11 over the final 3:22 to break open a 63-63 tie and walk away with an important 77-74 victory Wednesday night in Center Valley.

With the win, DeSales improved to 12-6 overall and 4-3 in Freedom Conference play. The Monarchs fell to 4-14 with its 12th straight loss and 0-7 in Freedom competition.

After King's built a a 34-31 lead at the half, the Monarchs came out of the break and used a Dan Rutecki jumper and a layup by Ryan Wasly to extend the score to 40-33 with 7:47 to play.

DeSales countered with a 11-0 run to take a 44-40 following a Kuity Slanger lay-up with 13:49 remaining. The Monarchs battled back to tie the game at 51-51 on a Chris Fazzini jumper at the 9:42 mark, but the Bulldogs quickly recaptured the lead at 53-51 on two free throws by Tracy Simsick with 9:24 on the clock.  

The Monarchs recaptured the lead on a three-pointer by Tyler Millan, giving the Monarchs a 54-53 lead but Simsick canned a three-pointer of his own to put the Bulldogs ahead 56-43 with 8:49 to go.  King's again took back the lead when Jake Barber buried a three-pointer to give the Monarchs a 57-56 advantage with 8:28 to play.

DeSales later went up 63-57 with 4:33 on the clock following a Brandon Bridy layup but Rutecki scored inside and Connor Callejas converted a pair of foul shots at the 3:53 mark as the Monarchs closed to within 63-61. After a DeSales miss, King's tied the score at 63-63 on a driving lay-up from Callejas with 3:22 to play.

DeSales used a pair of foul shots by Steve Ciotti to pull ahead 65-63, but Callejas responded with a big three-pointer to put the Monarchs ahead 66-65 with 3:01 remaining. Not to be outdone, Luke Connaghan gave DeSales the lead again with a three-pointer at 2:46. After a costly Monarch turnover, Slanger pushed the Bulldog lead to 70-66 on a lay-up with 2:11 to play.

King's drew to within 74-72 on a Barber jumper with 0:16 left. King's chose to foul and Brian Laird converted bith charity tosses to push the Bulldog lead to 72-76 with 0:12 on the clock.

Rutecki then scored inside for King's with 0:04 remaining as the Monarchs closed to 76-74. King's again fouled with 0:03 left and Ryan Callahan made the second of two attempts to push the score to 77-74. King's had one last chance but Callejas' long three-pointer was off the mark as the Bulldogs held on for the victory.

Tyler Millan led King's with 16 points while Fazzini and Callejas followed with 15 and 13 respectively. Barber added 11 while Rutecki chipped in with nine.

Callahan paced DeSales with 18 points while Connaghan added 13. Slanger and Simsick chipped in with 10 points apiece.

King's will host Manhattanville College Saturday at 3:00 PM in Scandlon Gym.