Posted: Nov 01, 2024
Statesmen Dominate IU Kokomo in Season-Opening Victory
William Penn (IA)
(1-0)
87
IU Kokomo
(0-1)
64
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
William Penn (IA) (1-0) | 41 | 46 | 87 |
|
IU Kokomo (0-1) | 26 | 38 | 64 |
Chicago, Ill.--The Statesmen men's basketball team started off its season Friday with an 87-64 win over IU Kokomo in the Governors State Classic.
After finishing last season 6-22, William Penn (1-0) wasted no time signaling a new era, with players stepping confidently into key roles. Newcomer Roy Jones III (Sr., Pensacola, Fla.) was strong in the first half with nine points, while Justin Bradley (Sr., Okinawa, Japan, Biology), Isaac Hoberecht (Jr., Carl Junction, Mo.), and Jacore Williams (Jr., Little Rock, Ark.) all tallied five points each before the intermission.
William Penn, which outshot IUK 50.8%-37.9%, dominated from the start, scoring the first seven points of the night. The Statesmen never trailed against the Cougars, eventually building the lead to 41-26 by halftime.
William Penn started the second half on another hot streak, scoring seven of the first nine points. The Statesmen, who were never threatened the rest of the contest, coasted to victory.
William Penn capitalized on 19 IUK turnovers, converting them into 13 points, while holding the Cougars to just nine points off turnovers.
Despite being outrebounded 46-42 and outscored 16-12 in second-chance points, the Statesmen put up a strong showing with 46 total points from the bench. Coming off the bench, Bradley contributed 12 points, and Williams added 11 to the effort.
Jones III led the Statesmen offense, scoring 13 points and posting five steals. Manny Hammonds and Jawuan Brown (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) recorded nine points apiece, with Brown also recording four blocks.
Naysean Baisy (Jr., Seattle, Wash.) assisted the Statesmen scoring with eight rebounds, while Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.) added seven rebounds.
"I thought our scout team was very important to this win. We were very prepared," said Head Coach John Henry. "We are excited, and this is a good way to start our season."
Up Next: William Penn remains in Chicago as they take on East-West at 1 p.m. Saturday.
