Mistakes Doom William Penn Against Park

Parkville, Mo.–-The Statesmen men's basketball team couldn't overcome costly mistakes in the closing minutes, falling 84-81 to Park in a Heart of America Athletic matchup Saturday.

The Statesmen (6-2, 3-1 Heart) came out firing, opening with a 12-2 run that stunned the Pirates (4-4, 3-1 Heart). Despite the strong start, Park clawed back to within three points at the 8:49 mark. WPU responded to regain momentum, heading into halftime with a 45-38 advantage.

Jacore Williams (Jr., Little Rock, Ark., Busines Management) tallied 11 of his 16 points in the opening half. Three other Statesmen--Justin Bradley (Jr., Okiwana, Japan, Biology), Malique Oates (Sr., Huntsville, Ala., Sports Management), and Manny Hammonds (So., Des Moines, Iowa, New Media)--added six points apiece.

Building on their first-half success, the Statesmen surged ahead 57-45 at the 13:40 mark after a 10-2 scoring run. The teams traded baskets for much of the period before WPU hit its peak, surging to a 74-60 advantage, the largest lead of the game, with 7:45 remaining.

However, Park cut into the deficit and took its first lead of the night, 79-78, with just 2:28 left. Down the stretch, the Statesmen struggled to convert opportunities, while Park hit crucial free throws to secure the victory.

Bradley stayed consistent in the second half, recording eight points, while Isaac Hoberecht (Jr., Carl Junction, Mo., Business Management) also tallied eight points.

Overall, WPU outshot the Pirates 44.8%-40.6% in the field, but was outperformed from the arc, with a 40.0%-23.8% deficit. The Statesmen also fell short at the free-throw line, shooting 66.7% to the Park's 78.6%.

William Penn found more opportunities on the boards with a 45-39 edge, including 31 offensive rebounds, which was converted into 19 second-chance points (six for PU). Turnovers hurt the Statesmen, with the Pirates scoring 17 points off WPU's 14 giveaways, compared to just 13 points off Park's eight turnovers.

Williams totaled 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while Bradley tallied 14 points and six boards. Hoberecht contributed 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Oates added 10 points, six rebounds, and four blocks.

Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Criminology) had an all-around performance with seven points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

"I, Coach Henry, had a bad game tonight. I had some mistakes, and I need to be better," said Head Coach John Henry. "We played hard, but just couldn't put Park away."

Up Next: William Penn visits Canton, Mo., to take on Culver-Stockton next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Heart play.