Statesmen Come Up Short in Home Loss to Park

Oskaloosa--William Penn struggled to find its rhythm in a hard-fought 84-75 home loss to Park on Saturday in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup.

The Statesmen (9-8, 6-7 Heart) started strong, opening with a 13-7 lead before Park (11-8, 10-5 Heart) countered with six unanswered points to tie the game. The contest seesawed until the Pirates surged with a 9-0 run, extending their advantage to 28-20. William Penn responded with a spirited 12-4 run to tie the game at 32, but Park hit two late jumpers to carry a 36-32 lead into halftime.

LeQuan Washington (Jr., Chicago, Ill.) led William Penn in the first half with eight points, while Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Criminology) contributed seven points and pulled down eight rebounds.

After the break, both teams traded baskets before Park found its groove with a decisive 10-4 run to extend its lead to 57-48. The Statesmen battled back, cutting the deficit to 70-64 with a 16-13 run, but the Pirates maintained their composure to seal the ten-point victory.

Manny Hammonds (So., Des Moines, Iowa, New Media) led the charge for William Penn with a game-high 27 points, including an impressive 21-point second half. Washington added 12 points, while Reed finished with nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Statistically, the matchup was closely contested. William Penn shot 37.7% from the field, narrowly trailing Park's 38.0%. From beyond the arc, the Statesmen held the advantage, hitting 32.4% of their attempts compared to Park's 21.1%. Both teams excelled at the free-throw line, converting 75.0% of their opportunities, though Park made 21-of-28 attempts, significantly outpacing William Penn's 6-for-8 effort.

On the boards, the Statesmen were outrebounded by the Pirates 53-44 and were outscored 13-10 on second-chance points. Turnovers were an issue for both teams, with William Penn committing 12, which led to 13 Mustang points. However, the Statesmen forced eight turnovers and converted them into 10 points.

The Pirates dominated the boards, outrebounding the Statesmen 53-44 and outscoring them 13-10 on second-chance points. Turnovers were also a factor, as William Penn's 12 miscues led to 13 points for Park, though the Statesmen forced eight turnovers and converted them into 10 points.

"One of our points of emphasis coming into the game was Park's offensive rebounding, and that was a major factor against us tonight," said Head Coach John Henry. "They outworked us in many facets and were far more physical."

Up Next: William Penn remains at home to face Baker Monday at 3:00 PM in another Heart Conference contest.