Statesmen Overpower Clarke for 31-Point Victory

Oskaloosa--The William Penn men's basketball team delivered a commanding performance Monday night, rolling past Clarke 109-78 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup.

The Statesmen (10-16, 7-15 Heart) set the tone early, racing out to a 12-2 lead. Clarke (6-20, 6-16) chipped away to pull within 24-18, but WPU responded with 13 unanswered points to regain control. The Pride managed a quick six-point burst, but the Statesmen held firm, taking a 47-36 advantage into halftime.

Manny Hammonds (So., Des Moines, Iowa, New Media) powered the first-half offense with 17 points, while Jacore Williams (Jr., Little Rock, Ark., Business Management) contributed eight points and seven rebounds.

The second half saw both teams exchange baskets early before William Penn pulled away for good. A 12-7 surge extended the lead, and a dominant 25-7 run put WPU up by 34 with 9:32 remaining. Clarke found some rhythm with a 21-16 stretch, but the Statesmen never let up, breaking the 100-point mark with 2:45 left. They tacked on nine more points to seal the emphatic win.

Hammonds finished with a game-high 22 points, while Naysean Baisy (Jr., Seattle, Wash., Sports Management) added 17. Williams posted a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, also dishing out seven assists. Roy Jones III (Jr., Pensacola, Fla., Psychology) contributed 13 points, six assists, and four steals.

WPU shot 48.1% from the field, including an impressive 48.5% from three-point range, compared to Clarke's 25.0% from deep. The Statesmen also converted 75.0% of their free throws, while the Pride managed just 61.9%.

The Statesmen dominated statistically, dishing out 27 assists to Clarke's 16 while controlling the boards with a 51-33 rebounding edge. William Penn capitalized on second-chance opportunities, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds for 20 points, while Clarke managed just 10 second-chance points off eight offensive boards. The Statesmen also forced 12 turnovers, converting them into 14 points, while committing just 10 giveaways of their own.

"Very happy for the guys. It was good to see some smiles," Head Coach John Henry said. "We played very well tonight."

Up Next: William Penn looks to carry its momentum into Wednesday's Toilet Paper Game against Heart rival Grand View. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Penn Gymnasium.