Statesmen Unable to Hold Off Northwestern in Offensive Battle

Orange City--The William Penn men's basketball team suffered its first setback of the 2025–26 season Tuesday night, falling 128–106 to No. 8 Northwestern in a high-scoring non-conference matchup.

The Statesmen (5–1) opened the game strong, trading buckets with the Red Raiders (6–0) before taking control at 11–8 just under three minutes into play. A 13–2 run midway through the half extended WPU's advantage, and despite both offenses lighting up the scoreboard, the visitors carried a 66–59 lead into halftime.

William Penn was sharp in the opening period, shooting 66.7% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the arc. Foday Sheriff (Sr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) led the first-half charge with 23 points, while Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) and Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) added 14 and 13, respectively.

Northwestern caught fire after the break, reclaiming the lead with a 13–5 run early in the second half. The two sides traded blows until the 13:37 mark when the Red Raiders pulled ahead 87–85 and never relinquished control. A late 13–0 surge sealed the game for Northwestern, which outpaced William Penn down the stretch.

Sheriff paced the Statesmen with 30 points and nine rebounds, followed by Boleware with 20 points and Larane with 18. Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) also chipped in 14.

Northwestern was led by an explosive duo in Jalen Langsy and Jesse Van Kalsbeek, who each scored over 45 points, with the latter notching a double-double.

Despite the loss, William Penn's offense put together an impressive performance, finishing 57.1% from the field, 33.3% from three-point range, and 66.7% from the line. Northwestern, however, was nearly unstoppable—shooting 66.7% from the floor, 60% from deep, and 86.5% at the stripe.

WPU controlled second-chance opportunities with 11 offensive rebounds, leading to a 15–4 edge, and converted 10 Northwestern turnovers into 15 points. The Red Raiders held advantages in assists (22–11) and free-throw opportunities, capitalizing on 23 WPU fouls to go 32-for-37 at the line.

"We played pretty well, actually, but those two guys were remarkable," said Head Coach John Henry. "I've never seen a performance by a duo like that ever in my career or life."

Up Next: William Penn opens Heart of America Athletic conference play Saturday at Benedictine in Atchison, Kan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.