William Penn Continues Home Dominance in Win Over Park
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team kept its momentum rolling Saturday, securing a 105–88 Heart of America Athletic Conference victory over Park inside Penn Gym.
The Statesmen (18-5, 12-3 Heart) traded punches early with the Pirates (9-13, 6-8 Heart) but never allowed Park to seize control of the contest. Holding a slim 39–36 advantage late in the first half, William Penn closed the period on a 10-6 run to carry a 49–42 lead into the break.
William Penn shot 50 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three-point range in the opening half, while Park connected at a 52.9 percent clip overall and 40 percent from beyond the arc. Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) paced the Statesmen with 12 first-half points.
The Navy and Gold wasted little time pulling away in the second half, opening with a decisive 14–4 run before settling back into back-and-forth play. With just over eight minutes remaining, WPU delivered the knockout blow, using a 16–3 surge to stretch its lead to 98–75. Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) buried a three-pointer to secure the 100th point of the night, triggering 25-cent hot dogs at Wednesday’s home game against Grand View. Although Park trimmed the margin in the closing minutes, the outcome was firmly in hand.
For the game, William Penn shot an efficient 57.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from long range, while holding Park to 45.5 percent shooting overall and 36.4 percent from deep.
Boleware led all scorers with 23 points, followed closely by Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) with 22. Both were highly efficient, as Boleware went 9-for-13 from the floor and Larane finished 8-for-10. Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) recorded his 12th double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Belle-McCrary added 14 points and eight boards.
The Statesmen held a 40–33 edge on the glass, though Park grabbed an 11–9 advantage in offensive rebounds. William Penn converted those opportunities into an 18–15 edge in second-chance points. WPU committed 10 turnovers, which Park turned into 12 points, while the Statesmen forced seven Pirate miscues for six points. Foul trouble loomed throughout, as William Penn was whistled for 23 fouls compared to Park’s 13.
Up Next: William Penn returns to Penn Gym Wednesday for the annual Toilet Paper Game against Grand View. Tipoff for the Heart showdown is set for 7:30 p.m.
