Second-Half Surge Lifts William Penn Past Mount Mercy
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team showcased its offensive depth and rebounding strength Wednesday night, rolling past Mount Mercy 98–84 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup inside Penn Gym.
The Statesmen (9–5, 5–3 Heart) came out sharp, opening with a 13–7 run before the Mustangs (8–8, 3–5 Heart) briefly grabbed a 14–13 advantage. William Penn quickly regained control at 21–19 and never trailed again. After a brief lapse allowed Mount Mercy a chance to tie in the final minute of the half, Ryan Robinson (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Business Management) drilled a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Navy and Gold into the break with momentum.
William Penn’s perimeter shooting set the tone early, as the Statesmen connected on 44.4% of their three-point attempts and shot 43.9% overall in the opening half. Foday Sheriff (Sr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) led the way with 15 points before intermission, while Alif Bass (Jr., Newark, N.J., Sports Management) added 11.
The Statesmen wasted little time extending the margin in the second half, opening with a 13–5 run before the teams settled into a back-and-forth stretch. A decisive 8–0 spurt beginning at the 9:29 mark ignited a larger surge, as William Penn rattled off 10 unanswered points to stretch the lead to 88–69 and put the game firmly out of reach.
William Penn finished the night shooting 49.4% from the field and an efficient 48.1% from beyond the arc, while Mount Mercy shot 47.1% overall and 35.3% from long range.
Bass and Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) paced the scoring with 20 points apiece, followed closely by Sheriff with 19. Javion Belle-McCrary (Jr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) controlled the paint with nine rebounds, while Sheriff added eight boards, respectively. Boleware and Chase Page (Sr., Melbourne, Australia, Business Management) also contributed seven rebounds apiece.
The decisive difference came on the glass, where the Statesmen dominated 50–26, including a commanding 15–3 edge in offensive rebounds that translated into a 22–4 advantage in second-chance points. William Penn also held a 22–18 lead in assists, underscoring its balanced offensive attack.
“We shot the ball really well tonight, and they threw some different defensive looks at us,” said head coach John Henry. “Mount Mercy is a really good team—this was a very good win for us.”
Up Next: William Penn returns to action Thursday, hosting Oak Hills Christian in non-conference play at 7 p.m. in Penn Gym.
