Statesmen Claim Tournament Championship in Chicago
Chicago, Ill.–The William Penn men’s basketball team earned a tournament championship at the Governors State Classic as they defeated the tournament hosts 90-66 on Saturday. The win is the second in a row for the Statesmen as they conclude the opening weekend of their season.
The game got started in classic William Penn fashion as Reyhan Cobb (Jr., Atlanta, Ga.) threw down a dunk only seven seconds into the game. Both offenses were quiet to begin the game, as the score stood at only 8-8 with 15 minutes to play in the half.
The Statesmen could not buy a basket for the next few minutes, but Muneer Newton (Fr., Philadelphia, Pa.) finally broke the scoreless stretch with a bucket, and nailed two free throws a few seconds later. The offense started to come back to life, as Kevion Blaylock accounted for three of William Penn’s next four baskets to tie the score at 20.
Finally getting things going down low, the navy and gold started working the perimeter in the final minutes of the half as Josh Watkins (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Sports Management), Karmari Newman (Sr., Detroit, Mich., Digital Communications), and Malyk Thomas (Sr., Copperas Cove, Texas) combined for four trifectas to end the scoring in the half.
The Statesmen only put up 29 shots in the half compared to 32 from Governors State, but shot a robust 48.3% from the floor to head into the break with a 37-34 lead.
Blaylock got the second half started hot with five straight points, then Watkins made it an 8-0 run to begin the half with another triple. The Jaguars attempted to claw their way back into the game, but the Statesmen began to pull away in the final 10 minutes.
After pushing the lead to single digits at 61-52, the navy and gold rattled off the next seven points, including four from Cobb. The lead never dwindled to single digits again, as the Statesmen continued to pour it on and finish with a strong 24 point win.
Blaylock was nearly perfect, shooting 13-16 from the field and making his only free throw attempt. He also finished with a double-double for the second straight contest after grabbing 10 boards to go along with his 27 point performance.
Cobb had a strong second game in navy and gold, shooting 5-6 from the field and finishing with 13 points. Newman and Watkins each cracked double digits with 11 points apiece. Q Cager (Sr., Hopkinsville, Ky., Wellness and Recreation) was a presence on both sides of the ball, finishing with seven points, six assists, and four steals.
After turning in back-to-back double-doubles, Blaylock was named the MVP of the tournament, while Watkins and Newman each earned all-tournament honors.
“We struggled a bit in the first half but relaxed and played a very good second half,” said Head Coach John Henry. “Kevion ‘KB’ Blaylock was pretty much unstoppable tonight.”
What’s Next: After a successful opening weekend, the Statesmen have a week to reload before their home opener against William Woods on Saturday, October 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM in Penn Gymnasium.
