Statesmen Edge Wildcats in Thrilling 83-77 Victory
Canton, Mo.–-Isaac Hoberecht (Jr., Carl Junction, Mo., Business Management) powered the Statesmen men’s basketball team to an 83-77 triumph over Culver-Stockton in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Tuesday night.
The Statesmen (7-2, 4-1 Heart) overcame an early deficit after trailing 9-3, sparking a 12-2 run midway through the first half to take control. However, the Wildcats (0-8, 0-4 Heart) refused to back down, exchanging blows with William Penn before a buzzer-beating layup handed Culver-Stockton a narrow 41-39 lead at halftime.
Justin Bradley (Jr., Okiwana, Japan, Biology) led the charge with nine points before the intermission, while Hoberecht put up eight points.
Coming out of the break, the Statesmen and Wildcats continued to trade baskets before William Penn unleashed a decisive 13-2 run at the 17:30 mark, surging ahead to 60-48. Culver-Stockton battled fiercely to close the gap, but the Statesmen held strong in the final moments to secure the hard-fought victory.
Hoberecht continued to headline the stat sheet, recording 12 points in the second half. Roy Jones III (Sr., Pensacola, Fla., Psychology) and Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Criminology) followed at 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Statesmen excelled from the field, shooting 46.8% compared to Culver-Stockton’s 40.3%. William Penn’s proficiency from beyond the arc (37.5%) starkly contrasted the Wildcats’ struggles, as they managed just 14.8%. The Statesmen maintained an edge at the free throw line, converting 72.7% of their attempts to Culver-Stockton’s 55.0%.
Defensively, William Penn dominated the glass with 29 defensive rebounds but lagged offensively, grabbing only 12 boards compared to the Wildcats’ 20. Turnovers proved challenging for the Statesmen, as Culver-Stockton capitalized with 21 points off WPU’s 16 mistakes, compared to just 11 points off the Wildcats’ 11 turnovers.
The Statesmen’s defense struggled in transition, allowing 20 fastbreak points while managing just eight of their own on the other end.
Hoberecht totaled 20 points, six rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Jones finished with 14 points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals, while Reed recorded 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
“Our starting point guard duo of Hoberecht and Jones was great tonight on all facets,” said Head Coach John Henry. “We’ve got a long holiday break now, and we can heal up and regroup to end the semester both on the court and academically.”
Up Next: William Penn returns to action on December 7, hosting Graceland in Penn Gymnasium at 2 p.m.
