Statesmen Grind Out 92–90 Thriller Over Missouri Valley
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team clawed back from a late deficit and held on in the final seconds, securing a 92–90 victory over Missouri Valley in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Saturday.
The Statesmen (8–3, 2–2 Heart) opened the afternoon trading blows with the Vikings (7–5, 3–3 Heart), inching ahead 15–11 during the early stretch. WPU later pieced together a 7–3 run to build a 28–21 lead, but MVC countered with a 9–4 push to close the gap. The back-and-forth pace continued until halftime, where William Penn carried a 52–47 advantage.
WPU shot 51.4% from the floor in the opening half—33.3% from deep—and limited Missouri Valley to fewer attempts despite the Vikings’ better percentages. Donovan Rodriguez (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Sports Management) led the early charge with 17 points, while Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) chipped in 11.
Missouri Valley came out strong after the break, trimming the deficit to one before the Statesmen settled back in. The teams exchanged baskets until the Vikings grabbed their first lead at 69–68 with 10:53 remaining. From there, the game turned into a true tug-of-war, with neither side leading by more than a possession. In the closing seconds, Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) delivered the decisive moment, putting up a clutch layup with 11 seconds left to put WPU back on top for good.
The second half belonged to Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management), who powered the offense with 16 of his 19 points after the break.
Rodriguez finished with a team-high 23, followed by Sheriff’s 19. Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) added 15 points and a team-best eight rebounds, while Larane closed with 11.
Shooting overall favored the Vikings, who finished 49.2% from the field compared to William Penn’s 45.3%, and held a 39.1%–28.1% advantage from beyond the arc as each team hit nine threes. The Statesmen also struggled at the line, going 25-for-41.
WPU dominated the glass 42–31, including a 17–10 offensive rebounding margin that fueled a 25–9 advantage in second-chance points. The bench also delivered, outscoring the Vikings’ reserves 32–10.
Both teams finished with 13 turnovers, but the Statesmen made more of their chances, turning them into a 12–8 scoring advantage.
Missouri Valley’s offense was driven by one scorer who poured in 50 points, but WPU’s depth and rebounding control ultimately carried the day.
Up Next: William Penn returns home Saturday for more Heart action, hosting Baker at 4:00 p.m. inside Penn Gymnasium.
