William Penn Falls in TP Game, Home Win Streak Snapped
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team dropped a narrow 70–69 decision to Heart rival Grand View in the annual Toilet Paper Game on Wednesday, ending the Statesmen’s 12-game home unbeaten streak.
William Penn (18-6, 12-4 Heart) fell behind 2–0 early, but a three-pointer from Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) ignited the crowd and kept the TP Game tradition alive. From there, neither side gained firm control as the teams traded baskets throughout the opening half. A late three from Alif Bass (Jr., Newark, N.J., Sports Management) pushed the Statesmen ahead 39–38 at the break.
WPU shot 46.7% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc in the first half, while Grand View connected at a 43.2% clip overall and 16.7% from deep. Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) led the early effort with 12 points, and Bass added eight.
The second half followed a similar script until the Vikings used an 8–0 run to seize momentum. William Penn trimmed the deficit to 59–58, but Grand View responded with six unanswered points to build a 70–63 advantage. Sheriff buried a clutch three with 34 seconds remaining to pull the Statesmen within 70–69, yet a late turnover prevented WPU from attempting a potential game-winning shot.
For the contest, William Penn shot 37.9% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range, while holding Grand View to just 15.4% from deep. The Vikings proved more efficient overall, finishing at 47% from the floor.
Larane paced the Statesmen with 21 points. Sheriff recorded a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) added 10 points and 11 boards. Bass contributed 11 points.
William Penn controlled the glass with a 49–33 rebounding edge, including a 14–5 margin in offensive rebounds that translated into a 16–5 advantage in second-chance points. Turnovers proved costly, however, as Grand View forced a 15–4 differential and converted those opportunities into a 12–6 edge in points off mistakes.
“We didn’t handle the hype and excitement of the evening very well. It felt a bit off all night within our team,” said Head Coach John Henry. “The final possession was disappointing to not even get a shot off.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Dubuque next Wednesday to face Clarke in Heart action at 7:30 p.m.
