William Penn Sweeps Conference And Tournament Titles
Eddie Daley after scoring his 1000th career point holds the conference tournament championship trophy.
Will Host First Round In The National Tournament
March 4th, 2023
Oskaloosa, Iowa – It was safe to say that many people believed this year’s men’s basketball team would be a rebuilding year.
Except for the team, who evidently never got the memo and tore their way through the Heart of America Conference on their way to winning their 4th consecutive title.
The Statesmen only lost one game during conference play, ending 21-1. Overall, the Statesmen were 28-3 on the season, with 2 early season losses.
Eddie Daley, who scored his 1000th point during the win that clinched William Penn’s fourth conference tournament win in a row, said it was a good thing the coaching staff hadn’t informed him ahead of time about the milestone. “This is to everybody I’ve played with, teammates I’ve had in the past, my teammates in the future, and everyone along the way. I’m just really happy we got the job done.”
Daley, who took a year off, has returned a stronger and smarter player for his final season. When asked what the difference is, Daley believes that being able to sit back a year and watch the game and that experience of being able to take it in from the sidelines enabled him to gain a fresh perspective.
William Penn Head Coach John Henry is loving every moment this year has had to offer. “Quite honestly, I am shocked that we went 28-3. I thought we were like a 19-10 type team, but the kids have just bought in, specifically the role players, whether they play five minutes, or 20 minutes, they do whatever they have to do to win.”
“This might be one of the most gratifying titles to win the regular season and the tournament with this group, with this staff, when we were doubted pretty much a lot. This is a blast,” Henry added.
Smilingly, William Penn Athletic Director Nik Rule said, “We love cutting nets in Penn Gymnasium.”
Rule referenced the unprecedented four conference titles, and conference tournament wins in a row. “What Coach Henry and his staff and his team have done this year continues to bring our community together. It’s a bigger picture than just winning a basketball game. It’s a rallying point for our community.”
William Penn kicks off the NAIA National Tournament at home on Tuesday night, beginning at 7 pm inside the Penn Gymnasium.
The #1 seed William Penn faces off against Saint Xavier of Illinois.
If Penn wins the opening round, they will play Wednesday night at Penn Gymnasium against either Rio Grande (Ohio) or Marian (Indiana).
Tickets for the games can be found at the following link – https://www.statesmenathletics.com/ticketing
