LYCOMING SET TO HOST SCRANTON IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The road to a Freedom Conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs begins Wednesday night in Lamade Gymnasium as Lycoming College hosts the University of Scranton in men’s basketball playoff action.

The Warriors earned the right to host by sharing the regular-season conference title with King’s College after going 10-4 versus Freedom Conference opponents. The Royals enter the tournament as the third seed with a regular-season record of 9-5 in the conference.

Overall, Scranton was 12-12 during the 2001-2002 campaign but struggled down the stretch losing four of their last five games, including a 67-80 decision to Wilkes in the season finale that dropped the Royals from a three-way tie for first place in the league.

Scranton presents a balanced attack on offense with four starters averaging more than 10 points per contest. Junior center Derek Elphick (Dingmans Ferry, PA; Delaware Valley) leads the squad with a 15.8 points-per-game average – good for third in the conference. He is also pulling down 6.2 rebounds per contest and has blocked 24 shots.

Freshman Ryan Rogan (Archbald, PA; Scranton Prep) and junior Dan Loftus (Doylestown, PA; Central Bucks West) provide the outside complement to Elphick. Rogan is scoring 15.4 points-per-game, largely on the strength of his three-point shooting. He leads the team with 60 triples on the season and ranks third in the conference in three-point percentage. Loftus is a well-rounded player who averages 14.8 ppg, while leading the Freedom in steals. He also leads the Royals in assists averaging just over three per game.

Freshman forward Brian O’Donnell (Mahopac, NY; John F. Kennedy) is a solid swingman, leading the team with 8.3 rebounds-per-game and 10.9 ppg. He is shooting nearly 50% from the field and over 70% from the free-throw line.

Off the bench, sophomore forward Owen Baillie (Maimi, FL; Gulliver Prep) and sophomore guard James Martelli (Drexel Hill, PA; St. Joseph’s Prep) can provide an instant spark on offense.

Lycoming finished the regular season with an overall mark of 17-7, including victories in six of their final seven games. Their most recent wins were both dramatic come-from-behind victories on their home floor.

The Warriors are an emotional team that feeds of the energy of junior point-guard Tommy Wesner (Dillsburg, PA; Northern). Wesner leads the team and the conference in scoring, averaging 17.3 points-per-game. He is also the league’s most explosive three-point threat connecting on nearly four triples per contest.

Wesner is not Lycoming’s only offensive weapon, however. Senior forward Chris Napier (Port Jervis, NY; Minisink Valley) is the second leading scorer in the Freedom, pouring in 16.0 ppg. He can shoot from behind the arc as evidenced by 48 triples on the season, but he is also one of the best players in the conference at driving to the hoop. Napier also helps the Warriors control the glass with 6.6 rebounds per game.

Sophomore center Matt Stackhouse (Hughesville, PA; Hughesville) has become one of the top post players in the conference and is the perfect balance to Lycoming’s outside attack. He leads the Warriors in both rebounding, with 8.6 boards-per-game, and blocked shots with 44. Stackhouse ranks second in the Freedom shooting 59% from the field, as well as 73% from the free-throw line.

Senior guard Jason Black (Duncannon, PA; Susquenita) is yet another weapon, averaging 10.5 ppg and knocking down 40 three-pointers this season. He is also one of Lycoming’s top defenders.

The Warriors often go four-deep off their bench with senior Rob Johnson (Bradley Beach, NJ; Manasquan), sophomore L.J. Huggler (St. Mary’s, PA; St. Mary’s), and freshmen Curtin Mays (Philadelphia, PA; University City) and Matt Spears (Shamokin, PA; Shamokin) each providing valuable minutes at both ends of the floor for Lycoming.

The Royals and Warriors have already met twice this season with both teams holding serve on their home floor. In the first contest at the Long Center, Scranton held on down the stretch for a 59-58 victory. Lycoming trailed by 10 with three minutes to play and held the Royals scoreless, but could only manage nine points of their own before the final buzzer. Loftus was Scranton’s leading scorer with 18 points, while Stackhouse led the Warriors with 20 markers.

In the second meeting just eight nights ago at Lamade Gymnasium, the Royals held a 20-point advantage four minutes into the second half but Lycoming came storming back to overtake the visiting team. The Warriors eventually led by six with 35 seconds to play before barely holding on for the 77-74 win.

“We’ve played two great games against Scranton already this season and I expect the third time to be no different,” said Lycoming head coach Terry Conrad. “I’m excited for the seniors and the program that we have the opportunity to host a playoff game and that we earned it by winning a piece of the regular-season title. We should have a big crowd at the game and the atmosphere will be electric which will make it a lot of fun for the players. Hopefully, we can perform well and make it a lot of fun for the fans as well.”

The men’s Freedom Conference championship game will be played on Saturday, February 23, at the site of the highest remaining seed. The other semifinal contest being played this Wednesday evening is between number one seed King’s College and number four seed and defending champion Wilkes University.

Tip-off for Lycoming’s game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Lamade Gymnasium. The doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for senior citizens, $2.00 for students, and free admission for children under six years of age. There will be no advance ticket sales and complimentary or season passes will not be accepted.