WARRIORS OPEN NEW YEAR WITH WIN

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – The Lycoming College men’s basketball team opened the new year with a non-conference win over Waynesburg College in the opening game of the Sprint Blue Jay Classic held at Elizabethtown College. The 92-84 win evens the Warriors’ record at 5-5 and advances them to the championship game of the tournament versus the winner of the Lincoln/Elizabethtown game.

All five starters scored in double digits to lead Lycoming to the win. The Warriors shot 85% from the free-throw line, including 22-of-27 in the second half. The Warriors trailed by a pair at the half but pulled away late in the second half for the eight-point margin of victory.

Thomas Wesner (So./Dillsburg; Northern Senior) led all scorers with 25 points on the strength of six three-pointers. He also tallied four assists. Chris Napier (Jr./Port Jervis, NY; Minisink Valley) added 22 points, 11 from the free-throw line. Jason Black (Jr./Duncannon; Susquenita), David Ganisin (Sr./Endicott, NY; Union Endicott) and Brian Lindsay (Sr./Gettysburg; Gettysburg) all reached double figures, as well, with 15, 12 and 10 respectively. Ganisin led all rebounders with 12 boards.

“I think that after our long layoff, we played hard and performed well. Our depth and our conditioning really proved to be the difference in the game,” said head coach Terry Conrad. “We were able to pull away because we really dug in on the defensive end of the court.”

Lycoming, 5-5, will play at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the championship game of the tournament against either Lincoln or host Elizabethtown. Waynesburg falls to 6-2 with the loss and will play the loser of tonight’s second game at 2 p.m. tomorrow.