Greater Allegheny Men's Basketball Falls Short to Beaver, 101-95

McKeesport, Pa. - Despite a stand-out 32 point night for freshman guard Khari Hicks (Pittsburgh, Pa./Imani Christian), the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's basketball team dropped to Penn State University Athletic Conference foe, Penn State Beaver, Tuesday evening, 101-95.

Junior guard Chris Dixon (Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley) put up the first points of the game, as he made a layup. Hicks dropped a three-pointer before Dixon put up another layup. Senior guard Matt Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus) added six points and Hicks a layup before freshman guard Tony Patterson-Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Roxborough) drained a trey to have Greater Allegheny take the lead seven minutes into the game, 18-16.

Beaver pulled ahead to a nine point advantage before sophomore guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) made a layup. Senior forward Petrie Addison (Fort Myers, Fla./Florida Christian) and Hicks went back-and-forth in the scoring tally, as Addison posted three layups and Hicks three three-pointers, Greater Allegheny behind Beaver 47-36 with three minutes until halftime.

Boyer-London put up three foul shots as Dixon completed one. Freshman guard Antonio Lucic-Jozak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) put down a layup, sending the two teams into halftime with a Beaver advantage, 53-41.

Hicks came out with a vengeance, as he bucketed ten points out-of-the-gate for the home team, cutting the deficit to just five. Williams slashed both free-throws as Addison drained four attempts as well. Patterson-Brown, Hicks and Williams knocked down two points apiece from the floor as Addison posted two from the foul line.

Additions from Boyer-London Hicks and Patterson-Brown cut the Beaver lead to just three with less than ten minutes left in regulation. Beaver continued to post points as Williams and Boyer-London join up for seven points toward the GA tally. Addison made a layup and one while Boyer-London knocked down four. Hicks, Addison and Boyer-London posted layups to ride out the final minutes of the contest, Greater Allegheny just behind Beaver 101-95 as time expired.

Hicks completed the evening with 32 points, three rebounds and an assist while shooting 66.7% (12-of-18) from the floor, 66.7% (2-of3) from the foul line and 75% (6-of-8) from the arc. Addison finished with another double-double, posting 19 points with 21 rebounds and four assists while shooting 56.2% (9-of-16) from the free-throw line. Boyer-London added a double-double ass well, with 18 points and 14 rebounds with two steals. He shot 70% (7-of-10) from the floor while adding 50% (4-of-8) from the free-throw line. Williams put up 12 points with eight boards to assist Greater Allegheny.

As a team, GA shot 50.7% (35-of-69) from the floor as they shot 52.9% (18-of-34) from the free-throw line. Greater Allegheny converted 52 points in the paint while adding 15 points off second-chance and 11 points off turnovers.

Greater Allegheny (6-7, 3-2 PSUAC) looks onward to Friday, as the men and women welcome Penn State Fayette to Wudnerley Gymnasium for their last contest before winter break. Men are set to tip-off after the women's competition, slated for a 8 p.m. start.