McMunn Crucial in 110-109 Overtime Thriller over DuBois

McKeesport, Pa. - Sophomore guard Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) comes up dangerous in the 110-109 Penn State University Athletic Conference men's basketball show-down over Penn State DuBois, Tuesday night.

Greater Allegheny jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead with a three-pointer from both sophomore guard Khari Hicks (East Hills, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) and freshman guard Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). In just over a minute, DuBois found themselves staring at GA 10-10.

Payne nailed down another three-pointer as sophomore guard Denzel Boyer-London (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) contributed four and sophomore forward Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) added five, GA 22-15. Junior guard Moe Alli (Edison, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) put up points in the paint before McMunn set freshman forward Isaiah Fluker (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) up for a dunk to ignite the crowd, GA up by nine.

Boyer-London and junior forward Jumanne Butler-McDaniel (Somerset, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) tallied jumpers for the Lions while senior guard Jashaun Fontanez (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) drained four. DuBois rallied within six as Newby marked a free-throw. Hicks kept the lead to two points with a good layup and a trey, 42-40 with less than three until the half. Fontanez and Newby denoted layups as DuBois took the first half of action, 47-46.

DuBois came out in the second-half and stretched their lead to seven as Fontanez, Hicks and McMunn all dropped jumpers for the Greater Allegheny offense. McMunn laid down points outside the arc Newby and Fontanez made sure on points from the foul line. 

With nine minutes remaining in regulation, the home team found themselves down 12 points. In just over a minute of action, Butler-McDaniel, Boyer-London, Newby and Fontanez all put on paints for GA, still behind 76-68.

Butler-McDaniel added points in the paint before Newby turned a big steal into points for Hicks. A Fontanez jumper and one brought the Lions within one point of the visitors with less than seven minutes left on the scoreboard. Fontanez hit a ringer of a three-pointer to tie the game at 80 before Butler-McDaniel took the lead back into Greater Allegheny's hands, 80-78.

Fontanez snapped with nine points for the blue-and-white separated by a Hicks layup, GA down three with 56 seconds left on the clock. A GA foul turned into a pair of points from the DuBois foul line as Alli connected on a three-pointer, 96-94. With time disintegrating on the clock, McMunn and the rest of the defenders forced a steal in the corner, while McMunn drove his way to the bucket, tying the game at 96.

In extra time, Alli put up the first three points as McMunn hit a layup to take the lead, 101-100. Fontanez came in clutch for two from the foul line as Butler-McDaniel kept the lead with a layup. Another big foul from DuBois resulted in a trio of completed foul shots for McMunn. With three seconds remaining on the clock, McMunn erupted with a made layup to take Greater Allegheny to their sixth Penn State University Athletic Conference victory of the season, 110-109.

DuBois' Tristan Pierce connected on an outstanding game-high of 39 points with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Newby denoted a double-double on the night with 18 rebounds and 11 points while Fontanez connected on a team-high 33 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. McMunn and Hicks both added 16 points each for the GA offense, both coming in steady for the Lions.

As a tean, Greater Allegheny shot 71.4% (15-of-21) from the foul line with 47.8% (44-of-92) of their shots going in from the floor. GA out-rebounded DuBois, 51-45, turning those into 23 points. The blue-and-white put on 62 points in the paint while noting 32 points on second-chance. The game was tied 12 times with 14 lead changes through the 45 minutes of action.

Greater Allegheny (8-8, 6-1 PSUAC) looks forward to a big Penn State University Athletic Conference weekend, as Penn State Worthington-Scranton is set to come to Wunderley Gymnasium for the second-half of the double-header. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.