LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. (Feb. 16) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 20-5 run to open the second half to drop an 84-76 contest to Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 7-16 this season behind a 5-12 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats snap a three-game losing streak to improve to 14-11 overall with a 9-9 mark in the conference action.
Freshman
Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) finished with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including three-of-seven from beyond the arc. He tallied five rebounds and six assists while playing 30 minutes due to foul trouble. Collins has now tallied at least 18 points in five-straight games while playing his fewest minutes since Dec. 9.
Fellow freshman
Collin MacAdams (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) scored 17 points behind 8-of-10 from the free-throw line and added seven rebounds in 37 minutes. He has averaged 16.6 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last five games.
Junior
Jordan Gessner (Elizabethville, Pa./Upper Dauphin) totaled a career-high 15 points on six-of-nine attempts, including three-of-four from three-point range. He also collected a career-high eight rebounds (four offensive) and added three steals in 37 minutes. Sophomore
Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) tallied 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting with three from long range. He recorded five assists and two steals while playing all 40 minutes.
Both teams exchanged points over the initial three-plus minutes of the contest before Cal U scored 11-consecutive points to build a 17-5 lead with 13:21 left in the first half. The Vulcans held a 24-10 lead at the midway point of the half until UPJ registered seven-unanswered points to close the gap to 24-17. The Mountain Cats ended a nearly three-minute scoreless drought before tallying six of the next eight points to trim the deficit to 28-25 at the 5:54-mark. Cal U held a 36-30 advantage with 4:08 remaining before Pitt-Johnstown used an 8-2 rally to tie the game at 38-38 at the break.
In the second half, the Mountain Cats used a 20-5 run to establish a 58-43 lead at the 14:48-mark. During the run, UPJ made 8-of-11 attempts, including a perfect four-of-four from long range, while the Vulcans made just two field goals. Cal U recorded five-consecutive points to cut the deficit to 58-48 before both teams traded the next eight baskets. Each team struggled from the field after the midway point of the second half making just one shot each, as the Mountain Cats held a 73-59 advantage. The Vulcans managed to close the gap to 81-71 in the final minute of the game, but Pitt-Johnstown ultimately held on for an 84-76 victory.
Cal U finished the game with a .444 field-goal percentage (28-of-63) and made 12-of-33 attempts (36.4 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Pitt-Johnstown shot 47.8 percent (33-of-69) from the floor, including 17-of-32 (53.1 percent) in the second half. The Mountain Cats held a commanding 54-33 rebounding advantage and tallied 23 assists, while the Vulcans committed just 11 turnovers.
Freshman John Paul Kromka led all scorers and posted a double-double with 28 points on 12-of-14 from the floor and 19 rebounds, plus five assists, three steals and three blocks, in 39 minutes. Classmate Caiden Landis registered 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes, while fellow freshman Fred Mulbah also collected 16 points, two rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes.
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 20, when they travel to face Mercyhurst in PSAC West play, starting at 7:30 p.m.
