ERIE, Pa. (Jan. 14) – Behind a career-high 25 points and seven three-pointers from redshirt junior Jermaine Hall, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Severn School), the Vulcans won 83-66 at Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon.

With the victory, the California (PA) men's basketball team improves to 7-8 overall with a 4-5 mark in league play. Meanwhile, Gannon remains winless this season and drops to 0-13 behind a 0-9 record in conference competition.

Hall shot 9-of-16 from the field, including 7-for-10 from beyond the arc, while grabbing eight rebounds and two assists. The Baltimore native is averaging 17.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of .520. Hall entered play having made no more than two three-pointers in a game this season while shooting 35.4 percent (23-of-65) from beyond the arc.

Sophomore Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) registered 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field behind a trio of three-pointers. Palek also collected five rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Cam Polak (West Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley) notched 12 points in the win, while redshirt freshman Donald Whitehead, Jr. (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) finished with nine points, six rebounds and six assists off the bench.

Gannon jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the initial three minutes of the game.  The Vulcans answered back with a 13-5 run as they claimed a 13-12 advantage after a three-pointer from Palek. Cal stretched its lead to 22-18 with 4:11 remaining in the half. After trailing 27-20 with three minutes to play in the first half. The Golden Knights scored seven-straight points to tie the game 27-27. Sophomore DJ Slaughter (Manassas, Va./Saint John Paul the Great Catholic) was able to connect on a jumper right before time expired to give the Vulcans a 29-27 at the break.

Gannon mounted momentum early in the second half as it started on a 12-8 rally to claim a 41-37 advantage. A layup from Slaughter ignited a 16-2 run by Cal as it was able to take its first double-digit lead at 53-43. The Vulcans took a 15-point advantage following a 13-8 run that was capped off by a trey from Hall. The Golden Knights trimmed the deficit to 68-57 following a free-throw by Demetrius Mims with 6:15 remaining. The teams split the following 14 points as Cal held Gannon to two points over the last 1:23 of the game.

The Vulcans shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field while connecting on 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from three-point territory. Meanwhile, Gannon recorded a shooting percentage of .413 (26-of-63) from the floor while only hitting 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from beyond the arc.

Mims posted 16 points, eight rebounds and a pair of steals, while Zach Kent tallied 12 points and five rebounds. Ronny Raphael added 11 points, two boards and a pair of steals.

Cal returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 18, as it hosts Mercyhurst in a PSAC West contest at 7:30 p.m.