MBB: No. 1 seed Lock Haven scores 100 points, soar into PSAC Championship Final Four
LOCK HAVEN– The top-seeded Lock Haven men’s basketball team put up 66 points in the second half and scored 100 in the game to soar past fourth seed West Chester, 100-76, on Wednesday (March 6) inside an electric Thomas Fieldhouse to advance to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Final Four.
In the win or go home scenario, the Bald Eagles recorded season-highs in points (100) on a season-high 56 percent shooting from the floor after knocking down a scorching 72 percent of their shots in the second half.
The quarterfinal victory is the first for The Haven since 1989-90 and advances the Bald Eagles to the final four with a chance to advance to the title game.
The Bald Eagles improve to 21-7 on the year and 12-1 in front of the home crowd.
The Golden Rams dropped their third straight to The Haven to fall to 19-11 overall and are eliminated from the PSAC Championship Tournament.
After leading 34-31 coming out of the break, the Bald Eagles shot a scorching 72 percent (23-of-32) in the second half and scored a season-high 66 points to run away with the victory.
Four Bald Eagles scored in double-figures, led by a game-high 27 points from Justice Shoats (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Holy Redeemer), who finished 8-of-16 from the field and 11-of-13 at the free throw line.
Shoats, who ranks in the PSAC top-10 in both points and assists, secured a double-double with 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals.
Bryson Scott (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) (17 points) and Dyllon Scott (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) (13 points) combined for 30 points off the bench to lead a dynamic second unit. B. Scott notched his first double-double, adding a game-high 11 rebounds, while going 6-fo-6 at the foul line.
Isaiah Stewart (Madison, Wisc./Madison La Follette) filled the box score with 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point land, while dishing out seven assists.
Shoats, B. Scott and Collin Jones (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain threw down dunks that sent the Thomas Fieldhouse capacity crown into a frenzy during the Bald Eagles’ monster second-half run that allowed Lock Haven to extend its largest lead to 93-63.
Jalen Gorham (York, Pa./MacDuffie School) joined in the fun with a ferocious slam dunk and grabbed seven rebounds to go with seven points.
Updated NCAA Division II Regional Rankings:
Earlier today, the NCAA released the updated Division II Atlantic Region rankings and Lock Haven is ranked No. 8 in the region, which helps them push one step closer to a berth in the 2024 NCA Division II National Championship Tournament. The full updated rankings can be found at NCAA.com.
Up Next:
The Bald Eagles advance to the PSAC Championship Final Four and will take on California (Pa.) on Saturday (March 9) at noon on the campus of Gannon University with a chance to play for a PSAC title.
