Box Score



KUTZTOWN, Pa. – It was probably one of the most exciting and exhilarating displays fans have witnessed at Keystone Arena in a long time.  18 lead changes and 16 ties told the story of Saturday's double overtime clash between the Kutztown and East Stroudsburg University men's basketball teams.
 
The Golden Bears (14-6, 11-5 PSAC) overcame a double-digit deficit late in regulation, but KU's ten-game winning streak was upended by the Warriors (14-8, 10-6), 93-86, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division showdown.
 
When it all came down to it, ESU's Matt Tobin proved to be the difference maker in the second overtime period.  The freshman scored 11 of ESU's 13 points in double OT including a pair of 3-pointers.  Tobin made his minutes count after filling in for senior Russell Graham III who fouled out late in the first OT.
 
Up one with 11 second to play in the first overtime, KU stood its best chance to put the Warriors away.  Senior guard Nate Edwards (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic) (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic) was fouled and made his trip to the charity stripe where he has excelled all season.  He has not only proven to be KU's best free throw shooter, but is second in the conference in overall percentage (.871).  Edwards' first shot rimmed off the back of the iron, leaving a narrow window open for ESU. He converted on the second only to see ESU go the length of the floor to lay it in with two seconds remaining to tie the game.
 
“I'd give Nate the ball every time in that situation,” KU head coach Bernie Driscoll preached about his senior.  “Our team left a lot of easy points on the floor tonight and you have to give ESU a lot of credit.  The door opened a just little bit in the second half and they just blew it open.”
 
There was never a question of whose hands the ball was meant to be in at the game.  After all, it was Edwards who buried a midrange jumper with 30 seconds left in regulation to force the game into extra time.  He finished the game with 21 points with an 8-of-11 outing at the free throw line.  It was one of the most exhausting games the senior has ever endured as he was active on both ends of the floor by grabbing seven rebounds and a game-high four steals.
 
“I think this was my first ever double overtime game,” Edwards said.  “East Stroudsburg set the tempo early tonight and we weren't really prepared for what they threw at us.  Our strategy tonight was totally different than what we ran at their place earlier this year, and we just have to make sure we come out and set the tone every game so that these losses don't happen.”
 
ESU's full court pressure seemed to upset the KU offense that was forced into a half-court game for most of the second half and overtime.  ESU's bench play was the ultimate factor in its victory.  It held a 23-2 advantage in the scoring department and was able to give its main unit some quality minutes and improve the overall stamina of the team.
 
Kutztown found itself in an unfamiliar position in the second half.  In just over two minutes of play, ESU turned a 58-58 game into a ten-point, 68-58 lead with 6:31 to play in regulation.  KU had three costly turnovers in the short stint as ESU forward Duane Johnson chipped in four of his game-high 29 points in the run.  Johnson also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds and made all 11 of his free throws.
 
Despite being down ten with less than seven minutes remaining, KU's primary unit showed its composure down the stretch to make it a game.  Sophomore forward Tyler Brooks (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) ignited fans with a breakaway dunk to cut the lead to 68-60 with 6:19 to play.  The Brooks jam began an eventual 11-2 KU run as a pair of Eric Brennan (Chester, PA/West Catholic) (Chester, PA/West Catholic) free throws gave KU a 71-70 lead with 1:47 to play, its first since the 10:58 mark.  ESU made all three of its free throws in the final minutes to take the game into overtime.
 
KU's starting five put in one of its toughest outings of the season.  Four of the five starters played over 40 minutes.  It also accounted for all but two points in the setback. 
 
Brennan played most of the second portion of the contest with four fouls, and was still a dominant force on both ends of the floor.  He grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and scored 14 points in his ninth double-double of the season.  He was 8-for-11 at the free throw line and had a team-high four assists. 
 
Fellow starters Devon McBride (Richmond, VA/Hill School) (Richmond, VA/Hill School), Micah Fraction (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian), and Brooks all scored in double figures.  Fraction dropped 21, 15 of which coming in the opening half.  McBride, the PSAC Athlete of the Week and the conference's leading scorer, came out shooting hot to start the game but suffered a hip injury in the first half that showed a severe effect on the senior.  After leaving midway through the first half with an early 12 points, McBride turned in 47 minutes on his way to an 18-point performance.  Brooks played 41 minutes and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
Freshman Kenny Battle (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep) earned some extra playing time on Saturday with a career-high 19 minutes. He wasn't a target on the offensive end for KU, but Battle played ESU's point guards tough all day in giving KU the best chance to win.
 
Along with Johnson, five Warriors scored in double figures.  Tobin scored 14, Terrance King and Whis Grant each dropped 12, and Graham finished with ten.  Eric Bryan and King grabbed nine and seven rebounds, respectively, as ESU won the battle on the boards 50-44.
 
“The full court pressure seemed to get us into a frantic state on offense today,” Edwards said.  “You have to give credit to ESU because at the end of the day, we have to get stops, and we weren't able to do that late.  Good teams bounce back from tough loses, so it's time to see what this team is made of.”
 
It looks like Kutztown will just have to start its next lengthy winning streak as the season moves forward on Wednesday.  The Golden Bears begin a three-game road trip starting with West Chester on Feb. 8 beginning at 8 p.m.  KU topped the Golden Rams in the first matchup, 87-68.