SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team fell in a close battle with the Shippensburg Raiders on Thursday night, losing to its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division foes 65-60 inside Heiges Field House.
The Golden Bears (4-9, 1-7 PSAC) held a one-point advantage at the midway point of the game, but the Raiders (7-9, 2-7 PSAC) escaped the opposition thanks to some late free throws and a strong defensive effort down the stretch in order to break a three game losing streak and pick up its second conference victory of the season.
Despite a low-scoring, low-fouling first half by both teams, both sides turned up the heat coming out of the locker room. Kutztown opened with an 8-0 run in the opening five minutes of the second half to get some breathing room. A scoring drought allowed the Raiders to climb back within two with ten minutes to go, and a similar down stretch enabled Shippensburg to tie the game three minutes later.
After a Kutztown timeout with just under four minutes to play, it was on both teams to come up with timely plays and convert on their free throws to see who would come out on top in the shootout. Neither team hit its shots from the field, but it was Shippensburg that managed more attempts and made baskets at the free throw line in the final minutes to come away with the victory.
Kutztown was led by senior forward
Jordan Nkoa Abessolo (Yaoundé, Cameroon/St. Maria Goretti (Md.)), who notched a first half double-double – his first such mark of the season – with 10 points and 11 rebounds, all on the defensive end of the floor. The Cameroon native pulled a heavy load for the Maroon and Gold, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and fourth straight double-digit scoring game. He added a pair of steals and a pair of blocks in 34 minutes on the floor.
Senior guard
Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll) did his best to keep the team in the game, scoring 11 of his team-high 16 points in the second half while dishing out three assists in 40 minutes of action. Ireland native
Tobi Ogunbare (Dublin, Ireland/Lawrence (Mass.)) notched ten rebounds and four points, while fellow big man
Kidd Brizek (Greenville, S.C./Powdersville) finished with seven points and five rebounds.
Yahmir Satterfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) scored eight points before fouling out, while
Omari Banks (Middletown, Del./The Phelps School (Pa.)) had four points, four assists, and four rebounds in defeat.
Kutztown shot a game-leading 39 percent from the field and led the game in points off turnovers (8-6), fast break points (14-4) and bench points (13-9).
The Golden Bears return home for another PSAC East game against Bloomsburg this Saturday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m. inside Keystone Arena.
