West Chester University men’s basketball (23-7, 17-5 PSAC East) had a disappointing end to their season, but they should be celebrated for what proved to overall be a highly successful campaign for the Golden Rams.
After falling victim to another defeat at the hands of their greatest adversary, Kutztown University, in their season finale, WCU trekked into the PSAC Conference Tournament with their confidence not wavering at all.
West Chester took down East Stroudsburg University 81-73 in the first round of the PSAC Tournament, but it was the Golden Rams’ second-round triumph over Indiana University of Pennsylvania that will forever be stowed away in the team’s collective memory bank.
WCU and IUP were neck-and-neck for the majority of the contest, but the Crimson Hawks secured a 15-point lead, and it appeared as if the Rams were headed towards an unexpected flameout in the second-round of the tournament when their sights were set on the championship. But the resilient Rams refused to allow their chance at that trophy to rot away on their home floor and fought back, tying the game at 79 with 1:50 left in the second half.
Both squads failed to score another field goal or point for the rest of the half, so the two were prompted to settle the score in an overtime session. West Chester and IUP exchanged blows throughout the duration of overtime, but the one that seemed as if it was going to be the most unnerving was IUP’s Brandon Norfleet’s step back jumper with six seconds left, which gave the Crimson Hawks a one-point lead.
But West Chester’s Matt Penecale raced down the court without calling a timeout and flipped up a beautiful floater, which sank through the home as time expired, giving WCU a 90-89 win. WCU would go on to lose in the championship to Mercyhurst University 67-70, but Penecale’s shining moment will forever be held in high reverence.
WCU qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they again clashed with archnemisis Kutztown University, the team that had already beaten them twice this season. The results remained the same in this outing, as the Golden Bears dispatched of the Golden Rams 76-63, ending their season.
This year’s WCU men’s basketball team featured three seniors: guard Mike Wilson (Philadelphia, Pa.), guard Avery Brown (Mt. Laurel, NJ) and Matt Wiseley (Emmaus, Pa.)
Wilson averaged 9.1 points per game this season and was fourth on the team in total assists. Brown, West Chester’s third leading scorer this year at 10.6 per game, was one of West Chester’s most efficient three-point marksmen as well.
Wiseley, West Chester’s leader on the court and in the locker room, averaged 11.9 points per game, which was good enough for second on the team, and he snagged down a team-high 11.7 rebounds per outing. When asked to speak about Wiseley’s impact on WCU basketball, head coach Damian Blair said: “Wiseley has taken this program to a different level. He is an unbelievable leader.”
We want to thank the seniors for their contributions to WCU basketball, and we wish them the best in their future endeavors.
B.J. Boyer is a third-year student majoring in communication studies with a minor in journalism. They can be reached at WB806695@wcupa.edu