Box Score Game 1 Box - Lynchburg vs. Susquehanna

DECEMBER 8, 2017

KING'S MEN USE BIG SECOND HALF TO DOWN PSU-HAZLETON TO REACH TOURNEY FINAL, CALLEJAS SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT

WILKES-BARRE — The King's College men's basketball team broke open a six-point game at the half by outscoring visiting Penn State Hazleton 57-31 over the game's final 20 minutes to register a 104-74 victory in the opening round of the FNCB Bank/Monarch Classic Friday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.

With the win King's improved to 4-4 on the year while the Lions slipped to 3-6. King's will now play Lynchburg College of Virginia in the championship game Saturday at 3:00 PM. Lynchburg defeated Susquehanna 73-65 in the other first-round pairing.

The Monarchs took a 47-41 lead at the half-time break as Tyler Millan and Connor Callejas both scored 11 points in the opening frame.  Callejas, who entered the game needing six points to reach the 1,000-point plateau for his collegiate career, reached the mark with 15:01 on the clock when he drained a three-pointer for his point of the half.

In the second half King's extended the lead to 56-41 with 17:28 remaining thanks to five points from Joshua Bailey and inside baskets by Callejas and Chris Fazzini.  But the Lions used a 13-2 run to close to within 58-54 with 14:55 to play after a traditional three-point play from Royce Brathwaite.

But the Monarchs regrouped and answered with a 19-5 run of their own to build a 79-59 lead with 9:59 to play after Callejas hit a pair of three-pointers and Tony Maloney added a long-range bomb of his own. The Lions would come no closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

Callejas finished with a game-high 26 points while Maloney added a career-high 16. Pat Mitchell posted a double-double with 11 point and 10 rebounds while Millan also finished with 11.

Brathwaite topped the Lions with 19 points while Shay Nelson followed with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Brandon Mohammed registered 11 points and 13 rebounds while Nick Nowak chipped in with 10 points.

King's will face Lynchburg Saturday at 3:00 PM in the title game while Susquehanna and Penn State Hazleton meet in the 1:00 PM consolation game.


Lynchburg 73 - Susquehanna 65
In the first game of the evening Lynchburg raced out to a 47-36 half-time lead and never trailed in the second half. Chance Greene and Austin Wrighten scored 19 points apiece while Logan Seacrist and Connor Schroeder added eight points apiece.  Susquehanna was paced by Ryan Traub with 21 points while Bryce Butler added 13.