WILKES-BARRE, PA (November 20, 2023) -- The King's College men's basketball team put on a show for the packed crowd in their home opener at McGrane Gymnasium on Monday night on their way to a 78-65 win over Clarks Summit University. The Monarchs win their third straight to improve to 4-2 overall, while the Defenders drop to 1-5.
 
Carmine Castiello fueled the 6-0 start to the contest with a transition layup and a three before the Defenders got on the board with 16:51 to go in the opening half. The teams traded spurts, but with the Monarchs ahead, 14-12, King's (4-2) opened a 9-0 run behind five points from Conner Griffin to jump ahead, 23-12, with 10:27 remaining in the frame. The Monarchs led by as much as 13 on a free throw from Ben Rodner-Tims with 7:40 to go, but Clarks Summit (1-5) hung tough down the stretch as the Monarchs held the 43-36 edge at the break.
 
The second half began much like the first, this time behind a four-point run from Eamonn Walsh as King's regained their 13-point lead, 49-36, with 17:54 left in the game. The Monarchs saw their lead swell to as much as 16 on another layup from Conner Griffin with 14:54 to go before Clarks Summit chipped away at the deficit. The Defenders closed within six, 69-63, with 4:39 remaining, but a 9-2 run from the Monarchs in the final ticks capped off by a two-handed dunk from Garrett Burys secured the 78-65 win for King's in their home opener.
 
Castiello led four in double figures with 19 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-7 from three, adding two assists, while Griffen led the bench with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Chris Patton tacked on 11 points with four boards and four assists, while Jake Karnish added 11 points, six caroms, and team-highs of five helpers and five steals. Additionally, Eamonn Walsh contributed nine points, five boards, four assists, two steals, and a block, while Burys posted five rebounds and a block.
 
Isaiah Coleman led the Defenders off the pines with 17 points, while Alex Moore dished out four assists. Additionally, Latief Mustafaa added 13 points with four boards, two assists, and two steals.
 
King's had another hot shooting night, connecting for 50.9% (29-57) from the floor with four made threes, assisting on 20 of 29 baskets. The defense collected nine steals while forcing 16 Defender turnovers and limiting Clarks Summit to 39.3% (24-61) shooting for the game. The Monarchs also edged out their foes 36-33 in the rebounding margin. Inside the box score, King's had the advantage in points off turnovers (21-15), second-chance points (9-8), and points in the paint (38-28).
 
The Monarchs will be off for the holiday weekend before returning to their home court in McGrane Gymnasium on Monday, November 27. King's is set to tip off against Centenary University (NJ) at 7:00 p.m.