HAZLETON, PA (November 8, 2023) -- In their season opener, the King's College men's basketball team drained a new single-game record 18 three's on a single-game best 48 attempts as the Monarchs defeated Penn State Hazleton, 104-84, on the road on Wednesday night. The Monarchs begin the season 1-0 for the second year in a row, while the Nittany Lions drop to 2-1.
 
The host Penn State Hazleton (2-1) started the game strong, building a 10-2 edge with 17:58 to go in the half, but King's (1-0) responded with an 18-4 run that saw the Monarchs hold a 20-14 advantage with 11:26 remaining in the first. The Nittany Lion defense held the Monarchs scoreless over the next 3:37 of play before junior Eamonn Walsh sunk a pair of free throws to reignite the King's offense. The teams continued to trade baskets down the stretch before a three from first year Matt Christian knotted the score at 39-39 with 2:32 left, but Penn State Hazleton went into the break with the 46-44 lead.
 
It was all King's the rest of the way as the Monarchs out scored the Nittany Lions 60-38 in the second half, shooting 51.2 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. Penn State Hazleton hit the first three five seconds into play, but senior Carmine Castiello and junior Chris Patton combined for the next 10 King's points to keep the game close. It was a three from Walsh with 16:33 to play in the contest that sparked the second-half dominance, with King's scoring the next 12 points and never looking back. The Monarchs led by as much as 24 on two made free throws from first year Tyler Klym with 2:21 left on their way to the 104-84 win at Penn State Hazleton on Wednesday night.
 
Walsh led five in double figures with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three, with two assists, while Castiello added 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, posting a team-high tying five assists with four boards and two steals. Patton tacked on 13 points with five assists, a team-best three steals, and four rebounds, while first year Jaden Hall came off the bench to connect for 12 points on four threes. Fellow first year Conner Griffin had a strong effort in his debut, rounding out the leading scorers with 10 points and a team-leading seven caroms, and sophomore Garrett Burys collected six boards of his own to go along with four points and a block. Additionally, junior Saquan Portee came off the pines to tally eight points on 3-for-5 shooting and 2-of-3 from three-point range.
 
Dante Harward paced the Nittany Lions with 15 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while Shamel Gibson dished out a team-best four helpers to go with 11 points.
 
King's posted a 44.4 shooting percentage (36-81) effort in the win with their program record 18-for-48 (37.5 percent) from three while adding 23 assists on their 36 baskets. The Monarchs won the battle on the boards, 49-31, over Penn State Hazleton, while the defense forced 21 turnovers and collected 12 steals.
 
The Monarchs will have a quick turn around as they travel to Chester, Pa. to compete in Widener's Tip-Off for Autism Awareness tournament. King's is set to play host Widener in the opening round on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and will take on either Stockton or Roanoke on Saturday afternoon.