ERIE, Pa. – On Saturday, the Penn State Behrend men’s basketball team achieved a narrow victory over Pitt-Greensburg, edging them 79-72 in their opening game of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) at home. Score: Penn State Behrend 79, Pitt-Greensburg 72Records: Penn State Behrend (4-3, 1-0 AMCC), Pitt-Greensburg (4-4, 0-2 AMCC) Key Moments: * The […]
ERIE, Pa. – On Saturday, the Penn State Behrend men’s basketball team achieved a narrow victory over Pitt-Greensburg, edging them 79-72 in their opening game of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) at home.
Score: Penn State Behrend 79, Pitt-Greensburg 72
Records: Penn State Behrend (4-3, 1-0 AMCC), Pitt-Greensburg (4-4, 0-2 AMCC)
Key Moments:
* The Lions maintained a consistent lead throughout the majority of the first half against Pitt-Greensburg
* Behrend established its largest lead in the first half with 5:48 remaining when Mason Blankenberg (Ontario, NY/Wayne) made a layup, concluding a 7-2 run to gain a 25-17 edge
* Nonetheless, the Bobcats rallied to claim their first lead of the game with Matthew Marinchak sinking a three-pointer with 2:45 left in the first half (28-27)
* Both teams entered the locker room tied at 34
* The Lions surged to an eight-point lead five minutes into the second half (49-41)
* Pitt-Greensburg countered with a 6-0 run, prompting a timeout from Behrend
* The scoreboard was tied at 55 with 8:33 to go after a Jackson Byer three-pointer
* In the final minutes, the teams exchanged points, neither able to seize more than a two-point lead
* A jumper from Michael Sopko (New Castle, PA/Neshannock) put the Lions up 68-65, a lead they would hold for the remainder of the game with 3:37 on the clock
* Blankenberg hit a critical three-pointer from the top of the key to seal Behrend’s first conference triumph and their fourth victory total this season
* The game concluded with 12 lead changes and five ties
* For the first time this season, five Lions scored in double figures
* Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) led with 21 points and matched his season-high of seven rebounds
* Other notable performances included Matthew McDonough (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) with 16 points, Blankenberg adding 13 points, Sam Petrarca (Peters Township, PA/Peters Township) scoring 11 points, and Dolan Waldo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) contributing 10 points
* This game represented a personal best in both points and rebounds for Petrarca, who went 5-for-7 from the field, made his first collegiate three-pointer, and gathered a career-high six rebounds from the bench
* McDonough also achieved a career-high with seven rebounds, while Blankenberg (six) and Waldo (five) provided additional support on the boards
* Marinchak led the Bobcats with a game-high 22 points and five rebounds, while Trent Rozich contributed 18 points
* Both teams finished Saturday’s game with 30 points in the paint
Up Next:
* The Lions will host the reigning AMCC Champions, La Roche, at the Junker Center on Wednesday, Dec. 11, with the game set to begin at 7 p.m.
