| Chris Talley |
Senior guard Chris Talley (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) scored 16 of his career high 34 points in the second half as Alvernia College erased a three point halftime deficit and improved to 3-0 in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference with a 92-80 win over Wesley College Saturday afternoon in men’s basketball action at the Physical Education Center.
Sophomore forward Damon Bogan (Oxford, PA/Oxford) also scored 16 after the break to set a new career high with 27 points. Talley’s previous best was 28 points scored last season at Misericordia. Bogan’s previous high was 25 points scored against RIT last season at Salisbury.
Talley and Bogan combined for the first eight points of the second half as the Crusaders (5-1, 3-0 PAC) turned a 44-41 halftime deficit into a 49-44 lead. Wesley came back with five straight points from freshman guard Greg Cooke (Wilmington, DE/Hodgson) to tie the score at 49-all, and after a 51-51 tie Alvernia scored eight straight and 17 of the next 23 to take a 12 point lead, 68-56 with 10:03 left to play. Talley sparked the run with back-to-back three point plays and Bogan capped the streak with his first of two 3s.
Wesley cut the gap under double digits on its next possession when freshman guard Rashawn Johnson (Selbyville, DE/Sussex Tech) hit one of his five 3s. Bogan answered with another 3 and Alvernia scored six straight points to take its largest lead of the day, a 15-point spread with 8:41 to go. Johnson, who scored a team-high 34 for the Wolverines (2-3, 1-1), scored four straight to cut the gap to 11 points with 7:00 to go and nailed another 3 at 5:08 to pull the guests within eight, 80-72.
A Robert Gordy (Temperanceville, VA/Arcadia) jumper followed a Zach Straining (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) free throw and Wesley was within seven, 81-74, with 3:56 to play. Alvernia worked the ball around on the next possession and senior guard Mike Brock (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) tallied one of his six assists finding Lamar Brickus (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) for a 3 from the right elbow to push the gap back to 10.
Wesley answered back with a 3 from Nick Minor (Gambrills, MD/Anne Arundel), but Straining grabbed a critical offensive rebound on the Crusaders’ next possession and Brickus nailed a jumper in the lane to put Alvernia up nine, 88-79 with under two minutes to play.
WESLEY COLLEGE (2-3, 1-1 PAC) Rashawn Johnson 12-20 5-7 34; Nick Minor 4-9 2-2 13; Robert Gordy 6-10 0-2 12; Cody White 4-7 0-0 8; Greg Cooke 2-3 0-0 5; Tyrell Brown 2-4 0-0 4; Mike Wright 2-5 0-0 4; Avery Reid 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 7-11 80. ALVERNIA COLLEGE (5-1, 3-0 PAC) Chris Talley 13-20 6-7 34; Damon Bogan 10-20 5-7 27; Zach Straining 6-12 2-4 15; Garrett Etzel 3-9 1-2 8; Lamar Brickus 3-5 0-0 7; Mike Brock 0-2 0-0 0; Tyrone Bradley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-69 15-22 92. Wesley College................ 44 36 - 80 Alvernia College.............. 41 51 - 92 3-point goals-Wesley College 9-16 (Rashawn Johnson 5-10; Nick Minor 3-4; Greg Cooke 1-2), Alvernia College 7-21 (Chris Talley 2-6; Damon Bogan 2-4; Lamar Brickus 1-2; Garrett Etzel 1-6; Zach Straining 1-2; Mike Brock 0-1). Fouled out--Wesley College-None, Alvernia College-None. Rebounds-Wesley College 36 (Nick Minor 7), Alvernia College 30 (Damon Bogan 9). Assists-Wesley College 7 (Mike Wright 4), Alvernia College 16 (Mike Brock 6). Total fouls-Wesley College 17, Alvernia College 13. A-218