Wilkes, which was playing for the first time since December 11, opened the game with an 18-4 run and never looked back. John Yanniello cashed in a three-pointer to open the scoring and Greg Cardamone and Ryan Milford converted field goal tries to put the Colonels on top 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.
After the Defenders cut the lead to 9-4 on a basket by Korey Collins, Wilkes scored nine consecutive points to take a double-digit lead they would never relinquish. Yanniello drilled another three-pointer and Evan Walters scored inside to up the Colonels lead to 14-4. Back-to-back field goals by Milford would increase the edge to 18-4 at the 14:19 mark.
Mike Constantine would hit a three-pointer later in the half and Milford would convert inside to give Wilkes their biggest lead of the period, 47-23, with just 1:45 left in the stanza. The Colonels would eventually head into the halftime locker room with a 49-27 lead.
Baptist Bible would cut the deficit to 14 points, 57-43, following a basket by Nathan Penley with 10:59 showing on the clock. However, Wilkes responded with a 9-2 spurt to close out any hopes of a Defenders rally. Matt Gould had four points during the run, Chris Shovlin chipped in with three tallies, while Rashawn Pressley added a field goal that gave the Colonels a 66-45 lead at the 9:05 mark. The Defenders would not get any closer than 19 points the rest of the way.
Yanniello led a balanced Wilkes attack with 16 points, including four three-pointers. Milford and Shovlin contributed 14 points and five rebounds apiece. Shovlin, who also had four three-pointers, came up with four steals as well. Pressley was also in double-figures with 12 points. He was added a team-high eight rebounds to go along with three assists and four steals.
Penley had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Baptist Bible. Konzelman connected for 11 tallies, while Collins had 10 points.
Wilkes will return to action on Saturday when they square off with the Newport News Apprentice School in the opening round of the Wilkes-Barre Challenge at 6:00 p.m. at King’s College’s Scandlon Gymnasium.