mims brings the ball up
Matt Durisko
64
Gannon Gannon 0-9,0-5 PSAC
69
Winner Lock Haven LH 8-2,4-1 PSAC
Gannon Gannon
0-9,0-5 PSAC
64
Final
69
Lock Haven LH
8-2,4-1 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon Gannon 29 35 64
Lock Haven LH 37 32 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Depleted Golden Knights Wrap Up 2022 with Another Tight Loss at Lock Haven

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The story is becoming all too familiar for Gannon men's basketball coach Kelvin Jefferson. His young squad falls behind by a double-figure margin before battling back only top come up just short. Such was the case once again on Friday night as the Golden Knights wrapped up the 2022 portion of their schedule with a 69-64 loss at Lock Haven.

Gannon drops to 0-9 overall and 0-5 in PSAC action while Lock Haven, one of the surprise teams in the PSAC, improved to 8-2 and 4-1 in league play. The Golden Knights have now lost their last seven games by a margin of eight points or less.

In addition to the rallies that come up just short, did we mention an inordinate amount of injuries for the second straight year? The Golden Knights were missing five players at Lock Haven, including three likely starters. Jefferson turned to a lineup which featured three first-year performers, including Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf), who made his first career start in play of injured Michael Lucarotti (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep).

Gannon jumped out to a fast start with redshirt freshman Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) draining back-to-back 3-pointers and Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) converting a drive for an 8-0 lead. The lead was 11-3 when Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) made another 3-pointer, but Lock Haven eventually scored nine points in a row, part of a 13-2 run, to go ahead 25-21. The Bald Eagles would build a 37-29 lead at intermission while shooting 61.5 percent (16-of-26) from the floor in the first 20 minutes.

Lock Haven would build its lead to 51-34 with 13:25 remaining, but the Golden Knights would proceed to make thinks interesting. Still trailing 53-38 they scored nine straight points to pull to within 53-47 with 8:29 remaining.

Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights) started the run with a pair of free throws, followed by a Mims dunk. Clancy made one of two free throws, with baskets by Whitley and Mims closing out the run.

Lock Haven built the lead back up to double digits at 62-52, but when Forte scored back-to-back baskets the Golden Knights had pulled to within 66-62 with 1:47 left. Dymir Montague answered with a drive to make it 68-62. Gannon missed a 3-pointer but got the ball back on a Mims' steal and twisting drive to again make it a four-point game at 68-64 with 45 seconds left. The Gannon defense forced a shot clock violation, but Mims would miss on a jumper and Lock Haven pulled down the rebound. James Price made one-of-two free throws with 13 seconds remaining for the final score.

Mims led Gannon with 18 points, adding three assists and a pair of steals. Forte came off the bench to score a season-high 12 points in 17 minutes. The redshirt senior made 4-of-8 field goals and 4-of-4 free throws along with four steals.

Whitley made 3-of-6 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 11 points while matching his career-best with five rebounds. Clancy led Gannon with six boards and made a pair of 3-pointers on his way to nine points. In his first career start Omojafo missed his only two shots but went 6-for-6 at the line.

Jayy Davis paced Lock Haven with 18 points, 13 in the first half, as he made 4-of-5 3-pointers. Justice Shoats came off the bench for 12 points while Eli Washington was also in double digits with 11 points. Price had a game-high nine rebounds as the Bald Eagles won the rebound battle 40-29.

Gannon shot 36.7 percent (22-of-60) for the game  while Lock Haven came in at 51.9 percent (27-of-52). Both teams made six 3-pointers, Gannon attempting 17 shots from beyond the arc and LHU 13. The physical contest saw Gannon make 14-of-17 free throws and Lock Haven 9-of-18. Gannon had 13 turnovers and Lock Haven 17.   

Gannon will continue a three-game road trip with the middle game in the stretch, playing at Slippery Rock on Wednesday, January 4. The game signals the beginning of divisional play in the PSAC. Tipoff at Morrow Field House is 7:30 p.m. That's followed by a trip to Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday, January 7.    
 
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