Gannon seniors Zach Kent, Demetrius Mims, Donovan Forte, and Kevin Dodds pose with coach Kelvin Jefferson and family members.
Gannon Sports Information
105
Winner Mercyhurst Mercy 22-4,18-4 PSAC
70
Gannon Gannon 3-23,3-19 PSAC
Winner
Mercyhurst Mercy
22-4,18-4 PSAC
105
Final
70
Gannon Gannon
3-23,3-19 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mercyhurst Mercy 43 62 105
Gannon Gannon 31 39 70

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

Kent, Mims Celebrate Senior Day with Big Games vs. Mercyhurst

ERIE, Pa. – Seniors Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)) and Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) combined for 48 points as Gannon wrapped up the 2022-23 campaign with a 105-70 loss to No. 16/18 Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights wrap up the season at 3-23 and 3-19 in the PSAC West while Mercyhurst is 22-4 and 18-4 in league play.

Gannon recognized four seniors on Senior Day prior to tipoff, with Kent, Mims and Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights) in the starting lineup. The fourth senior was Kevin Dodds (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), a 6'7" forward who started 72 games as a Golden Knight but was unable to play this year following offseason surgery.

Kent, a 6'10" forward who played the last two years at Delaware State, finished with a career-high 31 points. He made 9-of-18 field goals, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, and was 9-of-11 at the line. He added a team-high eight rebounds. In his lone season as a Golden Knight he averaged 14.0 ppg. and 6.0 rpg. in 19 games.

Mims reached double figures for the 19th straight game while concluding an outstanding two seasons at Gannon. The 6'6" forward, who previously played at Long Beach State and then Towson, finished with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 free throws. He added six assists. Mims ends the year leading Gannon in scoring (16.7 ppg.) and rebounding (6.6 rpg.), along with steals (31), and was second in assists (71) and blocked shots (18).  

Kent and Mims both turned in big games for the Golden Knights, but they were not able to overcome a Mercyhurst turned that constantly made shots from beyond the 3-point arc. The Lakers made 17-of-33 3-pointers on the afternoon, the most three's by a Gannon opponent this year. Five different Lakers made at least two 3-pointers. In the second half the Lakers were 9-of-14 from beyond the arc.

Mercyhurst had five players in double figures, led by Nicholas Lang's 18 points. He made 3-of-6 3-pointers. MiyKah McIntosh and Jeff Planutis added 17 points apiece, with McIntosh making 5-of-9 three's and Planutis 4-of-7. Aidan Reichert had 14 points and Michael Bradley 13.

Gannon shot 44.6 percent (25-of-56) for the game while Mercyhurst came in at 47.8 percent (33-of-69). While the Lakers drained 17 3-pointers a Gannon team devoid of its outside shooters due to injuries finished at 5-of-13. Gannon was 15-of-21 at the line and Mercyhurst 22-of-29.

Mercyhurst finished with a 47-32 rebounding advantage as Pipeloluwa Ajayi had a game-high 12 rebounds and Planutis pulled down eight. Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School) supported Kent with five rebounds apiece.

Gannon hung with the Lakers for much of the first half until Mercyhurst closed the half with five straight points for a 43-31 lead. The Golden Knights closed the gap to seven points at 45-38 on a Kent 3-pointer early in the second half but the Lakers answered with an 18-4 run to build its lead to 63-42.  
 
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