Three Point Barrage Leads Wesley to Finals
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College erupted for 17 threes as the Wolverines pulled away in the second half to defeat the University of Mary Washington 98-79 to advance to the Capital Athletic Conference Championship game.
Rashawn Johnson (Selbyville, Del./Sussex Tech) erupted for 29 points on 8-of-12 from three point range and led Wesley (17-9) with both his eight rebounds and four assists. The eight threes gave the senior finalist for the Jostens Trophy 81 on the season, a new school record.
It was not the only record challenged on the evening. The win was the 17th of the season for the Wolverines, tying the school record in the Division III era set in 1987-88. That was also the last time Wesley won a conference championship, claiming the crown in the old Eastern States Athletic Conference.
The Wolverines will face fourth-seeded Marymount in the championship game at Wentworth Gymnasium on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 PM. The Saints advanced after Chapmen Canady hit a three as time expired to force overtime and outscored top-seeded St. Mary's (Md.) in the extra period for an 86-81 win in the other semifinal.
The two teams battled to five ties in the opening 12:10 before Johnson scored eight of his 13 first half points in the final 2:03 of the half to propel the Wolverines to a seven-point halftime lead, 43-36.
In the second half, a layup by Brandon Altmann cut Wesley's lead to just one, 55-54, with 14:49 to go in the game. Less than a minute later, James Stratton (Magnolia, Del./Caesare Rodney) hit a three to start a 14-2 run that put the Wolverines up 69-56 with 11:48 to play in the half.
The Eagles cut it to eight, 69-61, on a lay up by Kevin Storus with 10:35 to play, but a three by Johnson on Wesley's next possession ended the threat and the Wolverines pulled away over the remainder of the contest, stretching their lead to as many as 21 after a Jermaine Carter (Richmond, Va./Thomas Jefferson) free throw with 38 seconds left.
Wesley hit 17-of-37 threes in the game (45 percent), including an astounding 12-of-20 in the decisive second half.
Evan Martin (Wilmington, Del./Laurinburg {N.C.} Institute) poured in 19 points and hit four threes in the game. Making his first career start, forward Sean McAndrew (Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township) scored 11 points in just 15 minutes of action and grabbed five rebounds. Stratton came off the bench for 10 points.
Altmann continued his stellar play for Mary Washington, scoring 23 points and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. Matt Hale added 14 points, but was held to just two points and did not make a field goal in the second half. Storus scored a dozen and Kiernan Whitworth pitched in with 10.
