2008 Men's Basketball News
Summer League Playoffs Announced - Jul 11, 2008
DOVER, Del. - The playoff bracket is set for the 2008 Wesley College Men's Basketball Summer League on Tuesday, July 15.
All three rounds will be played that day on the Wesley campus. Both Woodside and Smyrna earned first round byes in the six team field. In the opening round at 5:00 PM, fourth seeded Georgetown and fifth seeded Dover will face off, as will the three seed Milford and Magnolia, the sixth seed.
In the semifinals at 6:00 PM, top seeded Woodside will host the Georgetown/Dover winner, while the Milford/Magnolia winner takes on second seeded Smyrna.
The winners of those two games will square off in the championship game at 7:00 PM.
Germantown Duo Choose Wesley - Jul 07, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College men's basketball coach Jerry Kobasa announced the addition of a pair of incoming freshmen for the 2008-09 season.
The duo of point guard Khalief Mason and forward Jon Mason (no relation), both of Germantown High School in the Philadelphia Public League.
Khalief led the team in assists as a sophomore, junior and senior and improved upon his scoring average every season. As a senior, he led the team with 22.3 points per game and 5.9 assists per game. Khalief was named a • Daily News Public League Fifth Team All-Star and he was voted all-league third team by the league's coaches. He finished his career with averages 16.4 ppg and 5.8 apg, including a career high 27 points against West Philadelphia.
Jon nearly averaged a double-double at 13.0 ppg and 9.8 rpg, leading Germantown in rebounding. Both his scoring and rebounding numbers improved each season and as a senior Jon was selected a Daily News Public League Honorable Mention. He had career-highs with 30 points and 16 rebounds against Franklin Learning Center.
The pair joins a talented cast of returning players on the Wolverine roster. Wesley finished 14-12 in 2007-08 and 9-7 in the competitive Capital Athletic Conference despite fielding a squad with no seniors. Junior guard Rashawn Johnson was named to the All-CAC, All-Middle-Atlantic Region and ECAC South All-Star teams after the season.
Johnson Named ECAC All-South Region - Apr 23, 2008
CAPE COD, Mass. - Wesley College's Rashawn Johnson added another postseason honor to his ever growing list, as the junior was named to the ECAC All-South Region second team.
The junior guard was named to the D3hoops.com All-Middle Atlantic Region First Team and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Middle Atlantic Second Team earlier this offseason, after claiming a place on the All-Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) first team.
It is the second time he has made the ECAC All-South team.
As a junior, Johnson scored a career-high 22.5 points per game to finish second in the CAC . Johnson led the conference in offensive rebounding (3.27 per game) and minutes per game (37.27), and also finished 10th in conference in rebounding (6.3), third in steals (1.92), and seventh in made threes (2.50).
The Sussex Tech graduate scored at least 20 points in 19 of Wesley's 26 games and was named to the all-tournament team at Gettysburg Days Inn Tip Off Tournament, the 'Mose' Hole/Kiwanis Classic in Wooster, Ohio, and the Radisson Invitational in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Johnson finished the season just 23 points shy of the school's all-time scoring record and sixth on Wesley's career rebounding list with 498. He is also ninth in career steals with 122.
Wesley finished its 2007-08 season with a record of 14-12 overall and tied for third in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 9-7 record.
Wesley to Host Henlopen Conference All-Star Practices - Mar 25, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Bob Lennon, tournament director for
the 2008 BlueGold Girls & Boys High School All-Star Basketball
Games, has announced that both the boys and the girls "Gold"
all-star basketball squads will hold a practice on Thursday, April
3rd, at the Jim & Shirley Wentworth Gymnasium on the campus of
Wesley College. The practices, which are scheduled to start at 6PM,
are open free to the general public. Youngsters throughout Kent and
Sussex counties are encouraged to come out and meet the players and
to have their own team jerseys autographed by the all-star players.
Superior Court Judge M. Jane Brady and attorney Keith E. Donovan, a three sport all-state athlete at Cape Henlopen, will be on hand to address and congratulate the all-star players and coaches.
In addition to shoot-around practices, the preliminaries of the boys slam dunk and the girls' 2-ball contest will be held. Those making the cuts will compete three days later in the finals at the BlueGold All-Star Games on Sunday, April 6th, at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware in Newark.
The top senior basketball players from Henlopen Conference schools are selected for all-star play by coaches' votes. As a special added feature at this year's BlueGold Games, the Philadelphia Eagles will play in a benefit game against a corporate sponsor team coached by Judge Brady at 6:30 PM between the girls all-star game (scheduled for a 5:00 tip-off) and the boys all-star game (scheduled for an 8:00 tip-off). Reserved tickets are currently on sale at $10. Tickets can be purchased by calling the BlueGold ticket hotline at 302-765-1222.
Johnson Named All-Region - Mar 21, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College's Rashawn Johnson earned a pair of all-region honors this week. The junior guard was named to the D3hoops.com All-Middle Atlantic Region First Team and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Middle Atlantic Second Team.
Johnson had earned third team from D3hoops.com as a sophomore and second team honors as a freshman. It is his first time on the NABC team. Earlier this offseason, he was named to the All-Capital Athletic Conference First Team.
As a junior, Johnson scored a career-high 22.5 points per game to finish second in the CAC . Johnson led the conference in offensive rebounding (3.27 per game) and minutes per game (37.27), and also finished 10th in conference in rebounding (6.3), third in steals (1.92), and seventh in made threes (2.50).
The Sussex Tech graduate scored at least 20 points in 19 of Wesley's 26 games and was named to the all-tournament team at Gettysburg Days Inn Tip Off Tournament, the 'Mose' Hole/Kiwanis Classic in Wooster, Ohio, and the Radisson Invitational in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Johnson finished the season just 23 points shy of the school's all-time scoring record and sixth on Wesley's career rebounding list with 498. He is also ninth in career steals with 122.
Wesley finished its 2007-08 season with a record of 14-12 overall and tied for third in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 9-7 record.
Johnson Named to All-CAC First Team - Mar 04, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College junior guard Rashawn Johnson was named to the All-Capital Athletic Conference First Team after a stellar season in which he finished second in the conference in scoring.
It is the third time Johnson has earned all-conference first team honors, as the Selbyville, Delaware native was chosen to the All-Pennsylvania Athletic Conference First Team in each of the past two seasons before Wesley moved to the CAC in 2007-08.
Hood's Ryan Junghans, St. Mary's Tyson Lesesne, Chad McGowan of York (Pa.), and Marymount's Fred Stanback joined him on the All-CAC First Team.
As a junior, Johnson scored a career-high 22.5 points per game to finish second in the CAC to York's McGowan, who was named the CAC Player of the Year. Johnson led the conference in offensive rebounding (3.27 per game) and minutes per game (37.27), and also finished 10th in conference in rebounding (6.3), third in steals (1.92), and seventh in made threes (2.50).
The Sussex Tech graduate scored at least 20 points in 19 of Wesley's 26 games and was named to the all-tournament team at Gettysburg Days Inn Tip Off Tournament, the 'Mose' Hole/Kiwanis Classic in Wooster, Ohio, and the Radisson Invitational in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Johnson finished the season just 23 points shy of the school's all-time scoring record and sixth on Wesley's career rebounding list with 498. He is also ninth in career steals with 122.
In addition to McGowan winning Player of the Year honors, Shaun Ingram of Marymount was chosen as the CAC's Rookie of the Year, while Mary Washington's Rod Wood won Coach of the Year.
Wesley finished its 2007-08 season with a record of 14-12 overall and tied for third in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 9-7 record.
Wesley Falls to St. Mary's in CAC Quarterfinals - Feb 26, 2008
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - Rashawn Johnson hit five threes and scored a game-high 27 points, but St. Mary's (Md.) shot 62 percent to claim an 89-82 win over Wesley College in the Capital Athletic Conference Quarterfinals.
Johnson hit 10-of-21 field goals in the game and added four steals. James Stratton scored 15 points in the contest as the sophomore continued his hot play. Alphonzo Wright came off the bench for a dozen points and led Wesley (14-12) with six rebounds.
St. Mary's (15-11) outrebounded the Wolverines 40-22 in the contest.
Wesley took a 10-point lead, 34-24, with 5:36 to go after a dunk by Johnson. Tyson Lesesne had six of his team-high 24 in a 13-4 run that snipped the lead to just one, 38-37 with 1:34 remaining, then hit a jumper in the final minute that sent the two teams to the locker room tied at 41-41.
Threes by Dan Henry and Rashawn Johnson helped Wesley to a four-point lead early in the second half, 47-43, but a Calvin Wise jumper in the paint started a 16-2 run as the Seahawks took control of the contest.
The Seahawks stretched their lead to as many as 13 in the second half, but Johnson's final three with 2:38 to go cut it to a single point, 81-80. The Wolverines turned it over on their next possession, however, and Lesesne's sixth three of the night sealed the win.
Alex Irmer came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 10 rebounds. Calvin Wise also turned in a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Mike Bowden added 16 points. Alex Franz dished out 10 assists.
Wesley will now await a potential bid to the ECAC Tournament.
Stratton Named CAC Player of the Week - Feb 25, 2008
Wesley sophomore guard James Stratton was named the Capital Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 25, 2008 after averaging 26.7 points in three games last week, helping the Wolverines finish the regular season tied for third place.
Stratton, graduate of Caesar Rodney High School, poured in 35 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a four-overtime road win over third-place Hood, then came back with a game-high 20 points in a triumph over second-place Mary Washington. He added 25 scores in the season-ending contest against St. Mary's, won by the Seahawks on a last-second three-point goal.
The Magnolia, Delaware native has now reached the 20-point mark in five of the last six games after scoring in double figures only three times in the first 19 games.
Wesley heads to St. Mary's on Tuesday, February 26 for the first round of the CAC tournament. Tip off is at 8:00 PM.
Wesley Drops Heartbreaker to St. Mary's (Md.) - Feb 23, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Tyson Lesesne took an inbounds pass and sank a three over the outstretched Wesley defense with four seconds to play as St. Mary's (Md.) captured a 71-68 win over Wesley College.
Wesley (14-11, 9-7 CAC) had tied the score seven seconds earlier on a pair of free throws by Kevin Johnson.
In the first half, the Wolverines took a 16-point lead on a pair of free throws by Alphonzo Wright, 36-20 with 7:43 left in the half. The Seahawks eventually cut it to three after a layup by Calvin Wise with a minute to go, but a pair of free throws by Dan Henry sent Wesley into the locker room ahead 42-37.
James Stratton poured in 21 of his team-high 25 in the half.
A Mike Smelkinson three just over a minute and a half into the second half tied the score before layups by Stratton, Rashawn Johnson and Cody White put the Wolverines head six, 48-42, with 1618 remaining.
The Wolverines clung to the lead until Lesesne hooked up with Wise to tie the score at 56-56 with 9:24 left on the clock and two free throws by Wise gave the Seahawks a two-point advantage on their next possession.
Stratton answered back to tie the score with 7:17 left in the game, but the Wolverines would not lead again.
Mike Fitzpatrick and Smelkinson both missed pairs of free throws in the final 28 seconds, allowing Kevin Johnson's free throws to tie the score.
Wise led all players with 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. Seven of his rebounds came on the offensive end as the Seahawks held a 25-9 advantage in second chance points. Lesesne added 13 points in the win.
Rashawn Johnson added 10 points for Wesley and Cody White and Khyle Nelson each grabbed nine rebounds. White also tied with Evan Martin for a game-high four steals.
The loss placed both teams in a three-way tie with Hood for third place. Based on head-to-head competition, the Wolverines will be awarded the five-seed in the CAC tournament and will travel to St. Mary's on Tuesday, February 26 for an 8:00 PM tip off in the quarterfinals.
Playoff Picture Differs for Hoops Teams Entering Final Saturday -
Feb 22, 2008
Heading into the final game of the regular season, the playoff picture looks very different for the Wesley men and women's basketball teams. The Capital Athletic Conference seedings were set after Wednesday's match ups on the women's side, but the men's seedings and the eight teams who get in are up in the air until the action on Saturday.
On the women's side, York (17-7, 9-6) has clinched fourth place and will host Wesley (12-12, 8-7) in the first round. Although Wesley can tie York for fourth place in the standings, the Spartans swept the season series against the Wolverines to earn the home court advantage in the playoffs.
The Wesley men are certainly in the playoffs, but the Wolverines have the most on the line of any CAC team on Saturday as the Wolverines could finish anywhere from second to fifth in the regular-season standings. Wesley would clinch at least third place, and possibly second (pending the result of the Mary Washington/Villa Julie game), with a win over St. Mary's. If the Seahawks upend the Wolverines, it would create at least a two-way tie between the two teams, and possibly a three-way tie for third place if Hood finishes with a win over Salisbury.
In a three-way tie between Hood, St. Mary's and Wesley, the Blazers would gain the third seed because of head-to-head competition among the three tied teams, followed by the Seahawks and Wolverines.
Tip off of the women's game at Wentworth Gymnasium on Saturday is at 2:00 PM, with the men's game following at 4:00 PM.
Wesley Outlasts Mary Washington in CAC Action - Feb 20, 2008
DOVER, Del. - For the second time in three nights, a Wesley College men's basketball game came down to the wire. Just two days after knocking off Hood in quadruple overtime, the Wolverines picked up a 78-76 win in regulation over visiting Mary Washington.
Mary Washington (15-8, 10-5 CAC) used a 15-2 run in the first half to build a 30-19 lead with just 4:09 remaining, but James Stratton scored seven of his 18 first half points down the stretch as Wesley (14-10, 9-6 CAC) trimmed the lead to just 34-30 at the intermission.
The second half was a see-saw battle featuring nine lead changes and a pair of ties. The last of those lead changes came on a three by Alphonzo Wright - his only three of the season in eight attempts - with 4:58 to go that put Wesley ahead 67-65. A pair of Khyle Nelson free throws with 1:42 to play put the Wolverines up 76-70, but the Eagles were not done.
E.J. Anderson nailed a three on their next possession to cut the lead in half. After a Dan Henry free throw with 44 seconds left in the game made it a 77-73 lead, Jon Pierce nailed his fourth three of the night to cut it to one with 39 seconds to go.
Henry made 1-of-2 at the line to stretch it to 78-76 with 28 seconds to go. The Eagles called a timeout with 13 seconds left to set up their final play. On the inbounds play, however, the Wesley defense prevented the ball from getting to point guard Matt Hale and by the time E.J. Anderson found Hale there was too little time to set up the play and his fading three was off the mark.
Stratton, who nearly single-handedly kept Wesley in the game in the first half, finished with a game-high 20. It was the fourth time in the last five games the sophomore from Caesar Rodney scored at least 20. He shot 7-of-14 in the game. Rashawn Johnson added 15 points.
Cody White led the Wolverines with eight rebounds.
Pierce led Mary Washington with 18 points. Brandon Altmann turned in a stellar all-around performance with 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Justin Baker added a dozen points, while Hale chipped in with 11.
Wesley plays its regular season finale on Saturday, February 23 when St. Mary's (Md.) visits Wentworth Gymnasium for a 4:00 PM tip off.
Fans are encouraged to bring their spare change to the contest as the Wesley College Student Athletic Advisory Committee assists the Capital Athletic Conference in its 'Pennies for the Poor' campaign for charity.
Wolverines Win Four Overtime Thriller - Feb 18, 2008
FREDERICK, Md. - Rashawn Johnson played all but one minute through regulation and the four overtimes, so it was only fitting that the junior was the one who toed the free throw line with five seconds left to nail down Wesley's dramatic 111-106 four-overtime thriller at Hood.
Sophomore James Stratton continued his stellar play of late in the game, pouring in a career-high 35 points and falling just a rebound short of a double-double in just his third start of the year. In all, Wesley's starting five scored 100 of the team's 110 points in the win. And reserve Kevin Johnson scored all 10 of the bench points on a night the Wolverines (13-10, 8-6 CAC) were without sixth man and second leading scorer Evan Martin.
Khyle Nelson, who finished with a career-high 17 point and added 10 rebounds, hit what proved to be the game-winner with a layup with 1:51 left in the fourth overtime to put Wesley ahead 105-103. Mike McCarrick had a chance to tie the game on the Hood's (14-9, 8-6 CAC) next possession, but hit just one of two from the line. After a pair of Rashawn Johnson free throws put Wesley ahead three, 107-104, Mark McGlone hit a jumper to again cut it to one with just 42 seconds left on the clock. Kevin Johnson stretched it back to three with a pair of free throws with 23 ticks remaining and after a missed three, Rashawn Johnson put the game out of reach with his final two points of the evening.
It was the first time all night Hood didn't answer a Wesley score in the final minutes as the Blazers had trailed in the final minute of regulation and each of the first three overtimes before scoring to extend the contest.
The game started out with Wesley leading by as many as nine in the first half, and taking a 36-31 lead into the half. Wesley would again extend the lead to nine in the second half, after a Kevin Johnson three with 15:37 left in regulation. The Blazers' Nick Scott eventually tied the game at 62-62 with 7:25 left, but the Wolverines still led by four with 39 seconds left after a jumper by Stratton made it 75-71. McGlone scored with 22 seconds left and only eight seconds later, Scott sank a lay up to send the game to the first overtime.
Another score by Stratton put Wesley ahead by four in the final minute, but a score by Scott and two free throws by McCarrick in the final 33 seconds sent the game to double overtime knotted at 83-83.
Ryan Junghans gave Hood a two-point lead 89-87, but five straight points by Stratton gave Wesley a three-point advantage with 17 seconds left, setting up more clutch shooting from the Blazers. Junghans nailed a three with just 10 seconds left force a third extra period.
Arthur Claybon, who had just four points in the entire game, sent the game into the fourth overtime when he took a pass from Scott and layed it in to tie things at 99-99 with 37 seconds left.
In all, the game featured 17 ties and a dozen lead changes.
It was a rare off-shooting night for Rashawn Johnson as the nation's 12th leading scorer hit just 5-of-24 from the floor, but managed to sink 14-of-14 free throws in the game to end up with 25 points. He added 11 rebounds for the guard's fifth double-double of the season.
Stratton picked his teammate up by nailing 14-of-28, 5-of-9 from distance, on his career night. Khyle Nelson turned in his second straight double-double with a career-high 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Cody White snagged a season-high 14 rebounds and added 10 points for his second double-double of the year. Dan Henry added 13 points.
Junghans paced the Blazers with 27 points before fouling out and added seven rebounds and five assists. McGlone netted 16 points in the contest. Tim Abercrombie scored 13 and matched Junghans rebounding and assist totals. Anthony Scott added 11 and Scott came off the bench for 10.
The Blazer bench held a 35-10 advantage over its Wolverine counterparts, but Wesley responded by outrebounding its opponent 63-46 and by hitting 29-of-34 (84 percent) free throws.
Wesley also hit 7-of-15 threes in the second half and overtimes, compared to just 5-of-21 for Hood.
The game brought the two teams even at 8-6 in the Capital Athletic Conference, tied for third place. It was the second game in a grueling four-game, eight day stretch for the Wolverines, with the first three games against the CAC's top three teams, and the fourth against fifth place St. Mary's (Md.).
Wesley hosts Mary Washington on Wednesday, February 20 at 8:00 PM.
Wolverines Come Up Short at York (Pa.) - Feb 16, 2008
YORK, Pa - Wesley's Rashawn Johnson and James Stratton combined for 48 points, but York's (Pa.) Chad McGowan turned in a monster performance with 37 points and 12 rebounds as the Wolverines fell to the Spartans 84-77 in Capital Athletic Conference action.
Johnson hit for 28 on 10-of-22 shooting, including four threes. The junior also hauled in nine rebounds, six on the offensive end, and had three steals. Stratton hit 7-of-16 from the floor, matching Johnson with four triples, to finish with 20 points. The sophomore also dished out four assists in the game.
McGowan, a 2006-07 All-American, hit 13-of-19 field goals and 11-of-17 from the line to lead the Spartans (17-6, 12-2 CAC).
Wesley (12-10, 7-6 CAC) led by nine in the early going, 17-8, after Stratton set up Johnson for a three with 13:05 left in the first half. The rest of the half, however, featured seven lead changes and three ties as the teams went to the locker room tied at 34-34 after a layup by Evan Martin tied the score with two seconds left.
York, however, took control of the game in the second half with an 18-2 run - powered by eight points from McGowan - that built a 56-40 lead with 11:53 to play. The Wolverines hung tough, scratching back to within five twice in the final minute - after a Johnson three with 44 seconds left and free thows by Alphonzo Wright nine seconds later - but could get no closer.
Wesley shot just 36 percent in the contest but kept things close by grabbing 24 offensive rebounds that resulted in a resounding 30-11 advantage in second chance points.
Khyle Nelson added a double-double for the Wolverines with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Nate Lankford had a game-high seven assists to go along with 12 points for the Spartans, who hit 52 percent from the field. Nick Brady tossed in 17 points and Levi Winters added 10.
The game was the first in a grueling four-game, eight-day stretch for Wesley against the conference's elite. In addition to Saturday's game against York, Wesley will face third-place Hood, second-place Mary Washington, and fifth-place St. Mary's (Md.) before the end of next week.
Wesley travels to Hood on Monday, February 18 for an 8:00 PM tip off against the Blazers.
Hood Game Moved to Monday, February 18 - Feb 13, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Due to inclement weather in the Frederick, Maryland area, the Capital Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader between Wesley College and Hood College on Tuesday, February 14 has been postponed and will now be played on Monday, February 18. Game times will still be 6:00 PM for the women's game, with the men's contest following at 8:00 PM.
The games were originally slated for Wednesday, February 13, but were moved up one day due to scheduling conflicts at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School, the home site for Hood men's and women's basketball. Inclement weather then forced the move to February 14.
Wesley Sweeps Season Series From Rival Salisbury - Feb 09, 2008
DOVER, Del. - The Wesley College men's basketball team used a 31-6 advantage in bench scoring to pick up a 68-58 win over visting Salisbury in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
The win also gave the Wolverines (12-9, 7-5 CAC) a season sweep in the Route 13 rivalry on the hardwood.
Salisbury (4-17, 2-10 CAC) led for much of the first half and took its biggest lead of the game, 18-12, after a Todd Ostrom free throw with 11:20 to go in the opening half. Wesley chipped away at the lead over the next six minutes and Khyle Nelson's lay up with 5:17 left in the half gave the Wolverines their first lead of the game, 21-20. The two teams traded scores until four points by Nelson in the final 1:23 of the first half sent Wesley to the locker room ahead, 30-28.
The Wolverines held the lead in the second half until Gary Ward's fast break lay up with 15:13 left in the game tied things at 34-34. Nelson scored again on Wesley's next possession and the Wolverines never trailed again. That score started an 11-0 run that gave Wesley a 45-34 lead. The Wolverines would stretch the lead to as many as 13 on two occasions, but Salisbury stayed in the game, but never got closer than six points. Ward hit a pair of free throws with 37 seconds to play that made it 63-57, but James Stratton sunk a pair of free throw two seconds later to dash the Sea Gulls hopes.
Nelson paced four Wesley players in double figures with 12 points. The CAC's leading scorer was held to a season-low 11 points in the contest. Stratton and Evan Martin came off the bench to score 10 apiece.
The Wolverines outrebounded Salisbury 45-35.
Greg Palmer notched a double-double with of 23 points and 11 rebounds. Ward added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Wesley will look to win its fourth straight with a road contest at Hood in CAC play on Tuesday, February 12. Tip off at Governor Thomas Johnson High School is set for 8:00 PM.
Basketball Doubleheader at Hood Moved - Feb 08, 2008
FREDERICK, Md. - The Capital Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader between Hood College and Wesley College originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 13, has been moved to Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 6 and 8 p.m. at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School.
Clutch Three Lifts Wolverines to Win - Feb 06, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Despite being saddled with foul trouble for most of the evening, Wesley College's Rashawn Johnson was on the floor when it counted most, draining a long three with just six seconds left as the Wolverines erased a 13-point deficit for a dramatic 79-78 win over Marymount (Va.) in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
With its leading scorer on the bench most of the evening, Wesley (11-9, 6-5 CAC) got a big game from Johnson's backup, James Stratton. The sophomore poured in 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from distance. The Wolverines also shot a scorching 71 percent (22-of-31) in the second half as they completed their comeback.
The Saints (11-9, 5-6 CAC) led 41-28 after a Mike Gray lay up with 18:13 to play. Wesley got to within a possession four times in the final minute, but Marymount answered each time before a Johnson three with 1:58 to go put the Wolverines up 74-73. Marymount answered right back with a triple from Fred Stanback to regain the advantage with 1:20 remaining.
After a baseline lay up from Alphonzo Wright with only 52 seconds left tied it at 76-76, the Wolverines forced a five-second call on Stanback with 23 seconds left to set up Johnson's game-winning three.
Wesley held for the last shot and Johnson got the ball near midcourt, took a few dribbles toward the basket and pulled up for a three over the outstretched Saints defense.
Stanback, however, drew a foul on Marymount's last gasp three with just one second left, but made only 2-of-3 to make it a 79-78 game. Khyle Nelson was immediately fouled, however, and missed both free throws, giving Marymount the ball with less than a second to play. The Saints turned the ball over on the inbounds pass, ending the game.
Marymount had jumped out to the early lead, starting the game with a 15-4 run as Wesley shot just 9-of-23 in the first half and trailed 37-25 at the intermission.
Evan Martin scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and Wright came off the bench for 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Stanback led all scorers with 27 points on 8-of-16 shooting with four threes. Patrick Prewitt hit all six of his field goals to match Mike Gray with 13 points. Elvis Ellis added 11 off the bench.
The Saints held a 40-25 advantage on the boards.
The win broke a fifth place tie in the conference standings as both teams entered the game at 5-5. Wesley also leapfrogged over St. Mary's (Md.) into fourth place, as the Seahawks dropped an 84-80 final against Hood.
The Wolverines host Salisbury in the Route 13 rivalry on Saturday, February 9 at 4:00 PM.
Wolverine Defense Sparks Win Over Villa Julie - Feb 02, 2008
STEVENSON, Md. - Wesley College snapped a three-game losing streak with perhaps the team's best defensive effort of the season, beating Villa Julie 75-59 on the road in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
The Wolverines (10-9, 5-5 CAC) held the Mustangs (5-15, 3-8 CAC) to just 35 percent shooting and just 4-of-23 from beyond the arc. Wesley also held the CAC's third leading scorer, Greg Woody, to just nine points. The Mustangs' leading scorer had entered the game averaging 33 points per game over the previous three contests. The Wolverines hounded him into just 4-of-17 shooting, including only 1-of-10 from three-point range.
Rashawn Johnson paced the Wolverines with 25 points on 12-of-22 shooting. The junior guard, who led four Wesley players in double figures, became just the third player in program history to top the 1,600 point plateau in the game and finished the day with 1,615 career points.
Cody White turned in his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
With the score tied at 21-21, Wesley ran off 12 straight points before a late Villa Julie basket made the score 33-23 at the half in favor of the Wolverines.
In addition to the defensive performance, the Wolverine offense also showed more efficiency. After cracking 40 percent shooting just once in the previous five games, Wesley connected on 45 percent in the win, it's best output in three weeks. The Wolverines also rebounded nicely from a cold 2-of-25 three-point effort in the previous contest to hit 3-of-5 against the Mustangs.
Kevin Johnson added 16 points for the Wolverines, and Khyle Nelson added 11.
Chaise Lancaster led the Mustangs with 12 points.
The win also evened Wesley's record in the CAC at 5-5, placing them in a tie with Marymount for fifth place in the conference, half game behind St. Mary's (Md.).
Marymount visits Wentworth Gymnasium on Wednesday, February 6 for an 8:00 PM tip off.
Wesley Falls in Nailbiter - Jan 31, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College's Rashawn Johnson had a game-high 26 points, but it was not enough as a pesky Gallaudet squad escaped Wentworth Gymnasium with a 77-75 victory over the Wolverines.
The junior guard from Selbyville, Delaware added seven rebounds and four steals, while hitting 12-of-24 field goals.
Wesley (9-9, 4-5 CAC) led for much of the game, including a 43-28 advantage at the half, and later stretched the lead to as many as 18 in the second half. After a Johnson lay up gave the Wolverines a 55-37 lead, the Bison (4-14, 3-7 CAC) went on an 18-5 run to chip the lead to just five points after a three by Lance Gonzalez with 10:32 to play.
Wesley maintained the lead until Jon Mowl tied the contest with a pair of free throws with just under five minutes to play at 68-68. Gonzalez then hit another three for a 71-68 Gallaudet advantage.
With the game tied 75-75 with 16 seconds to play, Johnny Jackson picked up steal and went in for the winning layup.
Evan Martin came off the bench for 14 points for Wesley. Kevin Johnson added a dozen and Alphonzo Wright had 10.
Gonzalez and Mowl came off the bench to combine for 37 points. Mowl hit 4-of-8 from distance on his way to a team-high 19. Jackson added 15 and Dan Fava had 11.
The entire Wesley team was ice cold from long range, hitting only 2-of-25 from distance. The Wolverines also hit just 59 percent from the foul line.
St. Mary's Holds Off Wolverines - Jan 23, 2008
ST. MARY'S, Md. - Rashawn Johnson scored a game-high 26 points, but it was not enough as St. Mary's (Md.) outlasted Wesley, 90-83 in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
Johnson hit 9-of-18 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds in the game. Alphonzo Wright also had a strong game, posting a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Johnson added 13 points for Wesley (9-8, 4-4).
St. Mary's (9-8, 4-4 CAC) led by as many as nine in the first half before the Wolverines battled back to tie the score. Khyle Nelson earned Wesley it's third tie of the half with 41 seconds left, before the Seahawks added a field goal in the closing seconds to take a 38-36 lead into half.
A Rashawn Johnson basket pulled Wesley within one, 43-42, before St. Mary's broke the game open with a 13-3 run. The Wolverines battled back again, pulling to within three after a three-point play by Rashawn Johnson with 2:24 to play, 80-77. Wesley was forced to foul, however, and the Seahawks hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 1:01 to seal the game.
Tyson Lesesne hit 5-of-8 threes on his way to 23 points and powered a perimeter attack that hit 9-of-16 from long range. Alex Irmer added 18 points. Mike Smelkinson had 16 points to go along with a game-high eight assists. Calvin Wise led St. Mary's with nine boards and scored 13 points.
Wesley is idle until Gallaudet visits Wentworth Gymnasium on January 30.
Wesley Drops CAC Road Contest - Jan 19, 2008
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Rashawn Johnson led five Wesley players in double figures with 21 points, but it was not enough as Mary Washington defended its home floor for an 83-74 win over the Wolverines in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) play.
Cody White added 12 points, eight rebounds, a block and a steal for Wesley (9-7, 4-3 CAC). Khyle Nelson also netted 12 on 4-of-4 from the floor. Evan Martin scored 11 and had four assists.
Mary Washington (9-5, 5-2 CAC) jumped out to a 45-31 lead at the half behind a 7-of-16 effort from beyond the arc.
Wesley fought back in the second half and got to with two on two occasions in the final four minutes. But after Nelson lay in with 2:39 left, the Eagles rattled off seven straight points to seal the win.
Both teams took good care of the ball in the contest. Wesley committed just 12 turnovers, while the Eagles had just 13.
Jon Pierce and Brandon Altman had 18 apiece to lead Mary Washington. Justin Baker had 17 and Matt Hale added 15 with five threes.
The Wolverines will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday, January 23 in a CAC road tilt at St. Mary's (Md.). Tip off is set for 8:00 PM.
Wesley Picks Up Big CAC Win - Jan 16, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley grabbed 25 offensive rebounds and forced 24 York (Pa.) turnovers to pick up a critical 89-86 win over the visiting Spartans in Wentworth Gymnasium.
All of the offensive rebounds resulted in a 30-12 advantage in second chance points.
Wesley (9-6, 4-2 CAC) placed four players in double figures, led by Rashawn Johnson with 20. The junior guard's 9-of-11 effort from the foul line was critical in the closing minutes of the close game. He also came up just one rebound shy of a double-double.
Freshman Kevin Johnson posted a career-high 17 points. Evan Martin hit 7-of-15 field goals for 16 points off the bench and Cody White tallied a season-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Kevin Johnson and White had four steals apiece and Alphonzo Wright led all players with 13 rebounds.
York (9-6, 4-2 CAC) came out shooting, connecting on 16-of-22 in the first half, but led only 44-43 at the break. The Wolverines stayed in the game by grabbing 15 offensive rebounds in the period and forcing 11 turnovers. The Spartans led by 15, 34-19, after a lay in by Matty Foley with 8:16 left in the half. A Kevin Johnson bucket on the next Wesley possession started a 24-6 run that gave the Wolverines a 43-40 lead. The Spartans scored the half's last four to reclaim the lead at the break.
Wesley built a 53-46 lead with 16:25 left in the game, but the Spartans used seven straight points to tie the game. With the game tied at 55-55, the Wolverines ran off a 12-2 run to take a 67-57 lead after a White bucket with 10:33 remaining.
York eventually whittled the Wesley lead to just two after a Chad McGowan lay up with 47 seconds remaining, 88-86. Kevin Johnson missed a three on the next Wolverine possession, but got his own rebound. Rashawn Johnson hit a free with nine seconds left. McGowan had a desperation three at the buzzer with hit the rim and bounced out as Wesley escaped with the win.
McGowan led all players with 25 points and completed his double-double with 12 rebounds. The All-American hit 10-of-14 field goals and blocked three shots. Levi Winters added 20 points and Nick Brady had 17. Nate Lankford handed out nine assists.
The Spartans shot 61 percent in the contest.
The win brought the Wolverines into a three-way tie for second place in the Capital Athletic Conference with the Spartans and Mary Washington, Wesley's Saturday opponent.
Hood Outlasts Wesley - Jan 12, 2008
DOVER, Del. - Wesley carried a 35-25 lead into halftime, but Hood regrouped to escape Wentworth Gymnasium with a 70-64 win in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
Wesley (8-6, 3-2 CAC) trailed 21-11 with 8:05 left in the first half, but outscored the Blazers 24-5 over the remainder of the period. Rashawn Johnson and James Stratton scored eight points apiece during the run. Wesley forced 16 of Hood's 24 turnovers in the first half.
Hood (11-4, 5-1 CAC) quickly fought back into the contest, opening the half with a 17-6 run over the first four minutes. The Wolverines held the lead until a Ryan Junghans' four-point play with 4:25 remaining gave Hood a 58-57 lead. The Blazers shot 63 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes and were whistled for just seven fouls in half, compared to 17 for the Wolverines.
Rashawn Johnson tied for the game-high with 20 points, powered by a 4-of-7 effort from three point range, and missed a double-double by just a single rebound. Kevin Johnson and James Stratton scored 10 points apiece and Alphonzo Wright had a game-high with 13 boards.
Junghans matched Johnson with 20 points to lead the Blazers. Tim Abercrombie hit 8-of-10 field goals on his way to 18 points. Anthony Bennett added 11 off the bench.
Hood shot 53 percent in the contest, compared to just 33 percent for the Wolverines.
Wesley will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday, January 16, when York (Pa.) visits Wentworth Gymnasium for an 8:00 PM tip off in conference action.
Johnson's Double-Double Leads Wesley Past Salisbury - Jan 09, 2008
SALISBURY, Md. - Rashawn Johnson turned in his third double-double of the year with 30 points and 10 rebounds as Wesley College picked up a 93-84 win at Salisbury in Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) action.
Wesley (8-5, 3-1 CAC) led 48-42 at the half behind 18 points from Johnson, who shot 8-of-12 in the opening stanza. The Wolverines had trailed early, 33-31, before a 12-2 run gave Wesley the lead for good.
In the second half, the Wolverines still led by six, 59-53, before another run, this one of the 13-4 variety, swelled the lead to 15.
Kevin Johnson set a career-high for the second straight game, scoring 14 points. Alphonzo Wright netted 15 and Khyle Nelson and Evan Martin each scored 10 off the bench.
Salisbury's (2-11, 0-4) entire starting five scored double figures. Gary Ward led the way with 20. Wesley Sweet had 16 points and seven rebounds.
Wesley's pressure defense forced the Sea Gulls into 31 turnovers and resulted in 18 Wesley steals.
The Wolverines outrebounded Salisbury 40-34.
Wesley will look for its fourth straight CAC win with a home game against Hood on January 12.
Men's Basketball Team Meets Senator Carper - Jan 09, 2008
DOVER, Del. - When U.S. Senator Tom Carper spoke with a group at Wesley College on January 9, among those in attendance was Wesley's men's basketball program.
The senator held a 30 minute question and answer session with members of the college community. Among the topics touched on were energy efficiency and self-reliance, the national debt and
Senator Carper also touched on his love of exercise. In his closing statement, Senator Carper imparted what he considers to be the five components of a successful leader: always do what's right, treat others well, have a commitment to excellence, never give up and to surround yourself with the best people you can find. He also added that great leaders credit the team with the success and are willing to shoulder the blame for failures.
After the discussion, the Senator posed with Wolverine Head Coach Jerry Kobasa and members of the Wesley men's basketball team before they departed to take on Salisbury in a Capital Athletic Conference contest.
Wesley Pounds Lancaster Bible, 91-57 - Jan 06, 2008
SCRANTON, Pa. - Wesley held Lancaster Bible to just three field goals and 16 first half points as the Wolverines cruised to a 91-57 victory in the third place game of the Radisson Invitational at the University of Scranton's Long Center.
Rashawn Johnson led Wesley (7-5) with 23 points, four assists and three steals. The all-tournament team selection hit 11-of-18 from the floor in the contest.
The Wolverines snapped a three game skid as 12 different players scored points in the contest.
Evan Martin came off the bench to score 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Khyle Nelson went 9-of-10 from the foul line on his way to a 13 point effort.
In the first half, Wesley held Lancaster Bible (0-11) to just 3-of-24 from the field and forced 19 turnovers. After Ryan Carpenter put the Chargers ahead with a lay up just 12 seconds into the game, the Wolverines ripped off 12 straight points by five different players to take control of the game.
Wesley also broke out of its shooting funk in the contest. After hitting under 40 percent in three of its last five games, the Wolverines shot 51 percent in the win.
The game also concluded the non-conference portion of Wesley's schedule. The Wolverines went 5-4 against teams from outside the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC).
Wesley returns to CAC action on January 9 when the Wolverines renew the Route 13 rivalry with Salisbury. Tip off is set for 8:00 PM.
Wesley Falls to Lycoming, 76-66 - Jan 05, 2008
SCRANTON, Pa. - Lycoming knocked down 52 percent of its three point attempts as Wesley suffered a 76-66 loss in the first round of the Radisson Invitational at the University of Scranton's Long Center.
The Wolverines, who suffered their third straight defeat, were led by Rashawn Johnson's game-high 28 points. Wesley (6-5) was just as cold from the floor as the Warriors were hot, connected on just 25-of-70 field goals (36 percent) in the loss.
Wesley's other bright spot was freshman Kevin Johnson, who scored a career-high 13 points on 5-of-10 from the field, including three beyond the arc. The two Johnsons combined to hit 7-of-19 threes, but the rest of the team combined to miss all 14 attempts. The team also hit just 9-of-19 from the foul line.
Eric Anthony and Kevin Morris had matching nights as both Lycoming (6-5) players hit 6-of-12 field goals and each went 4-of-7 from three point range. Anthony ended up with 20 points after going 4-of-4 from the line, while Morris scored 18.
The Warriors scored the first 11 points of the game in less than three minutes to take command of the game. Lycoming stretched the lead to 19 at the half, 42-23.
After an Anthony three made it a 20 point game, 45-25, the Wolverines used an 18-5 run to cut it to single digits. Rashawn Johnson finished the rally with a three that made it 50-43 with 12:45 remaining in the contest.
Wesley would eventually cut it to five points on two occasions. But after a Khyle Nelson lay up with 4:12 to play, Lycoming scored six straight points to put the game away and take a 70-59 lead.
The Wolverines will now face the loser of the Scranton/Lancaster Bible contest in the third place game of the tournament on Sunday, January 6 at 3:00 PM.
The Wolverines turned the ball over just 12 times in the contest and allowed Lycoming just two steals.
