SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (Dec. 30) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team squared off with Wilmington College in Tuesday's championship game of the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic, which was hosted by Wittenberg University. The Yellow Jackets led throughout most of the game, but couldn't hold off an efficient Quaker team, which scored a 72-69 victory.
 
Waynesburg's (5-6) Jason Propst scored the game's opening basket, but Wilmington (4-7) answered right back on the ensuing possession.to tie things up. The first five minutes of the contest were played in this same tight fashion. A free throw from Propst with 15:16 showing on the first-half clock put the Jackets ahead 12-11. That successful foul shot began a 12-1 surge by the Orange and Black that put it ahead 24-12 with just over 10 minutes to play until halftime.
 
The Jacket lead grew to as many as 13 points, but Wilmington was able to stay in the contest with several small runs. By the time the two squads broke for their respective locker rooms, Waynesburg was ahead 38-34.
 
The Yellow Jackets maintained their advantage throughout most of the second half, but were never able to regain another double-digit advantage. The Quakers picked up their first lead of the contest with 7:23 showing on the scoreboard. A bucket from senior Tyler Miller put Waynesburg back ahead 56-55 one minute later, but Wilmington responded with back-to-back three-pointers to go ahead 61-56.
 
The Jackets showed they weren't ready to give up the victory just yet and regained the advantage by scoring eight of the next 10 points and taking a 64-63 edge with 3:46 left to play. The stretch run of the game saw the two teams trade baskets on multiple occasions and the score was tied 67-67 with 1:40 remaining in the half.
 
Wilmington took the lead (70-67) for good on a jumper and a free throw over its next two possessions. The Jackets managed one more basket, which came from senior wing Jacob Fleegle, but the Quakers were able to put the game away with one final hoop.
 
The Jackets had a total of four chances to tie things up on an extended final possession, but none of their three-point attempts found the bottom of the basket. Waynesburg managed two final tries from long range over the final four seconds of action.
 
Propst tallied a game-high 16 points in the loss, which ended Waynesburg's four-game winning streak. Junior guard B.J. Durham added 14 points, while Fleegle chipped in 11.The Jackets out-rebounded Wilmington by a 44-34 differential. The Quakers shot 49 percent from the floor and held their opposition to 36 percent from the field.
 
After the conclusion of Tuesday's title game, Propst and Durham were named to the six-man all-tournament team. Waynesburg is off until Saturday, Jan. 3, when it returns to Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play with a road trip to Washington & Jefferson College. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.