WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 7) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team hosted Otterbein on Saturday for the championship game of the Yellow Jackets' season-opening home tournament. Waynesburg fell 71-54 to the Cardinals.
Waynesburg hung within striking distance for much of the opening half despite facing an early deficit. Three-pointers from senior
Aiden Blake (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) and
Jackson Ogle (Stephens City, Va. / Sherando) helped keep the Yellow Jackets close, and a late triple by Blake trimmed the Otterbein advantage to 34-28 heading into halftime.
Blake led Waynesburg offensively with eight points, including a pair of three-pointers, while freshmen
Teegan Finucan (Cabot, Pa. / Knoch) and
Cameron Suggs (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) each added seven points. Sophomore
Jonah Biggers (Cockeysville, Md. / Calvert Hall) pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, and junior
Demetrius Rivers (Strongsville, Ohio / Glenville (Ginn Academy)) contributed six boards and three points.
The Yellow Jackets received significant production from their reserves, who accounted for 31 of the team's 54 points. Suggs sparked the second unit with seven points, while junior
LeBarron Gordon (Temple Hills, Md. / Gwynn Park) added four points and three assists.
Otterbein slowly extended its lead after the break, eventually building a 17-point advantage midway through the second half. Waynesburg continued to fight, getting baskets from Finucan, Rivers and Gordon during a stretch that cut the deficit to 12 points, but the Cardinals answered with timely scoring and strong rebounding to maintain control.
Waynesburg finished with 30 points in the paint, while also receiving scoring contributions from 15 different players.
Waynesburg returns to tournament competition on Friday, Nov. 13, when it travels to the Marietta Shrine Tournament to face the host Pioneers. Start time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
