West Virginia Wesleyan College: Men's Basketball

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.-The WV Wesleyan men’s basketball program will host several opportunities for area youth to learn more about the game of basketball during the months of June and July. There will be two individual boys’ day camps open to those ranging in age from 4-18. The dates of the camps are June 26-30 and July 17-21.

The camps will be broken down into two four hour segments and will teach fundamentals relating to both offensive and defensive skills. The younger group (4-8 years old) will meet during the early morning session of both camps while the older category of players (9 and older) will work out in the afternoon.

The cost of attendance is $55.00 per session. To download the application, please click on the following link: Summer Basketball Camp Application.

Boys' Basketball Camp Information
Camp Dates	Cost	Session Breakdown
June 26-June 30	$55.00	4-8 year olds: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm; 9-18 year olds: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
July 17-July 21	$55.00	4-8 year olds: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm; 9-18 year olds: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

The WV Wesleyan basketball staff will also be hosting two one day high school team shootouts. These events will be held during the open period sponsored by the WVSSAC in June. The dates for each are Saturday, June 17 and Saturday, June 24.

Each team in attendance will be guaranteed four games. The cost of attendance is $175.00 per squad.

For information relating to either format contact the WVWC men’s basketball office at 304-473-8053 or email lilly_w@wvwc.edu.

The West Virginia Wesleyan men’s basketball team signed three highly touted recruits – Keshawn Creighton, Ryan Hoehner, and Greg Price – to national letters-of-intent, announced head coach Bill Lilly.

Lilly, in his first year of guiding the Bobcats, made major strides in rebuilding the basketball program during the 2005-06 season. The Bobcats finished this past season with a flourish, winning five of their final eight games and pulling off two upsets in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, advancing all the way to the semi-finals.

“It was a tough season, but we made progress as the year went on,” said Lilly. “Still, we need to make significant improvements for next year. I think it is safe to say these three recruits are well thought of and have the potential of a very bright future in college basketball.”

Creighton is a forward from Wheeling, WV. As a senior at Wheeling Park High School, the 6-6 Creighton averaged 19.1 points per game. He helped guide Wheeling Park to a quarter-final appearance in the West Virginia State High School Basketball Tournament. He was also named to the West Virginia Class AAA All-State First Team and honored as a selection on the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference First Team. As a junior, he averaged 16.6 point per game and was named to the West Virginia All-State Second Team.

“When I first saw Keshawn, I was very impressed,” stated Lilly. “He plays the game hard, runs the floor well, and rebounds the ball on both ends of the court. He really does all the little things well and I think he will be a great fit for our team.”

Hoehner averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and blocked 36 shots as a senior at Bowling Green High School in Ohio. The 6-5 forward was selected to the Ohio Division I All-State Honorable Mention list and to the First Team All-State Academic Team. He was selected to play in the prestigious Ohio North-South All-Star game in Columbus. He led the Northern Lakes League in scoring. He was a First Team All-League selection, a First Team member on the All-District Team, and a Second Team selection on the Northwest District Team. He was a three-sport standout at Bowling Green, playing football and running track as well as basketball. He is also a 4.0 student and ranked first in his graduating class of 257 students.

“Ryan is a tremendous player,” commented Lilly. “I fell in love with his game immediately. He is very skilled in shooting the ball and will fight you for a rebound. And he is a fantastic student as well.”

Price is a guard from Urbana High School, MD, who averaged 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists his senior season. The 6-1 Price led Urbana to a 23-2 record and was named to First Team All-MBC 25, First Team All-Monocacy Valley Athletic League – Chesapeake, and was a First-Team All-Area selection.

“Greg is a true guard with shooting, set up and finish skills,” remarked Lilly. “He rarely will turn the ball over. He is a student of the game and relishes the role of floor general.”

Lilly expects all three could see playing time and be a contributor this upcoming season. “It could be a situation where we are going to be extremely young,” Lilly concluded. “But I think the people we have in our program are really going to be dedicated and want to play and do things the right way.

Sophomore guard Dureyea Garnett (Newark, Del.) finished his second season at Wesleyan in 18th place in Division II with 2.6 steals per game. The mark helped the Bobcats capture a seventh-place ranking overall with 10.9 steals per game.

Wesleyan ranked second in the WVIAC behind West Liberty State (11.79 spg.) while Garnett also ended the season second to Salem’s Shaun McKie. McKie, the WVIAC Player of the Year, picked up 3.48 steals per game.

Pfeiffer University (N.C.) and Metro State’s (Colo.) Drew Williamson were the overall and individual leaders, respectively. Pfeiffer averaged 12.8 steals per game while Williamson nabbed 3.7 per game.

Ellis was named to the WVIAC All-Tournament team while Manchin was given the George Springer Individual Sportsmanship Award.

In the Bobcat’s three tournament games Ellis averaged 16 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He was 16-of-30 (53 percent) from the field, 4-of-8 (50 percent) from three-point range, and 12-of-15 (80%) from the line.

Cole’s game-high 20 points and nine rebounds in Thursday afternoon’s 79-74 win over Wheeling Jesuit helped Wesleyan become the first team seeded 11th or lower to advance to the WVIAC semifinals since Alderson-Broaddus made it as a 12 seed in 1994.

Manchin averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 2.0 assists in the three games.

2006 WVIAC Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
Shane Maynard (West Liberty State)
Anton Duncan (West Virginia State)
Cole Ellis (West Virginia Wesleyan)
David Watson (Salem International)
Shaun McKie (Salem International)
Ted Scott (West Virginia State)
Derrick Bell (Alderson-Broaddus)
Chris Dunn (West Virginia State)
Herman Davis (Salem International)

Galperin Award (highest scoring average): Shane Maynard (West Liberty State), 26.0 ppg. in two games
George Springer Individual Sportsmanship Award: Rocky Manchin (West Virginia Wesleyan)
Commissioner’s Heart & Hustle Award: Shaun McKie (Salem International)

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—Salem International (21-7) and conference player of the year, Shaun McKie, held the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats (7-23) under 70 points while shooting 59.2 percent from field in an 84-61 WVIAC Tournament semifinal win at the Charleston Civic Center on Friday evening.

The Tigers and their deep bench of athletic scorers shot 62 percent (16-of-26) from the field in the opening half. The hot shooting sparked a 10-0 run to start the game and also helped them extend their lead to as many as 23 points in the early going.

Salem also shot 50 percent (5-of-10) from three-point range in the first twenty minutes, but all five three-pointers were made in the first eight minutes of the contest.

The 61-point output is the first time the ‘Cats have been held under 71 points in their last nine games. An undersized Bobcat team was also out-rebounded 38-25 in the loss.

McKie led all scorers with 22 points on 6-of-10 from the floor and 9-of-10 from the line.

Salem’s David Watson, Herman Davis, and Stanley Milien were also in double figures for the Tigers. Watson’s 16 points came on 4-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-7 from the line. Davis and Milien scored 13 points and 12 points, respectively.

The ‘Cats received balanced scoring from four players. E.J. Lucas (Silver Spring, Md.), who provided the second-half spark against Wheeling Jesuit, led Wesleyan with 12 points. Rocky Manchin (Farmington), Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands), and Jerel Thomas (Laurel, Md.) chipped in 10 points apiece. Thomas also brought down seven rebounds.

Sprinting out the 10-0 advantage set a relaxed tone for the No. 2 seed Tigers. Playing catch-up forced the ‘Cats out of the rhythm that helped them achieve victory in five of their previous seven games.

Trailing 34-11 with just under seven minutes remaining, the Bobcats went on a 19-9 run to close out the first half and head to the locker room down by 13 at 43-30.

The Tigers scored the first five points of the second half—all within the first minute of play—and regained any lost momentum from the final minutes of the first half.

A 23-10 run midway through the second half put the Tigers up 71-45 and the game out of reach for the Bobcats.

West Virginia Wesleyan may have ended the season on a sour note, but the taste of postseason play will give the ‘Cats something to

shoot for next year. The final three weeks of the season saw the Bobcats come together under first-year head coach, Bill Lilly. During those weeks the team picked up five of their seven wins, ended rival Glenville State’s eight-game winning streak, won back-to-back home games, pulled out their third straight Senior Day victory, knocked off tournament favorites Concord and Wheeling Jesuit, and advanced to the WVIAC final four. With new leadership in place and a winning attitude back in Buckhannon, Wesleyan fans may have reason to return to the Civic Center next year.

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—An upset over the Concord Mountain Lions and a trip to Charleston would have been a “nice” way to cap off a tough season. But Billy Lilly’s squad was not satisfied with just being in Charleston, so they did something about it. And what they did was upset the third seed and defending tournament champion Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals 79-75 to advance deeper and become the first team seeded 11th or lower to make it to the WVIAC Tournament semifinals since Alderson-Broaddus did it as a 12 seed back in 1994.

The early portion of Wednesday’s opening half featured a lot of lead changes but just one tie. Wheeling Jesuit created some breathing room with a 10-0 run midway through the half and led 32-22 at one point.

Chelcher was unstoppable in the opening period. The junior scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half, most of them coming by way of the free throw.

As a team Wesleyan was 13-of-25 from the field (52 percent) and 13-of-14 (93 percent) from the line in the half. Wheeling Jesuit converted 11-of-25 from the floor and 14-of-17 free throws (82.4 percent).

Neither team fared well from three-point range as the Bobcats were 1-of-6 (17 percent) while Wheeling shot just 3-of-12 (25 percent).

The start of the second half proved to be a bit of grudge match with each team struggling to climb past the 50-point mark.

Another Wheeling Jesuit run gave the Cardinals a small lead, but the ‘Cats were brought back to life by the play of freshman E.J. Lucas (Silver Spring, Md.).

Lucas caught fire in the second half by driving hard to rack and forcing Wheeling to foul or give up easy buckets in the paint.

Despite having three players in foul trouble late in the second half, Wesleyan showed extreme calmness for such an inexperienced team.

The Bobcats maintained momentum even though Chelcher, Manchin, and Jerel Thomas (Laurel, Md.) were all on the floor with four fouls.

As the clock slowly wound down Wheeling began to foul, but the ‘Cats did not take advantage as they did in the first half. Wesleyan missed the front end of three straight one-and-ones and allowed Wheeling to climb back within three.

A Cardinal foul on Jared Chafin with 2.4 seconds to go sent the sophomore to the line with a chance to send the Wesleyan into the next round. Chafin, who is second on the team at 71 percent from the line, drilled both shots.

The win gives the Bobcats (7-22) their seventh of the season and fifth in their last seven games. Wheeling Jesuit (21-8) was considered by many to be on the bubble for the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Cardinals now wait for a panel to determine fate after the crushing loss.

Lucas and Chelcher each scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Bobcats.

The Bobcats ended the afternoon at 51 percent from the floor. A 12-for-21 second half (57 percent) saved the ‘Cats from a collapse that would have been caused by their 12-of-21 from the line in the period.

Wheeling made just 10-of-27 from outside (37 percent) and was also 12-of-21 from the line in the final 20 minutes.

Wesleyan takes on the second-seeded Salem International Tigers (20-7) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. Semifinal game two at 8:30 p.m. features the No. 1 seed Alderson Broaddus Battlers (22-5) and the No. 4 seed West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (24-6).

Tournament information can be found on the WVIAC Web site (www.wviac.org).
All of the tournament games will be broadcast over the Internet and can be heard by clicking the link on the side of the men’s page or by going to www.smallcollegesportsweb.com and choosing the appropriate game.

The Bobcats received a game-high 24 points from Jared Chafin (Forest, Va.) and 22 points from senior Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) in a thrilling 72-70 upset of the Concord University Mountain Lions on Tuesday evening.

Chafin’s third straight double-figure game, and fifth in his last seven, came on 8-of-9 from the floor, 5-of-6 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 from the line. The sophomore also had six rebounds in the win.

Cole’s double-digit effort is becoming routine for the senior. Ellis has scored at least 13 points in his last six games and is averaging 19.1 points and 7.8 rebounds during that span. His contributions have helped lead the Bobcats to four wins in those six contests, and most recently, a date with Wheeling Jesuit in the WVIAC Quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon.

Wesleyan trailed for most of Tuesday’s first half. The ‘Cats grabbed their first lead, a 37-36 advantage, with 1:45 to go in the half. Moments later two free throws by Concord guard Kent McBride put the Mountain Lions on top 38-37 going into halftime.

Concord was near perfect from the charity stripe in the game. The Mountain Lions converted all eight of their attempts through the first 39 minutes, but two bricks by Tyrone Anderson with 14 seconds remaining gave Jared Chafin and the ‘Cats the ball with a chance to increase their slim 71-70 margin.

Chafin buried the first attempt of his two-shot opportunity. His second free throw bounced off the rim but Ellis was there to grab the offensive board. Cole was immediately fouled and sent to the line with a chance to ice the game.

Both of Ellis’ free throws were unable to find the bottom of the net. Anderson cleaned up the second miss and headed down court, but heavy pressure applied by Wesleyan’s Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) forced him to miss the game-winning shot.

Chelcher scored 13 points, recorded seven rebounds, dished out four assists, and picked up three steals in the game.

Tyrone Anderson and Kent McBride finished with 12 points each for the Mountain Lions.

The Bobcats will battle Wheeling Jesuit on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. in the Charleston Civic Center. Tournament information can be found on the WVIAC Web site (www.wviac.org).

All of the tournament games will be broadcast over the Internet and can be heard by clicking the link on the side of the men’s page or by going to www.smallcollegesportsweb.com and choosing the appropriate game.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—A 13-0 surge to start the game provided enough cushion for the Bobcats (5-21, 5-12) to hold on to a 77-71 Senior Day victory over visiting Davis & Elkins College (6-23, 2-16) on Thursday evening.

Jumping out to the early lead gave senior Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) a chance to shine on his day. Ellis, the lone senior on the Bobcats, helped spark the team’s first four minutes of action by scoring nine points during the 13-0 run.

The lead, however, did not last long as the play of D&E point guard Bobby Alexander drew the Senators to within five points by halftime.

Alexander’s 15 first-half points was a huge boost for visitors. The team’s other four starters scored only two points in the first 20 minutes.

In the second half the Senators kept things close, trailing by double digits just once.

A pair of Alexander free throws with 49 seconds left cut Wesleyan’s lead to two, 73-71.

On the ensuing possession, guard Rocky Manchin (Farmington) found Ellis underneath with a perfect pass for an uncontested lay-up. The bucket gave the orange and black some breathing room with 17 ticks remaining.

Following a missed jumper by D&E’s Pierre Lacey, two free throws by Jared Chafin (Forest, Va.) sealed the 77-71 win for Wesleyan.

Ellis finished with 23 points and eight rebounds in the victory. The 6-7 forward was also 6-of-6 from the line.

In his two seasons as a Bobcat Cole has scored 314 points and recorded 167 rebounds in 46 career games.

Sophomores Chafin and Jerel Thomas (Laurel, Md.) also posted impressive lines for Wesleyan. Chafin’s 17 points was second to Ellis’ game-high 23. The lefty played a big 37 minutes on the heels of an injury that forced him to exit Monday’s game at A-B early.

The Bobcats’ fifth win is the most since the 2002-03 season. During that year the ‘Cats were 9-17 overall and 8-10 in the conference. Wesleyan’s third straight win on Senior Day also gives the ‘Cats their first season sweep of a fellow pod school since the team’s regular season title run of 2001-02.

The West Virginia Conference basketball contingent is broken down into three different groups or “pods,” with each pod consisting of five teams. Teams in each pod play a home-and-home series with each other in order to facilitate travel costs. Wesleyan, Davis & Elkins, Alderson-Broaddus, Glenville State, and Shepherd all compete in the central pod. The northern pod is comprised of Wheeling Jesuit, West Liberty State, Ohio Valley, Fairmont State, and Salem International. The southern pod includes West Virginia State, Charleston, WVU Tech, Concord, and Bluefield State.

Wesleyan has won three of its last four games and looks to make if four of five with a sweep of the Shepherd Rams on Saturday in Shepherdstown. The Bobcats and Rams tip-off at 4:00 p.m.

PHILIPPI, W.Va.—Senior Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to help West Virginia Wesleyan (4-21, 4-12) defeat Alderson-Broaddus (20-4, 14-2) Tuesday evening at Rex Pyles Arena in Philippi.

The Bobcats came close to beating the WVIAC’s top team for the second time this season, but A-B’s second-half free throw shooting and command of the boards propelled the Battlers to the 87-78 victory.

Shooting 53.3 percent from the field and recording a 25-10 rebounding advantage gave the Battlers a comfortable 43-29 lead at the half.

A-B managed to grab 11 offensive rebounds in the opening half compared to Wesleyan’s 10 total rebounds.

Battler sophomore Samario Clancy led all players with 15 rebounds in the contest.

In the second half the ‘Cats trimmed the lead to as little as four by forcing 15 turnovers and limiting the Battlers to just eight field goals.

The Battlers, however, escaped with the nine-point win because of their ability to sink 27-of-34 second-half free throws. A-B made 32-of-44 attempts in the game. Guard Zach Green led the home team going 11-of-12 from the line.

Green used the free throws and 4-of-9 from the field to lead Alderson-Broaddus with 21 points.

Ellis’ 28 points on 10-of-17 from the field and 8-of-12 from the line were the most points scored this season by a Bobcat.

Junior Rocky Manchin (Farmington) also had a solid game, scoring 11 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

Wesleyan plays Davis & Elkins on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Rockefeller Center. The Bobcats beat the Senators, 77-74, in overtime on January 16 in Elkins.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—West Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball took advantage of their second chance at snapping Glenville State's winning streak by defeating the Pioneers 73-67 on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats, who just missed breaking Glenville's five-game streak a week ago, pulled off the upset with a strong defensive effort and fundamental ball movement.

With the win, the Bobcats (4-20, 4-11) match last season's win total and put back-to-back victories together for the first time since midway through the 2002-03 season. Despite the record, head coach Bill Lilly's work with the 'Cats is great news for the future considering he inherited a team who had lost its four leading scorers and four leading rebounders from a season ago.

Glenville State, who had won eight straight games coming into Rockefeller Center, dropped to 10-14 overall, 9-6 in the West Virginia Conference.

In the first half Jared Chafin (Forest, Va.) and Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) sparked the ‘Cats by scoring 18 of the team’s 34 points. Chafin’s driving lay-ups and Chelcher’s two thunderous dunks helped give Wesleyan a three-point lead heading into halftime.

The Bobcats forced 15 Pioneer turnovers in the first 20 minutes. Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) led Wesleyan with four of the team’s 12 first-half steals.

Glenville State responded with three straight baskets to open the second half. Two jumpers by senior Raymond McKeithan and bucket by guard Nick Dent gave the Pioneers a 37-34 lead two minutes into the half.

McKeithan led all scorers with 22 points and Dent was second on the Glenville with nine points.

A 16-6 run by the Bobcats midway through the half erased a five-point deficit and gave the home team a nine-point lead with four minutes remaining.

Once Wesleyan’s lead approached double digits, Glenville extended their press and started fouling to put Wesleyan at the line.

Converting just three of their six opportunities and committing five turnovers, Wesleyan allowed the Pioneers to creep back within two points.

However, Glenville was unable to get any closer as the ‘Cats halted the Pioneers’ winning streak and won their second straight home game.

Cole Ellis’ 14-point, 11-rebound performance was the second double-double recorded by a Bobcat this season. Andy Chelcher’s 13 points and 13 rebounds against West Liberty on December 3 was the last and only other time. Ellis also the came close on January 9 when he scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Ohio Valley.

The Bobcats travel to Alderson-Broaddus on Monday to take on the Battlers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

For the second consecutive year the Bobcats manage to take down the Rams at home. The win improves Wesleyan to 3-20 overall and 3-11 in the conference. The loss drops Shepherd to 11-12, 6-9 in the WVIAC.

In the opening half there was no stopping the Bobcats’ from the outside. Wesleyan poured in 59.3 percent (16-of-27) of its shots. Brian Inge (Fort Washington, Md.) led the charge with 10 first-half points on 4-of-5 from the field.

The slashing drives of E.J. Lucas (Silver Spring, Md.) helped to free up Inge and other Bobcats. Wesleyan used the open looks to extend their lead to 42-34 at halftime.

In the second half Shepherd’s Yves Moliva and Darren Stackhouse mounted a comeback for the Rams. The duo, which had been held to a combined nine points in the first 20 minutes, scored 14 and 15 points, respectively, in the second half.

Trailing by four points with 2:21 to go, Moliva knocked down two free throws to bring the Rams within two points at 69-67.

Manchin had five assists for Wesleyan and no turnovers in the win. The three gave Garnett 14 points, 12 of which he scored after the break.

A lay-up by Stackhouse and a steal by Moliva, however, gave the Rams the ball with a chance to tie at the 1:00 mark.

Shepherd converted the turnover into a Moliva lay-in, cutting the deficit to one point.

Stackhouse’s fifth foul sent Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) to the line with a chance to give Wesleyan a three-point lead. Ellis connected on his first free throw, but the second shot rimmed out into the hands of Shepherd’s Matt Deaner.

Clinging to a 73-71 lead, Wesleyan committed a foul against Ryan Peterson, but the 6-9 center missed both free throws.

Manchin cleaned up the mess and was quickly fouled. The junior guard calmly strolled to the line before sinking both shots and icing the 75-71 win for the ‘Cats.

Ellis’ 13 points were second on the Cat’s. The senior also recorded seven rebounds. Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) just missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds.

Stackhouse and Moliva finished with 18 points apiece for Shepherd. Stackhouse also added 16 rebounds for the Rams.

Next up for the Wesleyan is a 2:00 p.m. game against Glenville State on Saturday in Rockefeller Center. The Pioneers are currently own a seven-game winning streak, but the Bobcats look to avenge their 81-72 loss on February 11.

West Virginia Wesleyan College's men’s basketball program will be holding a golf outing Friday, April 7, 2006 at Stonewall Resort. The cost for the outing is $100 and includes golf and a lunch. The event starts with lunch at 11:00, followed by a shotgun start at Noon. After the event a reception will be held at the Eighty Eight Restaurant and Lounge located on 90 East Main Street in Buckhannon. Any questions can be directed to head coach Bill Lilly at (304) 473-8053 or by E-mail at lilly_w@wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—The No. 17 ranked Alderson-Broaddus Battlers were given a difficult test last night, but played well enough to survive and beat a determined Bobcat squad, 79-71, in Rockefeller Center.

The Battlers had double-digit leads for most of the first half, including a 46-35 advantage at halftime, but the Bobcats stayed close on the strength of Dureyea Garnett’s (Newark, Del.) career-high 25 points.

Garnett, who was limited to just five points in the opening period, ignited Wesleyan’s largest crowd of the season by scoring 20 second-half points on 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range.

The sophomore scored 10 straight points midway through the second period to lift the ‘Cats, but unfortunately for Wesleyan, Garnett’s offensive outburst came at the expense of a four-minute time elapse.

During those four minutes the Battlers shut down the Bobcats’ other offensive weapons and also turned one possession into a rebounding clinic. With 7:31 on the clock in the second period, A-B’s Anthony Kyle missed a three-pointer only to have Stan Hall grab the offensive rebound under the basket. Hall then proceeded to miss two lay-ups before Samario Clancy picked up Hall’s second miss and dished to John Regula, who missed his lay-up. Anthony Harper cleaned up Regula’s miss, but was fouled before he could get a shot up.

Harper converted the free throws for two of 22 points. The junior forward scored 14 points in 14 first-half minutes, but was limited to just seven minutes in the second due to foul trouble. He eventually fouled out.

Despite their rebounding troubles, the ‘Cats remained in the game by causing the Battlers to turnover possession 15 times after the break.

Following E.J. Lucas’ (Silver Spring, Md./Blake) steal of Zach Green, Garnett buried his fourth three of the period with 3:07 remaining to bring Wesleyan within four at 71-67.

Alderson-Broaddus, however, maintained the small lead and with the win, improves to 18-3 overall and 12-1 in WVIAC. The loss drops the ‘Cats to 2-19 overall, 2-10 in conference play.

Stan Hall’s 17 points and John Regula’s 16 points were the only other double-figure marks for A-B.

Wesleyan makes the short trip to Glenville State on Saturday evening. The Bobcats take on a Pioneer team that has won its last five WVIAC contests, including a victory over the No. 19 West Liberty State Hilltoppers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—The Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals received a game-high 14 points from former Wesleyan guard Colin Howard in an 82-63 victory over the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats on Thursday night in Rockefeller Center.

The Cardinal victory moves Wheeling Jesuit to 13-6 overall and 7-3 in the West Virginia Conference. With the loss, the ‘Cats fall to 2-18 overall and 2-9 in the conference.

Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) had one of his most productive games as a Bobcat. The senior was 6-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the line for 14 points. Ellis also added four rebounds and a career high five blocks in the defeat.

Early in the game the Bobcat defense had an answer for Wheeling Jesuit’s Terrance Bradley, the fourth leading scorer in the WVIAC. The Cardinals, who currently rank fifth in the East Region, have been feeding off of Bradley’s 22.2 points per game, but received just five first-half points from Bradley and led by just eight at halftime.

In the second half Howard picked up Bradley’s slack by scoring 10 of his 14 points and helping push the Cardinals’ lead to as many as 22 points.

Wesleyan was unable to overcome the deficit and continues to search for their first home victory.

Wheeling Jesuit’s Rusty Wooten and Will Hicks each added 13 points for Cardinals.

Next Thursday the Bobcats welcome Alderson-Broaddus, the No.1-ranked team in the East Region, into Rockefeller Center for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—West Virginia Wesleyan men’s basketball (2-17, 2-8) dropped the second game of their four-game home stand on Saturday afternoon 68-63 to the visiting WVU Tech Golden Bears (6-11, 2-6) in Rockefeller Center.

The Bobcats jumped out to early 10-3 lead but the Golden Bears fought back to take an eight-point lead with just under five minutes to play in the opening half.

In the final four minutes of the half, however, a quick surge of offense by the ‘Cats, featuring a dunk by senior Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) and a three-pointer by Rocky Manchin (Farmington), propelled Wesleyan into the locker room down just one at 32-31.

The seesaw battle continued throughout the second half with neither team extending its lead to more than four points.

Following a timeout, Tech junior Armand Ivory drove baseline and was fouled as he laid the ball in. Ivory, who led all scorers with 24 points, converted his free throw to put Tech back up by three points.

Unfortunately for Wesleyan, two untimely turnovers and a technical foul sealed the victory for the Golden Bears just moments later.

Chafin’s 15 points was tops for the Bobcats in the loss. The sophomore also had eight rebounds and four assists.

Jeraude Lowe threw in a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds and Ronnie Means had nine assists to go along with Ivory’s 24 points.

The Bobcats play host to Alderson-Broaddus on Thursday evening. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. in Rockefeller Center.

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.—The Concord University Mountain Lions (8-8, 4-3 WVIAC) ran into Rockefeller Center, and with an up-tempo pace, ran away with a 95-79 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday evening.

Wesleyan (2-16, 2-6) had a hard time stopping the Mountain Lions in the first half of play. Concord led by as many as 21 points in the opening period, but the ‘Cats trimmed the lead to 13 by halftime.

In the second half the Bobcats cut the lead to 10 points twice, the second time coming on a three pointer by Brian Inge (Fort Washington, Md.) with just over six minutes to play, but the Lions held on and pulled away late for the 16-point win.

Concord’s Tyrone Anderson led all scorers with 31 points. The junior leads the WVIAC with a 25.9 scoring average and is currently second in Division II in points per game. Anderson’s 13-18 night, including 3-4 from behind the arc, helped Concord shoot 57.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.

Brian Foster and Camille Leach also scored in double figures for the Mountain Lions. The two juniors had 19 and 18 points, respectively.

Wesleyan remains at home for another WVIAC match up with WVU Tech on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 4:00 p.m.

BLUEFIELD, W.Va.— West Virginia Wesleyan (2-15, 2-5) men’s basketball played their second overtime game in the last week, but came out on the wrong end of the score as they were defeated by the Bluefield State Big Blues (1-15, 1-6) 100-95 on Saturday evening in Bluefield.

Wesleyan led Bluefield State by five points with just 11 seconds remaining until a three pointer by Rico Thompson brought the Big Blues within two. Bluefield fouled forward Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) and after the junior made one of two from the line, Thompson sank a three with just two seconds on the clock to force the game into overtime.

In overtime Bluefield outscored Wesleyan 16-11. The Big Blues converted 11-11 from the line in the period and finished the evening 26-30 (86.7 percent).

Wesleyan also shot well from the line. The Bobcats were 23-27 (85.2 percent), their best percentage of the season.

Both squads posted similar stat lines as each team recorded 14 assists and committed 28 turnovers.

The Bobcats shot 51.6 percent from the field and grabbed 29 rebounds while the Big Blues shot 50 percent and finished with 31 rebounds.

In addition to his 16 points, Garnett recorded a career-high eight steals in the loss. The Bobcats had 14 thefts as a team.

Bluefield was led by Aaron Butler’s 29 points. Butler was 11-20 from the field and 4-4 from the line. Corey Love recorded a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Big Blues.

Wesleyan’s next game is Wednesday, January 28 against Concord at 7:30 p.m. in Rockefeller Center.

INSTITUTE, W.Va.—Sophomore Chris Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) had his best game as a Bobcat on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t enough to help West Virginia Wesleyan (2-14, 2-5) overcome the No. 22 ranked West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (13-3, 5-1).

Smith recorded career highs in points (21), rebounds (9), and blocks (4) in Wesleyan’s 98-73 loss to State.

Chris was 10-18 from the field and 1-3 from the line, but his numbers are even more impressive considering the height advantage the Yellow Jackets had on the ‘Cats. West Virginia State has five players that are as tall as or taller than the 6’6” frame of Smith. Three of those players are 6’8” or taller.

Despite Smith’s effort, the Bobcats still lost the rebound battle by a count of 54-30.

West Virginia State’s balanced attack of Teddy Scott, Tony Cornett, and Anton Duncan led the Jackets to a 54.8 percent shooting night. The trio shot a combined 17-28 (60.7 percent) as Scott scored 15 points, Cornett 14, and Duncan 13. Cornett also added 10 rebounds in the win.

Wesleyan returns to action on Saturday at Bluefield State. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

ELKINS, W.Va.—It took an extra period, but the West Virginia Wesleyan men’s basketball team pulled out a 77-74 overtime victory over the Davis & Elkins College Senators on Monday evening in Memorial Gymnasium in Elkins.

The Bobcats (2-13, 2-4) shot 44 percent from the field and caused 17 turnovers in their second win of the season.

Davis & Elkins (4-12, 1-5) made only three of 22 three-point attempts (14 percent) in the loss.

Dureyea Garnett (Newark, Del.) was the catalyst for Wesleyan most of the night, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Anytime the Bobcats needed a stop or a jumper, Garnett was there to give the ‘Cats a boost. His block in the final seconds of regulation sent the game into overtime where Wesleyan managed to pull out the three-point win.

Wesleyan currently ranks third in the WVIAC averaging 9.6 steals per game. Garnett’s 2.6 steals is good enough to rank the sophomore second behind Shaun McKie’s (Salem Intl.) 4.0. Dureyea picked up two more steals on Monday to bring his season total to 41.

The play of junior Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) made up for Wesleyan’s recent struggles in the low post. Chelcher scored 14 points on 4-8 from the field and 6-8 from the line. He also grabbed seven rebounds for the Bobcats.

Sophomore Chris Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) was also instrumental on the block. Smith’s 12 points and seven rebounds were just over his season average for conference games. In Wesleyan’s six WVIAC games Smith is leading the team with 10.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Jerel Thomas (Laurel, Md.) put together a second straight double-figure performance as he scored 10 points on Monday. Thomas also recorded six rebounds in the win.

Davis & Elkins was led by Bobby Alexander’s 19 points and Pierre Lacey’s 15 points.

Wesleyan remains on the road as they travel to West Virginia State on Thursday to take on the Yellow Jackets at 7:30 p.m.

McDuffie scored 21 of his game-high 34 points in the second period. The junior was 12-16 from the field and 9-11 from the line.

With the win Hilltoppers push their record to 10-3 overall and 2-2 in the West Virginia Conference. The loss drops Wesleyan to 1-13 overall, 1-4 in the WVIAC.

West Liberty took a commanding 20-point lead into halftime, but the Bobcats came out with a resurgent offense in the second half. Wesleyan cut the lead to 10 points with 6:35 remaining but never broke the double-digit deficit.

The Bobcats won the second half 46-43 due in large part to a huge increase in their shooting percentage. In the first 20 minutes the ‘Cats made 25.9 percent (7-27) of their attempts, but dropped in 16 of 36 shots (44.4 percent) in the second half.

Manchin also added four assists and Thomas grabbed eight second-half rebounds for Wesleyan.

Wesleyan travels to Davis & Elkins College on Monday evening to take on the Senators in Memorial Gymnasium. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

The win pushes the Falcons to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the West Virginia Conference. Wesleyan falls to 1-12 overall and 1-3 in WVIAC play.

Fairmont’s Marvin Rashad was the answer most of the evening for the Falcons. The senior forward led all scorers with 18 points. His 10 rebounds was also a game high.

Cerrone Edwards and John Dillingham joined Rashad in double figures for Fairmont. Edwards scored 12 points and added six assists and four steals while Dillingham scored 11 points.

Wesleyan returns to action at home against the West Liberty State Hilltoppers on Saturday, January 14 at 2:00 p.m. in Rockefeller Center.

VIENNA, W.Va.—Dureyea Garnett (Newark, Del.) scored 18 points, including the game-winner for the Bobcats with four seconds remaining, as Wesleyan won its first game of the year 75-73 over Ohio Valley University on Monday evening.

The win snaps the ‘Cats’ 30-game road losing streak and gives head coach Billy Lilly his first win at Wesleyan.

Garnett’s game-high 18 points came on a solid shooting night in which the sophomore point guard was 8-12 from the field. Dureyea scored 14 points after the break and also added six steals in the team’s first victory.

Wesleyan’s defense stepped up the pressure by causing 28 Fighting Scot turnovers.

Ohio Valley’s Chris Cobbina and Chris LeBorious each had double-doubles. Cobbina scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while LeBorious dropped in 13 points and had 12 rebounds.

The Bobcats return home for just the second time this season when they host Fairmont State at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 12.

The win moves the Tigers, last season’s WVIAC regular season champion, to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in the West Virginia conference.

Salem shot 64 percent from the field, including 71 percent from behind the three-point line in the first half to take a 40-28 halftime lead.

Wesleyan managed to connect on just eight of 31 shots in the first 20 minutes. The Bobcats kept things close by converting 9-13 free throws in the opening period.

Rebounding continued to be a problem for the ‘Cats. Salem grabbed 51 rebounds to Wesleyan’s 30, including a 39-16 advantage on the defensive glass.

Salem ’s Shaun Mckie led all scorers with 19 points and 12 rebounds from his guard position. McKie also had four assists and four steals.

Wesleyan committed just 15 turnovers compared to Salem’s 21, but the Tigers recorded 25 assists to the Bobcats’ seven.

Sophomore Chris Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Bobcats. Smith was 9-12 from the charity stripe.

Fellow sophomore Jared Chafin (Forest, Va.) also finished in double figures with 15 points. Chafin cashed in on his free points by sinking 7-9 free throws.

Herman Davis (18 points), David Watson (13 points), Stanley Milien (10 points) and Aleksandar Zmijanjac (11 points) accounted for most of the Tigers’ remaining points.

Watson was just shy of a triple-double as he finished with nine rebounds and eight assists.

JOHNSTOWN , Pa. — The University of Pitt-Johnstown shot just over 50 percent from the field and handed the Bobcats their tenth loss of the season by the score of 88-43 two days into 2006.

The loss drops Wesleyan to 0-10, 0-2 on the year. UPJ moves to 9-2 with the win.

The Mountain Cats took control of the game in the first half by knocking down 16-33 from the field to lead 42-17 at halftime.

Pitt-Johnstown was also in command of the glass as they held a 49-26 rebounding advantage.

Each team committed their share of turnovers with UPJ coughing it up 23 times and the Bobcats 25 times, but the Mountain Cats were able to dish out 23 assists to Wesleyan’s seven.

Chris Gilliam led all scorers with 24 points for Pitt-Johnstown. He was joined in double figures by Nick Mezyk (14) and Steve Scorpion (10).

E.J. Lucas (Silver Spring, Md.) was the only other offensive weapon the night for Wesleyan. The freshman added 11 points and six rebounds.

Millersville made their rally in the second half by getting to the line 22 times compared to just three trips in the opening half. The Marauders converted one of their first three attempts but 15 of their next 22.

The Bobcats attempted 10 free throws in the game and continued to struggle by making only four.

Millersville sophomore Charlie Parker scored a game-high 19 points. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in the Marauder victory.

Jamar Thomas and Kevin Cuff also finished in double figures for Millersville. Thomas scored 14 points and had eight rebounds while Cuff recorded the game’s only double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va.—West Virginia Wesleyan received double-figure production from five players, including a 13-point, 13-rebound performance by junior Andy Chelcher (St. Croix, Virgin Islands), but it wasn’t enough to stop the streaking West Liberty State College Hilltoppers on Saturday afternoon at the A.S.R.C. in West Liberty.

The Hilltoppers remain perfect on the young season moving to 7-0 while the ‘Cats drop to 0-8, 0-1 in the WVIAC. Saturday’s meeting between the teams was not a conference game.

Wesleyan did improve upon their recent poor shooting by making 52.4 percent of their shots, including 18 of 32 first half attempts.

Senior Cole Ellis (Springboro, Ohio) led the way for the ‘Cats coming off the bench to score 17 points in 21 minutes.

Despite shooting well and hanging tough on the glass, turnovers were what killed the ‘Cats. Wesleyan committed 30 in the loss.

Shane Maynard, the 2004-05 conference freshman of the year, led all scorers with 20 points. Fellow Hilltopper starters Chris Banal (18 pts.), Dan Binggeli (17 pts.), Chris Blair (14 pts.), and Corey McDuffie (13 pts.) all scored in double digits. McDuffie also added 10 rebounds for the Toppers.

The Bobcats return to action this Saturday when the hit the road once again to play the Millersville Marauders at 7:30 p.m.

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—WVIAC Preseason No. 3 Charleston (4-1, 1-0 WVIAC) continued their hot shooting by knocking down 55.7 percent of their field goals in a 95-55 win over Wesleyan (0-7, 0-1) at Eddie King Gym on Thursday night.

The Golden Eagles rank second in the conference shooting 52 percent on the season. In the first half of last night’s action they knocked down 18-30 (60%) shots while the ‘Cats managed to connect on only 10-37 (27%) of their field goal attempts.

Wesleyan suffered through another poor shooting performance as they made just 1-14 (7.1%) from beyond the arc.

Charleston used their height advantage to grab 52 total rebounds to Wesleyan’s 34. Each squad pulled down 20 offensive boards but the Golden Eagles recorded 32 defensive rebounds in the win.

Sophomore forward Chris Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) was the lone Bobcat to score in double figures. He had 16 points and six rebounds in the loss.

Charleston starters Robert Strickland, Robert Siwo, and Eric Smith combined to shoot 19-28 (68%) from the field. Strickland and Siwo each had 14 points while Smith added 12.

Dustin Kinney also posted a double-double for Charleston with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The road won’t get any easier for the ‘Cats when they take on West Liberty State on Saturday. The Hilltoppers are 6-0 and lead the WVIAC averaging 113.7 points per game. Game time is set for 7:30 in West Liberty.

RICHMOND, Ky.—West Virginia Wesleyan’s most anticipated early season game was over quickly Monday night as the defending Division I Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Champion Eastern Kentucky Colonels beat the Bobcats 88-46 for a home-opening victory in McBrayer Arena.

With the loss, the ‘Cats fall to 0-6 on the season. The Colonels’ win improves their record to 2-3.

Wesleyan caught Eastern Kentucky off guard early in the game. The ‘Cats led 11-8 five minutes into the game, but then gave up 14 straight points and were held scoreless the last 6:23 of the first half to head to the locker room down 47-20.

Things didn’t get much better in the second half as the Colonels maintained their large advantage, never letting the ‘Cats get closer than 25 points.

The Bobcats attempted just seven free throws in the game, making two of them.
Eastern Kentucky shot just as poorly, converting only 52.4 percent (11-21) of their free throws and 29.4 percent (5-17) of their three-point chances. Scoring 54 points off 22 Wesleyan turnovers, however, is what sealed the win for the Colonels.

Brian Inge (Fort Washington, Md.) led the orange and black with 16 points on 6-11 from the field, 3-8 from deep, and 1-2 from the line.

Eastern Kentucky received double-digit production from four players. Matt Witt led the Colonels with 20 points. Jason McLeish and Michael Brock added 18 and 14 respectively. Forward Alonzo Hird also chipped in a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Wesleyan travels to Charleston on Thursday evening for a 7:30 p.m. game against the Golden Eagles at Eddie King Gym.

Box scores from Wesleyan's Thanksgiving break games:
Fairmont State (11/19), Slippery Rock (11/21), Ashland (11/26)

EDINBORO, Pa.—West Virginia Wesleyan College opened its men’s basketball season in disappointing fashion on Tuesday with an 89-56 loss to defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion, Edinboro University, at McComb Fieldhouse.

The Bobcats came out cold early shooting 31 percent (9-29) from the floor in the first half, including 0-7 from three-point range, and fell behind 46-23 at the halftime break. In the second half, the Bobcats fared better by shooting 42 perecent (13-31), but could not close in on Edinboro’s lead. The Bobcat’s were out-rebounded 56 to 24 in the loss.

The Fighting Scots (1-0) were led by their talented frontcourt of Darren Tielsch and Justin Moore. Both players posted double-doubles as Tielsch led all scorers with 23 points and added 11 rebounds while Moore scored 13 points to go with 11 rebounds. Two other players scored in double figures for the Scots. Curtis Ingram scored 12 points while Devon Knight added 10.

Freshman Jerel Thomas (Laurel, Md.) led the way for the Bobcats with 17 points on 6-10 from the field and 5-6 from the free-throw line. Sophomore Chris Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) was the only other player to score in double figures (12 pts.) for the Bobcats.

Up next for Wesleyan is the Fairmont State Tip-Off Classic this Friday and Saturday. On Friday the ‘Cats play defending WVIAC champion Wheeling Jesuit University at 6:00 p.m. Saturday’s game is a 4:00 p.m. match up with Fairmont State.