On Monday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., the men's basketball team played Atlantis University during their second home game of the winter season, Wilkes-Barre hoping to add to their two-game win streak.
It was a close first half for the Mountain Lions, whose match up with Atlantis seemed pretty even.
#14 senior Teequan Holley (Queens, New York/Sullivan C.C.) made a layup early in the game after a player from the opposing team tried to stop him. #4 junior Rashod Ballard (Largo, Maryland/Ann Arundel C.C.) made a jump shot after having been contested by multiple players from the other team.
#25 senior Allen Ozojie (Union, New jersey/Brookdale C.C.) navigated the court well, passing through multiple players on his way to the net and making a layup. With 8 minutes left in the first half, the game was tied, Atlantis keeping an even pace with Wilkes-Barre.
#12 senior Jalen Willis (Baltimore, Maryland/Genesse C.C.) got two points on an AND1, sliding to the floor after a foul from the other team. Allen Ozojie appeared to dominate Atlantis players by sinking a one-handed layup up and over an Atlantean's head. He then went on to rush through a two-player sandwich, gaining two points for the team. The score at the end of the first half was 35-33 Wilkes-Barre.
Jalen Willis set the tone for the Mountain Lions in the second half, scoring the first two points. #33 senior Chase Monroe (Schenectady, New York/SUNY Ulster C.C.) made it past a strong block from Atlantis, earning two points on a layup.
Into the second half, Jalen Willis hit the ground after a run-in with an Atlantis player, Teequan Holley quickly getting an AND1 afterward. Willis then made a pass to Allen Ozojie as he traveled down the court, who made a dunk at the net.
While the half began as a close race to see who would come out on top, but it was clear the Mountain Lions were set to dominate. Rashod Ballard got a steal halfway down the court and passed it to Willis, resulting in a layup.
Ballard also made an impressive pass off to the side of an opposing player, which #13 junior Jedidiah Ashton (Brooklyn, New York/Monroe College) received and sank a shot. With a minute left in the game, #20 sophomore Anton Berga (Queens, New York/Martin Luther HS) sealed a win over Atlantis University with a one-handed dunk to end the half. The final score was 80-68 Wilkes-Barre.
Top points scorers of the game were Rashod Ballard with 18, Allen Ozojie with 16, and Jalen Willis with 14. The team plays their next game on Friday, Dec. 8 at Penn State Beaver, starting at 8 p.m.
Written by Kyler Burke