Reading, PA- The Penn St. Berks Men's Basketball Team concluded the fall semester by outlasting Penn St. Schuylkill for a 74-71 victory on Wednesday, Dec. 11

After a scoreless opening three minutes, The Lions (2-8 Overall, 1-2 UE) got on the board, with Andre Ballard and Marquis Ferreira each connecting on a 3-pointer. Both teams traded baskets with a second 3-pointer from Ferreira putting Berks ahead 19-18 midway through the half. Schuylkill (6-5 Overall) used a 9-3 run to grab a five-point advantage with six minutes remaining in the half. Kai Davis connected twice from beyond the arc, bringing Berks back within a single possession. Luke Collins then swished a 3-pointer, putting the Lions up by one. With the score tied at 35, Surzano Solomon found Ferreira in the corner on a fast break for a 3-pointer to put Berks back in front. Ballard added another 3-pointer, helping Berks lead 41-39 at the break.

The teams continued to be evenly matched throughout the second half, resulting in 19 lead changes. Schuylkill used a 5-0 run to build a seven-point advantage with 9:15 remaining in the game. Berks fought back, converting several free throw opportunities to climb within one point. A few possessions later, Isaiah Cotten converted a layup in transition to knot the score at 65. The teams exchanged trips to the free throw line, with Davis converting a pair of free throws to put the Lions ahead 70-69. Ballard then took over, recording a thunderous block on the defensive end and then powered to the rim for a layup, giving Berks a three-point lead. The Lions fended off a late push by Schuylkill, with Davis recording a key steal in the final seconds helping Berks secure a 74-71 victory.

Ballard once again led the Lions in scoring, racking up 18 points while pulling in six rebounds. Josh Mingledolph posted a double-double, finishing the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Davis gave Berks a huge boost off the bench, scoring 13 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Ferreira also reached double figures scoring 11 points while going 3-8 from beyond the arc.    

WHO'S NEXT
The Lions will pause for the Holiday Break, before returning to action on Saturday, Jan. 4. The tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 PM.

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Fans can keep up with Penn St. Berks Athletics all season long on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube using the handle @BerksAthletics.