HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – Graduate student
Tom Weiler's first double-double of the season led the Centenary University men's basketball team to an 86-73 win over Bryn Athyn College in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play. Weiler's career-high 16 rebounds helped the Cyclones win their fourth straight game.
The Cyclones reached the 10-win plateau with the victory. This year's squad joins the 2015-16 team as the quickest Centenary team to reach 10 wins since the start of the 2000's (16 games).
"Tom is one of the hardest working players in the program," said interim head coach
Jason Geleski. "Tonight, he was an absolute beast of the back boards. He gets tough rebounds on a regular basis, but tonight he dominated. He is a pleasure to coach and I can't ask for more from a student in our program. He's one of our captains and we depend on him every day."
The Cyclones quickly jumped out to an 8-4 lead on a Weiler jumper at 17:49.
Bryn Athyn responded by scoring 10 of the next 16 points and tied the game at 14-14 with 13:27 showing on the clock.
Haybert Louchie had five points during that stretch.
Centenary used a 7-1 run to take a 21-15 lead with 11:44 to go until the half. Freshman
D'Angelo Blackmond scored four points during that stretch.
The Cyclones and Lions traded points as a pair of free throws from freshman
Owen Roberts III gave the home team a 29-18 lead with 7:50 remaining.
The two sides continued to battle on each end of the court as a lay-up from junior
Michael Young at 4:43 put the home team ahead 38-26.
A pair of free throws from sophomore
Tyler White put the Cyclones on top 46-35 with 1:14 to go until the half.
Centenary eventually took a 46-37 lead at the break.
The Cyclones scored the first six points of the second half and pushed their lead to 52-37 with 19:02 to go in the game. That run was capped by a big alleyoop bucket from Weiler that got the crowd pumped.
White made one of two from the foul line at 16:34 as the Cyclones led 57-42.
The two teams continued to battle as a bucket from junior
Chris LaBelle gave the home team a 68-46 advantage with 12:47 showing on the clock.
Bryn Athyn scored 10 of the next 12 points in the game, which made it a 70-56 game with 9:16 to go in the game.
Tariq Moore had four points during that run.
A LaBelle lay-up at 4:31 gave Centenary it's largest lead of the game, 79-56.
Bryn Athyn got a three-pointer from
Anthony Burr at 2:47 which made it an 81-65 game.
The two teams traded points down the stretch before baskets from sophomore
Bryce Falk and senior
Emmanuel Osei sealed an 86-73 win for the home team.
Centenary posted a 46.3 field goal percentage and made 19-of-28 chances from the free throw line. Bryn Athyn shot 36 percent from the field and made 12-of-18 chances from the charity stripe. The Cyclones won the rebounding battle, 53-40.
Weiler paced the Cyclones with just his second career double-double. He finished the game with 13 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and four steals. White contributed 12 points and three assists while Roberts III posted 12 points.
Blackmond added 10 rebounds while LaBelle had nine points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Louchie finished with 20 points for Bryn Athyn.
The Cyclones are off until Wednesday, Jan. 22 when they travel to Rosemont at 8 p.m.
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