Box Score

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Brad Sechler drained a 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining to break a 58-58 tie and help fourth-ranked Wilkes hold off upset-minded Gettysburg 63-60 in the championship game of the Ramada Inn/Colonel Classic on Saturday.

 The Colonels (10-0), who trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half, remained perfect thanks in large part to senior Dave Jannuzzi, who scored a game-high 24 points, including two free throws with 12 seconds left that set the final margin.

 Gettysburg's Terence Callahan (Bay Shore, NY/St. Anthony's), whose 19 points were one shy of a career high, couldn't get the potential game-tying 3-pointer to fall on the Bullets' final possession.  He also dished out six assists and added six rebounds in the loss.

 Junior Kevin Boyle (Dublin, PA/Lansdale Catholic) scored a career-high 19 points and added eight rebounds in place of starting center Greg Schreiber (Mechanicsburg, PA/East Pennsboro), who sat out the championship game due to illness.  Both Boyle and Callahan shot 7-for-11 from the floor on the afternoon and earned spots on the all-tournament team.

 Gettysburg (5-6) led 33-25 at halftime and 41-28 with 16:47 left in the game before Wilkes rallied to take the lead at 54-53 on a pair of Ron McIntyre free throws with 4:20 to play.

 Following a free throw from Joe Stein that made it 56-53 in favor of the Colonels, Boyle scored a basket, then answered a Januzzi bucket with his second career 3-pointer at 1:47 to tie the game at 58.

 On Wilkes' next possession, Sechler responded with a trey of his own to give the Colonels a 61-58 edge with 1:27 left.

 Callahan then hit one free throw to pull the Bullets within 61-59 with 54 seconds left.  Following a miss by Jannuzzi and a Boyle rebound, Callahan again converted one of two charity tosses to make it 61-60 with 14 ticks remaining.

 Following a quick Bullet foul, Jannuzzi capped an 8-for-8 performance from the line with two free throws before Callahan's final attempt bounced out to give Wilkes the tournament title.

 Gettysburg sophomore John Schnebly (Hagerstown, MD/South Hagerstown) added nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

 McIntyre scored 16 points while Sechler finished with 10 for Wilkes.

 The Bullets return to action on Wednesday, January 10 at home against Centennial Conference foe Muhlenberg College.  Game time is 8 p.m.

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