December 4, 2013
Patterson pushes Wolverines past Thomas More in PAC opener
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Junior Josh Patterson (McDonald,
Pa./South Fayette) scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed a game-high 10
rebounds and fellow junior
Tonight's game was the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
Junior J.T. Schwartz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) and sophomore Erik Carlstrom (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) each added 10 points for the Wolverines (4-1, 1-0 PAC).
Giesler led the Wolverines early, hitting a pair of free throws and following with his first three-pointer of the evening to give the Grove City a 9-4 lead. Following two free throws by D'Carlo Hayes, a Carlstrom three-point play extended the Wolverine lead to 12-6 with 15:33 remaining in the first half.
Thomas More (1-4, 0-1) would get back-to-back threes from Drew Mumford and Hayes to even the score at 12-12 and the Saints took their first lead a moment later when Hayes hit another three to make it a 15-14 Saints' advantage.
A Hayes jumper on the Saints' next possession gave them a 17-15 lead with 12:46 remaining, but the Wolverines would respond with a 13-2 run, led by nine points from Giesler, to take a 28-19 lead with 7:38 left in the half.
A Patterson three-pointer with 1:26 remaining gave the Wolverines a 10-point advantage for the third-time in the half at 38-28, and it looked as if the Wolverines might carry a double-digit lead into the locker room. However, Hayes answered for Thomas More yet again, hitting a three with five seconds left to make it a 38-31 halftime score.
Hayes led all scorers in the first half with 16 points while Giesler had 14 for the Wolverines.
Hayes picked up right where he left off at the start of the second half, hitting another three just 33 seconds into the period to cut Grove City's lead to four.
The teams would trade baskets over the next seven minutes before yet another Hayes triple brought the Saints withing three at 49-46 with 12:49 remaining.
On this night, however, it seemed as if Grove City had the answer for every Thomas More threat as Patterson hit a three of his own on the ensuing possession to extend the Wolverine lead back to six.
After a Nate McGovney layup closed the Grove City advantage to 52-50, but Schwartz would counter with a three to push the lead back to five. A pair of Chris Richard layups brought Thomas More within one, but Patterson hit third three of the night to extend the lead back to four at 58-54 with 8:59 to play.
Thomas More would score their next seven points from the foul line to even the score at 61-61 with 6:17 remaining, but the Wolverines pushed the lead back to five on consecutive layups from Carlstrom and Patterson.
The Saints closed it to 68-67 on a Richard free throw with 1:47 left in regulation, and Giesler and the Saints' Drew Mays traded threes to keep it a one-point game at 71-70 at the one-minute mark.
Once again, the Wolverines had the answer, as junior Mitch Marmelstein (San Juan Capistrano, Calif./St. Margaret's) picked the right time to score his first field goal of the game and give Grove City a 73-70 advantage with 41 seconds remaining.
After Hayes went 1-2 from the line for Thomas More, Patterson hit a pair to make it a two-possession game at 75-71 and the Wolverines held on for the win.
Hayes led all scorers with 29 points while Mumford had 20 and Richard added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Grove City returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Bethany for another PAC matchup. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
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