NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. - On a night when three seniors were honored for their contributions to the program, the Penn State New Kensington men's basketball team dropped its home finale on Wednesday, falling 79-66 to Penn State Greater Allegheny.
The loss dropped New Ken to 4-20 overall, and 3-15 in Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) play. Greater Allegheny, conversely, improved to 16-8, including 12-6 in the PSUAC.
Playing in front of the home fans for the final time, the New Kensington trio of Jamison Nee (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands), Tavarski Wardlow (Round Rock, Tx./Hendrickson), and Wilson Rojas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Havelock) each made key contributions in the contest. Wardlow paced New Ken with 16 points, including 5-6 shooting from behind the arc. Rojas netted 15 points, knocking down three shots from distance. Nee had an off night shooting, with seven points, but he dished out eight assists and added four steals, both game highs.
Perhaps not coincidently, that trio accounted for the first 14 points of the game for New Ken, which extended its early advantage to 16-9 after a pair of foul shots by sophomore Brian Davidson (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic).
Greater Allegheny surged as the opening half progressed, however, and keyed by the scoring of Marquest Rainey and Makis Rivera, the visitors took a 40-38 lead into the locker room.
New Kensington went cold from the field in the second half, hitting just 11-40 shots. Greater Allegheny not only shot better, but also held a decisive advantage in rebounding in the second half, which allowed the visitors to score the 13-point win.
Rainey led Greater Allegheny with 17 points and six assists, while Rivera notched a double-double, registering 13 points and 12 rebounds. Kenny Rouse also scored in double figures, with 11 points.
Aside from the seniors, Davidson provided a spark for New Ken, as he produced nine points, while freshman Spencer Wilson (Plum, Pa./Plum) led the squad with six boards and three blocks.
Ultimately, the focus was on the seniors, who each made their mark on the team and the university. Head coach Arthur McCray Jr. praised the contributions of Nee and Wardlow, who each transferred to New Ken for their final two years of eligibility, as well as Rojas, who played all four years at the university.
"It's always nice, especially when you have some guys that are committed the way they are. To have guys that stay with you until the end is great, and be able to see these guys graduate is going to be even better," McCray noted.
"Regardless of what was happening, they always were level headed, great ambassadors for the game, and it's just something you always want to see. All three are captains for a reason, and I'm grateful to have guys like that," he added.
New Kensington plays its final game of the season on Friday at Penn State Shenango at 7:30 p.m.
