Shenango Rolls Past Beaver in "Coaches vs. Cancer" Victory
In a thriller at the Buhl Club on February 3, Penn State Shenango (10-11, 6-7) secured a vital conference victory in a 93-85 win over Penn State Beaver. In a game defined by second-half poise and elite backcourt play, Shenango broke a halftime deadlock with a 52-point second-half explosion to outpace the visitors from Beaver.
The evening was a showcase for Shenango's perimeter stars, led by Kevon Washington. Washington was sensational, leading all scorers with 23 points while proving perfect from the charity stripe (6-of-6). Washington's ability to log nearly 40 minutes of action and manufacture points during critical stretches kept the Lions' offense fluid throughout the night. Matching that intensity was Izzy Santiago, who turned in a signature performance with 20 points and five assists. Santiago was a constant threat on both ends of the floor, contributing three steals and knocking down crucial free throws (6-of-8) in the closing minutes to ignite the home crowd and stave off a late Beaver rally.
Darius Williams orchestrated the offense with precision, finishing with 18 points and a game-high seven assists. Williams was instrumental in the Lions' transition game, adding three steals and four rebounds to his stat line while shooting an efficient 7-of-12 from the floor. In the paint, Rhys Grocott provided a massive interior presence in the absence of Aidan Slocum, finishing with a dominant double-double of 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Grocott's defensive timing was a factor all night as he tallied four blocks, punctuated by a thunderous dunk in the final seconds to seal the victory.
Shenango also received a major spark from its supporting cast. Jordan Dotson was a vital presence off the bench, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds. Dotson's ability to convert 5-of-11 from the field and battle for second-chance opportunities provided the Lions with the interior depth needed to overcome Beaver's physical frontcourt. Shenango's efficiency was notable throughout the contest, as they shot 44.3% from the floor and an impressive 82.4% from the free-throw line as a unit. Their perimeter shooting was equally sharp, knocking down nine triples at a 42.9% clip to outmatch Beaver's outside attack.
The performance reinforced the team's resilience as they continue to fight for a prime seed in the PSUAC standings. Shenango will look to keep the momentum going this Saturday, February 7, when they travel to face Penn State Greater Allegheny at 2:00 PM.