It took almost 37 minutes for Penn State Wilkes-Barre to make their first three-pointer in Wednesday night’s USCAA Division 2 national title game.
When Rashod Ballard finally made a three-pointer with 3:26 remaining, it was perfectly timed.
Ballard’s successful three-pointer with 3:26 left to play gave Penn State Wilkes-Barre the lead, and they held on to win the USCAA Division 2 national championship, marking the program’s second straight national title and third in total.
At halftime, PSU Wilkes-Barre was behind by eight points, and they were down by as much as 11 in the second half, but they fought back and managed to win after trailing 60-49 with nine minutes to go.
A key factor was the team's ability to make free throws; they made 32 of 41 shots, which kept them in the game.
After consistently playing from behind, PSU Wilkes-Barre took the lead for the first time with four minutes remaining, and despite Cincinnati-Clermont briefly regaining the lead, Ballard's three-pointer secured the final lead for the Mountain Lions.
Four players scored in double figures for the Mountain Lions, with Jalen Willis leading the way with 20 points. Anton Berga contributed 18, Teequan Holley scored 17, and Jedidiah Ashton finished with 13 for PSU Wilkes-Barre, including the basket that gave the team their first lead of the night with 4:02 left.
