Kocak Drops 17 Against Royals
HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team lost to the University of Scranton, 79-61, Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium.
Ty Kocak led the Eagles with 17 points (9-10 from the free throw line), to go with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Ayden Hurley tallied 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Malcolm Griffith contributed 10 points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block. Tre Yawn got the start and added eight points, two rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block, while Jayden Bilger had seven points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Yawn found Griffith down low with a nice pass, and Griffith did the rest to get the Eagles on the board early. A slick interior pass from Bilger to Griffith was followed by the Eagles turning defense into offense as Hurley stole the ball and threw it ahead to Yawn. He finished through contract to make it 6-3.
Benjamin Landesman found Jaiden Aze for a layup that made it 16-13. Scranton rattled off eight straight before a Kocak bucket inside off a Bilger pass.
The visitors slowly pushed the Eagle deficit into double digits, and with seconds to go in the half, Juniata was down by 17 before Noah Bailey buried a three. Scranton, with three seconds left, banked in a three from beyond half court as Juniata went into the locker room down 17.
Juniata battled back within 13 twice, and with four and a half minutes to go in the game, Yawn set up Hurley for a layup to make it 65-54. The Royals fended off the Eagles down the stretch with a 14-7 push to close the game.
JC will return home to take on Bethany (W.V.) Wednesday at 7:00.
