KWC finds some offense in win, honors Utley
Nov. 20—Kentucky Wesleyan College got that winning feeling in its fourth basketball game this season Saturday afternoon at the Sportscenter.
KWC's men's basketball team picked up its first victory of the season after starting 0-3, beating East-West 104-65.
The Panthers got considerable offensive contributions from Markel Aune hitting from the outside to Ben Sisson scoring at will in the lane.
Sisson had done a game's worth of work in the first half, scoring 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. Sisson finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Aune put up 15 points in the first half, making 4-of-6 from 3-point range and all three of his free throws. Aune finished with 17 points and was 5-of-10 from the floor.
Jomel Boyd came on strong in the second half and finished with 15 points, nine rebounds in 20 minutes. Edward Jones Jr., scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds. Antonio Thomas put up 11 points and six rebounds. Borja Fernandez also was close on a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.
"Today was hopefully good for us to see the ball go through the hole over and over again," KWC coach Drew Cooper said. "Markel was a part of that. He was not starting, that's what I was saying about trying to find the right rotations to give us the best chance of winning. Markel has gotten in all three games and made an impact offensively, so we threw him in the starting lineup and he can score. We know what we're going to get from Ben."
The Panthers made 42-of-81 shots from the floor for 51.9% and it was 10-of-32 from 3-point range for 31.3%. KWC had 32 assists on 42 made baskets. KWC made 10-of-16 free throws and outrebounded East-West 61-28.
East-West made 26-of-72 from the floor for 36.1%.
KWC opened with three tough road games and didn't shoot the ball well at all.
"Offensively it's been a horrendous first three games for us," Cooper said. "We're trying to put new pieces in spots where they need to perform and execute certain things. When the lights came on for our first game we weren't making plays at all five spots that we needed to make.
As much as anything, though, this was a Saturday in the middle of November for KWC to honor one of its icons in athletics. Joel Utley called KWC basketball games on the radio for 61 years, stretching from 1961 to 2022. Utley announced his retirement in August, and at KWC's home opener he was honored with a ceremony at halftime, and a banner that will hang behind his former broadcast platform behind the scorer's table at the Sportscenter.
"I'm at a game and for once, I don't have anything to say, it's amazing," Utley said after the ceremony. "I've loved what I have done. I couldn't get to the gym early enough."
There was a sizable group of former players and coaches there for the halftime ceremony, and there were several video tributes from former KWC players and connections with the program.
"With Joel, I'm just happy to be a part of it," Cooper said. "It's very gratifying for me to spend some time with Joel. I was able to spend four years with him, as a small college basketball coach that's a dream come true."
KWC will host IU Southeast in a lunchtime special game Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Sportscenter. School children from the area will be attending the game.
"We'll have over 2,000 kids here," Cooper said.
EAST-WEST (65)
D. Jackson 12, Conley 11, Cobb 11, Thomas 10, J. Jackson 8, Biaggi 3, Yacoubou 3, Teklegergis 3, Grant 2, Shannon 2,
KWC (104)
Sisson 20, Aune 17, Boyd 15, Jones Jr. 13, Thomas 11, Fernandez 8, Miles 8, Gray 8, Roland 4,
