Brandywine Holds On For First United East Victory

MEDIA, Pa. -- Alexander Derkits (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall), Jaden Fogg (Morrisville, Pa./Morrisville) and Amari Little (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) combined for 41 of Penn State Brandywine's 49 second-half points as the Lions secured their first United East Conference victory, topping Penn College 83-73, on Wednesday night.

The trio combined for 16-of-21 shooting during the final 20 minutes as Brandywine shot 52 percent from the field in the second half and 48 percent overall during the game. Little registered his first-career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Fogg shot 8-for-12 and poured in a team-best 23 points. He added seven boards, four assists and four blocked shots and Derkits notched 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Brandywine led nearly wire-to-wire after opening the game with a 14-6 run. The Wildcats cut the margin as low as two, but an 11-2 spurt, fueled by eight points from Malachi Claude (Callaway, Md./Great Mills), upped the Lions' edge to 29-18 with 4:32 to go in the opening half.

Penn College answered with a 13-5 run to close the period and climb within three at the break. The Wildcats tied the count at 42-42 just over five minutes into the second half and took a three-point lead during their next possession; however, Fogg and Derkits responded with consecutive layups to put Brandywine back on top. Fogg added a three-point play to cap a 7-0 spurt with 8:56 to go.

Derkits netted the next 10 points for Brandywine, but Penn College hung around, climbing within three when Gavin Barrett canned a triple at the 3:51 mark. The visitors were within one when Little and Fogg buried back-to-back jump shots to keep the Lions in front just over one minute later.

Fogg drained a three-pointer with 87 seconds left to up the margin to five and Jack Swider (Conshohocken, Pa./Phil-Mont Christian Academy) helped to secure the victory by drilling a triple at the 1:03 mark before adding a fast-break layup 30 seconds later.

Claude notched a season-high 10 points in nine minutes of action, while Damir Shelley (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) handed out four assists and grabbed two steals.

Brandywine knocked down nine triples and connected on 14-of-19 free throws, while holding a 40-38 edge on the boards. Penn College used the free throw line to keep the score close as the Wildcats made 25-of-35 free throws.

Brandywine (4-14, 1-8 UEC) travels to Bryn Athyn for another United East matchup Saturday at 3:00 PM.