White’s Late Bucket Helps Lions Escape Gallaudet With Victory

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ja'bri White's (Townsend, Del./St. Mark's) go-ahead layup with 39 seconds remaining gave Penn State Brandywine the lead for good as the Lions' men's basketball team survived a scare from Gallaudet, winning 63-59, on Tuesday night.

Brandywine was cruising through the game's first 15 minutes, opening up a 16-point lead when Jack Swider (Conshohocken, Pa./Phil-Mont Christian Academy) canned a three-pointer at the 5:20 mark.

Gallaudet whittled the Lions' lead to just nine by halftime and outscored Brandywine 21-6 during the first 11 minutes of the second half to build a 48-42 lead.

Brandywine came roaring back to take a 50-48 lead after needing just 71 seconds to score eight-straight points. Swider started the run with a put-back tip-in and Corwin Holland II (Bowie, Md./Rock Creek Christian) followed with a triple before White put Brandywine on top with a three-point play.

Another Holland three-pointer plus a pair of free throws from both White and Bryan Warren (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) pushed the Lions' lead to 57-51 at the 4:06 mark. The Bison answered with seven-straight points during the next 2:17 to regain the lead with less than two minutes to play.

Trailing 59-58, White ended a nearly four-minute scoring drought by sinking a layup to vault Brandywine back in front. After Gallaudet came up empty on offense, Swider knocked down two free throws to push the margin to three points.

Gallaudet added a free throw to get within two with under 10 seconds to go, but Swider put the game away by connecting for two more points from the charity stripe.

Holland buried four of Brandywine's seven triples and led the Lions in scoring with 16 points. Swider and Jaden Fogg (Morrisville, Pa./Morrisville) both notched 12 points, while White added nine points, six rebounds and five steals. Warren chipped in seven points, five boards, four assists and three steals.

Brandywine (15-9, 10-2 UEC) can earn at least a share of the United East regular-season title with a win on Saturday as the Lions host St. Mary's of Maryland for Senior Day at 1:00 PM.