Eagles Declaw Wildcats to Advance to Doc Greene Tournament Championship Game

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team won against Penn College, 60-54, on day one of the Doc Green Tournament Friday evening inside Memorial Gymnasium. 

Sho Watson drove from the left wing towards the hoop, drawing two defenders. Gabe Guidinger drifted from the wing towards the left corner. Watson kicked the ball to him, and he drained a three to open the scoring for the Eagles. 

The Wildcats converted a pair of free throws and a driving layup inside on the break. Nico Campbell took a pass from Guidinger from the top of the key and drilled a three off a Guidinger pass. Watson got in on the three-making, converting a triple to make it 9-4 Eagles in the first three minutes of the game. 

Jumpers from Guidinger and Elijah Kioko nudged Juniata back ahead, 13-10. A few minutes later, back-to-back threes from Guidinger and Neco Campbell (both assisted by Watson) pushed the Eagle advantage to 10, 22-12. 

The Wildcats hung around the rest of the way, not allowing JC to put the game to bed early. In the final 15 seconds of the half, Guidinger had the ball on the left block with his back to the basket. He hit a cutting Ty Kocak, who laid it in high off the glass to give JC a five-point lead heading into the half, 32-27. 

Penn College opened the second half on a 10-3 run, with Guidinger's three off a Hardy pass in the right corner all the points JC had in the first four minutes. Guidinger drilled another three off a Kyle Ruggery assist to put JC back ahead 38-37 for a moment. 

Trailing by five, 46-41, Kioko scored in traffic with a layup, and Kocak stole the ball, beat everyone down the floor, and laid it in to bring the Eagles back within one. On the next offensive possession, Guidinger blew past his man at the top of the key, used the glass to finish at the rim, and put JC back ahead, 47-46. Tyler Lapetina poked the ball away, Carter Fischer scooped it up and tossed it back to Lapetina, who laid it over the rim to push the lead to three. Campbell stole the ball and went the distance as he finished in transition to get the Eagle lead to five.  

Guidinger's sixth three of the game made it 57-46, capping a 16-0 run. A layup broke the Wildcat cold spell, as the Eagles held Penn College scoreless for nearly six minutes.  

Juniata took care of the ball down the stretch to get the W, 60-54. 

The Eagles will face Geneva in the Doc Greene Tournament Championship at 4:00.