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LANCASTER, PA - Guard Jackiem Wright (Jr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) drained seven-of-12 from the field, including six-of-11 from beyond the three point arc, for 20 points to lead five Diplomats in double-figures as Franklin & Marshall College advanced to the title game of the ECAC South Region Tournament with a 90-66 victory over Neumann College. Overall, F&M drained 14-of-26 from three-point range to reset the school record for most three-pointers in a game. The previous record was 12 treys on 25 attempts from a game versus Swarthmore College on November 18, 1990. For the Diplomats, guard/forward Asaf Ganot (Sr., Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) converted five-of-five from the field, including four-of-four from long range, for 16 points, while guard Brandon Smith (Fr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) chipped in 12, center Steve Juskin (Jr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) added 11 and forward Bob Lynch (So., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) dropped in 10 as the Diplomats built a 41-23 at halftime and never looked back. For Neumann, Omar Warthen made nine-of-15 and six-of-seven at the foul line for 24 points while pulling down a game high 11 rebounds to lead the Knights. Randy Maultsby and Leon Dales added 12 and 11 points, respectively, as Neumann finishes the season at 17-11. Leading 9-8 following a lay-up by Warthen, the Diplomats used a 12-0 run to open a 21-8 lead as the Knights never cut the lead to less than eight the rest of the way. In the other semifinal game, DeSales University's Michael Venafra scored 14 points in the second half as the Bulldogs rallied from a 28-20 halftime deficit to score 41 second half points and capture a 61-45 win over Penn State-Behrend. Venafra, who missed all three shots he attempted in the first half, converted six-of-eight in the second half while dishing out two assists to lead DSU. Following a basket by Penn State's Jared Clough, the Bulldogs scored the next 11 points to take a 31-30 lead with 12:15 left in the game. Down 38-36, the Behrend Lions retook the lead with 8:38 to go when Casey Ponsoll hit a lay-up and converted a foul-shot for a 39-38 margin. However, DSU's Jeff Clifford dropped in a lay-up and made a shot at the free throw and Venafra converted one-of-two off a technical foul and hit a jumper to retake the lead at 44-39. Behrend cut the lead to one point as Ponsoll dropped in a jumper and Clough made a pair of foul shots for a 44-43 deficit. But DSU's Dave Bright made a pair of chances at the charity stripe to push the lead back to three. PSU's Dave Hairston drained a jumper at the 5:44 mark to pull within 46-45, but it was the last points the Lions scored as DeSales closed the game on a 15-0 run to improve to 23-6, while Penn State falls to 20-9. DeSales and F&M (24-5) will face-off on Sunday, March 9 in Franklin & Marshall College's Mayser Center for the ECAC South Region title. In last year's ECAC Championship, the Diplomats defeated Lebanon Valley (71-59) in the semifinals and Kings College (82-65) in the championship game to claim the title at the Mayser Center. It marked F&M's first ECAC Men's Basketball Championship in school history. Historically, F&M holds a 2-0 advantage over DeSales in the all-time series with victories in 1981 and 1994. In their last meeting, the Diplomats handled the then Allentown College Centaurs 88-57 in the title game of the 1994 Rotary Tip-Off the New Year Tournament at the Mayser Center. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.
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