After becoming the first player in team history to record two career triple doubles in the victory over Mansfield on Saturday afternoon, West Chester University guard Leah Johnson added a third to her career total in a 73-45 women’s basketball win against Millersville Monday evening.
Johnson finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists Monday for the Golden Rams (14-5, 9-4).
Johnson is the first Division II women’s basketball player to record two or more triple doubles in the same season since Audrey Tingle (West Liberty) and Tori Pearce (Flagler) in the 2021-22 season. Johnson is also the first PSAC player to accomplish this feat since Angela Heintz did so for Mercyhurst in the 2016-17 season.
The graduate student was one of three Golden Rams in double figures as Emily McAteer led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, while Michelle Kozicki finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
The Golden Rams carried a 37-26 lead into the halftime break. McAteer led all scorers in the first half with 13 points. West Chester ended the game with a 51-38 lead in rebounding, including a 20-12 lead on the offensive glass, which led to a 15-10 lead in second-chance points. West Chester also ended the game with a 16-6 lead in turnovers, which translated into a 20-2 lead in points off turnovers. West Chester also finished the game with a 34-22 lead in points in the paint and an 8-0 lead in points off the break.
College
Men’s basketball
Millersville 89, West Chester 86 >> Joshua Walker scored a career-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting to help lead five Golden Ram starters in double scoring figures but it was not enough to help the Golden Rams (12-7, 9-4) knock-off PSAC East rival Millersville (15-4, 10-3) on Monday night. Jordan Kellier picked up his eighth double-double of the year, scoring 14 points along with 11 rebounds, while Anthony Purnell Jr. scored 15 to lead the Golden Rams guards in scoring. Elijah Allen scored 14 points to go along with 10 from Robert Smith, while Purnell Jr. led the Golden Rams with six assists.
West Chester trailed for much of the game and throughout the second half, finding itself behind by as many as 17 with 12 minutes to play in regulation. The Golden Rams battled all the way back, pulling back to within one point multiple times in the final two minutes of regulation after going on a 21-10 run in the final 5 1/2 minutes of regulation.
West Chester began its comeback effort with a pair of free throws by Smith, followed by a pull-up jumper by the guard moments later that cut the deficit to 82-76 with 3:09 to play. The Golden Rams cut the deficit to just four 30 seconds later after a perfect 2-for-2 trip to the line by Allen before pulling back to within three after a Moro Osumanu layup, which prompted a Millersville timeout. Out of the timeout, West Chester came away with another steal, this time from Purnell Jr., which led to a driving layup by Walker that cut the deficit to 83-82 and got the home crowd to its feet once again with 1:48 to play.
The Marauders hit two at the line, but a Purnell Jr. layup kept the game within one (85-84) until a Faulkner layup stretched the lead back to 87-84. The Golden Rams scored what would be their final points of the night moments later when Kellier hit a layup with 35 seconds to play following the Golden Rams final timeout of the night to cut the deficit to 87-86.
West Chester finished the game with a 32-30 lead in rebounding while also ending the game with a 48-26 lead in points in the paint and an 11-7 lead in points off the break.
High school
Wrestling
Westtown School 60, Abington Friends 18 >> Westtown (8-5 overall, 4-0 Friends’ Schools League) earned two league wins Tuesday, against both Abington Friends and Church Farm School. Against Abington Friends, Westtown got pins from Ryan Tookes (113 pounds), John Sharples (126) and Luke Holgate (144).
Westtown School 64, Church Farm School 15 >> In this Tuesday matchup, Westtown got pins from Ryder Tookes (106 pounds), Ryan Tookes (113), John Sharples (126), Russell Joarder (132), Luke Holgate (144), Evan Holgate (157), Miguel Wenderoth (175), Sam Downing (190) and Devon Swarthout (285).
Girls’ basketball
Collegium Charter 50, Dock Mennonite 25 >> Collegium picked up its sixth consecutive win Tuesday, led by Kori Beasley (season-high 22 points, eight steals) and Ciani Hamilton (14 rebounds, eight points, three steals).