YORK, Pa. – The Messiah men's basketball team edged out a narrow 59-56 decision at York College (Pa.) on Saturday evening. With the score locked up at 56-56, Tyler Penley provided the late-game heroics, knocking down the game-winning triple with just 13 seconds remaining. Penley, Bryce Coletti, and Will Young IV all finished with 14 points as the Falcons improved their 2021-22 overall 6-10 (5-6 MAC Commonwealth).
 
Messiah draws even with the Spartans as the two sides clashed back on Dec. 8 in Hitchcock Arena when York topped the Falcons, 77-68.
 
The Falcons had a strong start to the game, jumping out to a quick 6-0 advantage behind four points from Young and two points from Claiborne. Tyler Penley extended the strong start at the 16:11, connecting on the Falcons' first three-pointer of the contest to give Messiah a firm 9-2 lead.
 
The Spartans answered with a 7-0 scoring spurt in the following 3:13 to level the score at 9-9 with 11:49 remaining in the first half. Messiah countered with six-straight points of its own to reclaim the lead, 15-9, behind two layups from Dylan Cuperus and from Young's sixth point of the game from a layup. Penley drained his second triple of the half at the 7:05 mark, giving the Falcons an 18-14 lead.
 
Despite the Spartans outscoring Messiah (15-12) in the final 7:05 of the first half, the Falcons entered halftime ahead, 30-29. Caleb Light connected on a clutch three-pointer with just two seconds left in the half to narrowly put Messiah ahead by one point.
 
In the half, the Falcons shot 11-32 (34.4%) from the floor as Penley led all scorers with nine points. Young had a strong offensive half (eight points) as well as Messiah had six different players record points.
 
The Falcons began the second half in strong fashion, outscoring the hosts 13-6 in the opening five minutes. Messiah shot an impressive 5-of-7 from the floor during that stretch, led by five points from Coletti. Messiah continued its momentous stretch of play, jumping out to a 51-40 lead with 10:44 on the clock after a made layup from Young.
 
Holding York at bay, the Falcons led by five points (53-48) with just eight minutes remaining following a pair of successful free throws from the Spartans. Messiah's lead shrunk to just three points when Chris Meiers connected on a jump shot at the 6:31 mark as the two sides did not score for the next three and a half minutes.
 
With just 2:58 remaining, York pulled within a one-point deficit (53-52) after Sean Kelly converted two free throw attempts. The Spartans proceeded to take the lead on the following possession, 54-53, after Meier notched a pull-up jumper.
 
Trailing by just a point, Coletti took matters in his own hands to reclaim the Messiah lead, cashing a triple at the 2:00 mark to make the score 56-54 in favor of the Falcons. The three-pointer was the first of the game for the sophomore guard, tying the game-high in points scored (14).
 
The contest came down to the final two possessions. With the two sides deadlocked at 56-56, the Falcons were able to find Penley open from beyond the arc. The senior forward knocked down the three-pointer with just 13 seconds left in the game, giving Messiah a late 59-56 lead. The Spartans came down quickly on the other end in pursuit of a game-tying triple. Messiah ultimately prevailed as York found an open look with just two seconds remaining as the shot rattled out. Behind Penley's heroic three-pointer, the Falcons clinched the close road decision, 59-56.
 
In addition to his game-winning three-pointer, Penley reeled in 10 rebounds, matching the game-high mark.  
 
What's Next
Messiah hosts Lebanon Valley College this Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 8:00 p.m. on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena.