Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG – Freshman guard Whis Grant scored 30 points in his collegiate debut and hit four three-pointers late in the second half as East Stroudsburg University nearly overcame a 14-point deficit before succumbing to No. 6-ranked West Liberty, 96-92, on the first night of the Wolf's Bus Lines Classic at Shippensburg's Heiges Field House.

The Warriors got a sterling performance from Grant and double-doubles from junior forwards Duane Johnson (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Terrance King (18-11) against the Hilltoppers, who saw last year's bid for an undefeated season end in the NCAA Final Four and managed to extend their regular season winning streak to 47 games.

In a game of runs against the top scoring team in Division II last season (111.3 ppg), the Warriors clawed back from a 79-65 hole with 8:43 remaining to make it 92-90 with 50 seconds left.

Grant, who won a state championship at Plymouth Whitemarsh before spending a prep year at national prep champion St. Thomas More (Conn.), scored 15 points and drilled four of his five three-pointers in the eight-minute stretch.

The third triple got the Warriors within 85-80 with 6:26 remaining, and after West Liberty went back up by eight, freshman guard Matt Tobin knocked down two free throws and Grant hit another three to set the margin at four (92-88).

The Warriors forced a turnover on West Liberty's possession, and ESU grabbed three offensive rebounds on its next trip before King finished to make it 92-90 with 50 seconds to play.

West Liberty ran the shot clock under 10 before getting a bucket from Shawn Dyer with 21 seconds left. Tobin went to the basket to get ESU back within two (94-92), but the Hilltoppers pushed it ahead and a layup by Tim Hausfeld reestablished the two-possession lead in the final five seconds.

ESU weathered an early stretch when West Liberty led by as many as nine on five occasions to take a 49-45 halftime lead on last year's national semifinalists. The Warriors closed the first half on a 19-8 run over the final seven minutes, getting seven points each from Grant and King, and went into the locker room with three double-figure scorers in Grant (13), Johnson (13) and King (10).

Senior guard Russell Graham III knocked down a three-pointer to push the lead to seven in the first half-minute of the second half, but West Liberty ran off the first of its two big second-half runs – a 13-0 surge – to go in front 61-54 with just over 14 minutes left.

ESU scored the next seven points and tied it at 61-all on a layup by freshman forward Lamont Tillery before the Hilltoppers stormed back. An 18-4 stretch in less than four minutes included four three-pointers from a team that averaged almost 15 three's per game last season and was capped by a triple by top scorer Alex Falk (27 points).

West Liberty put five players in double figures in Falk, Cedric Harris (22 points), Dyer (13), Hausfield (11) and Nick Brown (10) while replacing four 1,000-point scorers from last season, including All-Americans Corey Pelle and Jordan Fortney. WLU was 9-for-25 from the three-point line and got up 78 shots, knocking down 44.9 percent.

Grant was 9-for-16 from the field, 5-for-9 from long distance and 7-for-9 at the foul line for his 30 points and also added six assists. Johnson was 6-for-16 from the floor and 8-for-8 at the foul line and King was 7-for-10 from the field and added four blocked shots, giving him exactly 100 for his career.

Graham, playing his first game since December 29, 2010, had six points, six rebounds, four assists and five steals in 29 minutes before fouling out. Grant, Tobin (five points) and Tillery (eight points) combined for 43 points among the Warriors' freshmen.

ESU held a 46-39 rebounding advantage and both teams grabbed 14 offensive boards. ESU had 21 turnovers and was 23-for-30 from the foul line; West Liberty turned it over 12 times and shot 17-for-25 from the stripe.

The Warriors have a quick turnaround to face Charleston, picked third in the WVIAC behind West Liberty and Pitt-Johnstown, on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Golden Eagles are playing Shippensburg in tonight's nightcap.

GAME NOTES
* Grant is the first Warrior to score 30 points since Chris Bach had 34 in 2009, also at Shippensburg.
* He is the second ESU freshman to score 30 since the 1985-86 season, joining Shahad Abdur-Rahkman, who had 30 vs. Mansfield in 2000.
* Grant (30) and Johnson (21) are the first ESU teammates to score 20 points in the same game since Andy Heimbach (23) and Channon Easley (20) vs. Queens on Dec. 8, 2007.
* King had his fifth career double-double and Johnson had his third. Both were preseason All-PSAC East picks and ESU was picked second in the division.
* King and Johnson also had double-doubles on February 23 last year vs. Bloomsburg – the second time in five games both have had double-doubles in the same game.
* Johnson had his fifth career 20-point game, all on the road or in neutral site games.

* ESU's 92 points are the second-most in a loss in a regulation game under head coach Jeff Wilson. The Warriors fell 98-93 vs. Seton Hill in a tournament at Gannon last December.
* Wilson began his 10th season on the sidelines with his 250th career game. The Warriors are 141-109 since 2002-03 – 108-61 since 2005-06 – and have played in the PSAC Tournament in five of the last six years.