Daemen (8-3) 15-31—46
Gannon (4-0) 30-35—65
ERIE, Pa. – Junior forward Robert Wilson (Streetsboro, Ohio) netted 15 points and senior forward Darrell Blanton (Cleveland, Ohio) added 14 points, as the Gannon University men's basketball team posted a 65-46 victory over Daemen College here tonight in the championship game of the 29th annual Gary Miller Classic.
Gannon, the tournament host, claimed the tournament title for the first time since 2008 and improved to 4-0 on the year. Daemen, the defending tournament champion, dropped to 8-3.
Junior
Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) led Daemen with 18 points, while sophomore
Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) added 10. Beverly, who totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds in a first-round win over Virginia Union University, was named to the all-tournament team.
Gannon sophomore Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa.) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He totaled 13 points and five steals tonight. Blanton and Wilson were both named to the all-tournament team.
After shooting lights out in an opening-round win over Virginia Union Friday night, the Wildcats connected on just 17-of-51 shots (33%) and went 3-for-16 from behind the arc (0-7 in the opening half). Daemen made 9-of-19 three-pointers and shot 52-percent (28-54) in the win over VUU.
Gannon scored the first seven points of the game and later took a 16-6 lead following a three-pointer by senior Oscar Macias (Cicero, Ill.) with 7:42 left before halftime. The teams traded baskets for the next four minutes before a triple by junior Brandon Emmitt (Akron, Ohio) sparked the hosts on a 10-4 run. A layup by senior T.J. Wilson (Lorton, Va.) just before the halftime buzzer capped the run and gave Gannon a 30-15 halftime lead.
The Golden Knights scored the first five points of the second half and later took a 21-point lead, 40-19, following three-pointer by Macias with 14:45 left. Daemen cut the lead to 17 points, 40-23, after sophomore
Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) made two free throws, but the Golden Knights answered with a decisive 12-3 run. A layup by junior Robert Wilson with 7:24 left capped the run and gave Gannon a 52-26 lead. The Golden Knights maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
Gannon shot 46-percent (22-48) from the field (52% in the second half) and made 5-of-14 from behind the arc. Gannon posted a 23-12 edge in points off turnovers and also held a 28-18 advantage in points in the paint.
Daemen is idle until next Saturday (Dec. 1) when it hosts the University of Maine Fort Kent at 4 p.m.
