Men's Basketball 6/14/2013 9:09:00 AM

Novak Perfect From Field in 94-70 Win at Shepherd Danny Branch Nets 1,000th Career Point

02/27/2010

Nick Novak (Murrysville, Pa.) poured in a game-high 29 points on a perfect 13-13 shooting from the field to help the Mountain Cats build a 15-point halftime lead in a 94-70 victory at Shepherd (WV) University to wrap-up the 2009-10 regular season on Saturday. Danny Branch (Washington, D.C.) added 20 points to become Pitt-Johnstown's 21st 1,000-point scorer. With the win, Pitt-Johnstown secured the No.-7 seed and a first-round WVIAC Tournament home game and improved to 16-11 overall and 12-10 in conference play.
The Mountain Cats will host No. 10-seeded Shepherd in a WVIAC Tournament First-Round game, Tuesday night at 7:30 in the Sports Center. Pitt-Johnstown already swept a pair of games from the Rams this season. The winner advances to the WVIAC Tournament Semifinals on Thursday at the Civic Center in Charleston, WV.
Branch, who needed 10 points to reach the milestone, netted 20 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, 4-9 from three-point range and 2-2 from the free-throw line. Branch's 1,010 points are 13 shy of Josue' Nieves for 20th-place on the scoring list.
After falling behind 1-0 24 seconds into the game, the Mountain Cats took control and led the rest of the way. Pitt-Johnstown used a 27-9 run over the first 10 minutes to build a 27-9 lead on two Novak free-throws.
Dave Karlson's basket with just under six minutes left in the first half cut the Rams' deficit to 14 at 31-17. However, Branch connected on two free-throws to push the lead out to 20 with 1:18 left, before Pitt-Johnstown went into the intermission leading 43-28.
Pitt-Johnstown maintained at lead a 13-point lead the rest of the game. Branch's three-pointer at 16:33 extended the lead to 57-36. Shepherd was able to narrow the gap to 59-46 two minutes later, but it never got any closer.
Jordan Miller's (Mineral Point, Pa.) lay-up midway through the second half pushed it out to 78-52, and the Mountain Cats went on to cruise to the 24-point victory.
The Mountain Cats shot a season-best 71.4% (35-49) from the field, 5-13 from three-point range and 19-23 from the free-throw line, while holding Shepherd to just 33.3% shooting. The Rams were 7-29 from behind the three-point line and 23-33 from the charity stripe.
Novak's 29 points on 13-13 shooting and 3-3 from the free-throw line led three Pitt-Johnstown players who scored in double-figures. Branch had 20 points, while Patrick Grubbs (Turtle Creek, Pa.) collected 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Miller finished nine points and four rebound, and Andy Byer (Tire Hill, Pa.) had seven points, three rebounds iand four assists in the lopsided victory.
With his four three-pointers against Fairmont State, Branch stands in second-place on Pitt-Johnstown's All-Time Three-Point Field Goals List with 181. He is nine away from Steve Scorpion for the top-spot. Byer's 135 three-pointers are six shy of Dwight Hines for eighth-place on the list.
Tyrone Roach led Shepherd with 18 points. Karlson had 16 points and six rebounds, and Chad Moore chipped in 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Rams, who fell to 9-18 overall and 9-13 in the WVIAC.

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