Westmoreland campus clippings: Latrobe grad Bryce Butler shines at West Liberty

Mountain East Conference Player of the Week Bryce Butler continues to round out his game at West Liberty.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore guard had one of his best all-around games as the Division II No. 5-ranked Hilltoppers won for the 15th time in 16 games by holding back West Virginia State, 96-84.

Butler finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

“Bryce was just relentless tonight,” WLU coach Ben Howlett said. “He may be a little undersized in there but he just battles and battles and battles. I wouldn’t trade him for anybody. I think he’s one of the best players in the country, and I’ll rock with him for a long time.”

Butler, who made 10 of 16 shots, is averaging 17.3 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 60.1% from the field in 26 minutes a night.

He followed that performance with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting in a 96-82 win over Charleston (W.Va.). He played 36 minutes for the Hilltoppers (20-2, 14-2 Mountain East).

That is 17 straight winning seasons for West Liberty.

Men’s basketball

Bethany: Junior guard Asa Klimchock (Greensburg Central Catholic) had 17 points and seven assists in his return to the area, but Bethany fell at Saint Vincent, 67-62.

Pitt-Greensburg: The Bobcats (8-11, 6-5 AMCC) knocked off previously unbeaten Penn State Behrend, where their first-year coach Chris Klimchock used to be an assistant, to extend their winning streak.

Junior guard JoJo France scored a game-high 24 points, including five 3-pointers, while sophomore Micah Jones had a season-high 21 points with four 3s in the 77-66 victory.

Sophomore Reggie Priah added 13 points and seven rebounds for UPG, which made 12 3-pointers.

UPG made it four straight wins with a 93-83 win over Pitt-Bradford as Priah, a load to defend at 6-4, 230-plus, had 22 points and 11 rebounds. France also scored 22 and joined senior teammate Matt Johnson with four 3-pointers. Johnson had 19 points, while junior Jaylen Williams had 14 points and five assists. Jones pulled down 12 rebounds for the Bobcats (9-11, 7-5).

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats (3-16, 2-11 PAC) snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 67-62 victory over visiting Bethany as sophomore Osyon Jones had 24 points, and sophomore Kaleb Fields (15 points), freshman Jayven Millen (10) and sophomore Nelson Etuk also scored in double figures. Etuk pulled down 10 rebounds.

Westmoreland County Community College: WCCC made it three wins in its last four games, playing a fourth overtime period over its last two matchups, as it topped Community College of Allegheny County, 88-76.

Sophomore Jakir Hampton had 26 points, sophomore Tahiyr Vines added 16, sophomore Noah Taynor-Savage had 14, freshman Brandon Baird picked up 13 and 11 rebounds, and sophomore Joel Lonigro (Greensburg Central Catholic) chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds.

Women’s basketball

Grove City: Four players scored in double figures, including junior guard Megan Kallock (Greensburg Salem) with 19 points, and senior forward Allison Podkul (Hempfield) with 14 points, 17 rebounds and four assists, as the Wolverines topped Thiel, 81-57.

Podkul now has six double-doubles this season. Grove City scored 51 points in the second half.

Freshman Mara Polczynski (Norwin) added 10 points and four assists in the win.

Kallock was more impressive in the next game as she poured in 29 points while Pokul scored 11 and grabbed eight rebounds in a 91-84 win at Geneva to move the Wolverines’ record to 13-6 overall and 10-3 in the PAC.

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Sidney McCully had 23 points, freshman Melina Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic) added 16 and junior Nadege Durand had 11 as the Bobcats dealt Penn State Behrend its first AMCC loss with a 64-49 win.

Durand also grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds as the Bobcats out-rebounded the Lions, 62-32.

Junior Shaquoia McCray added significantly to the total with 16 rebounds.

The Bobcats (15-4, 10-2) made it three straight wins with a 99-73 home win over Pitt-Bradford as McCully had 21 points, Durand added 16, McCray 15 (and 10 rebounds), freshman Lizzie Penrose chipped in 14 and freshman Melina Maietta had 13. The team made 10 3s.

Durand was named the AMCC Player of the Week.

Saint Vincent: Junior 6-2 center Ella Marconi had 17 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Bearcats (5-11, 4-8) to their second straight win, 73-55 over Bethany. Sophomore Lizzie Bender added 12 points, sophomore Emily Cavanini 11, and senior Taylor Geer and freshman Emily Thompson 10 apiece for SVC. Marconi added 20 points, on 9-of-12 shooting, and grabbed 20 rebounds, while junior Maddie Weber had 10 points and 13 rebounds as the Bearcats (6-11, 5-8 PAC) held back Grove City, 74-69.

Marconi was named the PAC Player of the Week.

Seton Hill: Senior center Katie Nolan posted her 13th double-double of the season with 24 points and 17 rebounds as the Griffins (18-7, 12-4) swept No. 25 Gannon with a 61-52 victory in Erie to move into first in the PSAC West Division.

Westminster: Senior Magen Polczynski (Norwin) had 12 points to help lead the Titans (12-8, 9-4 PAC) past Franciscan, 61-45.

Westmoreland County Community College: Freshman Makayla Boda scored 32 points to pace the Wolfpack to an 88-56 win over Community College of Allegheny County.

Freshman Hannah Wedow (Derry) added 19 points and freshman Chloe Willochell (Latrobe) had 12.

Boda made 16 of 24 shots and also had six assists and five rebounds.