OSKALOOSA — The William Penn men’s basketball team delivered a thrilling 85–83 upset of No. 20 Graceland in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Wednesday night, capped by a buzzer-beating jumper from Alif Bass.
The Statesmen (13–5, 7–3 Heart) extended their perfect home record to 9–0 while handing the Yellowjackets (15–3, 9–1 Heart) their first conference loss of the season.
The opening half featured tight, back-and-forth play as neither team was able to gain separation. Graceland briefly edged ahead 11–10, but William Penn answered with steady momentum of its own. A late jumper by the Yellowjackets evened the score at 38–38 heading into halftime.
William Penn shot 45.5 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range in the opening half. Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) led the Statesmen early, scoring 11 of his 14 points before the break.
The second half mirrored the first, with both teams trading baskets and defensive stops. Graceland pushed in front 49–43 midway through the period, but the Statesmen responded with a decisive run to reclaim a 52–51 advantage. Each time the Yellowjackets threatened to build momentum, William Penn had an answer.
With 20 seconds remaining, Graceland tied the contest at 83–83. On the final possession, multiple Statesmen shot attempts came up short before Alif Bass (Jr., Newark, N.J., Sports Management) rose for the game-winning jumper as time expired, sending Penn Gym into celebration.
Despite shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc—compared to Graceland’s 59.2 percent shooting and 53.3 percent from three—William Penn generated more opportunities, attempting 20 more field goals and 15 more three-pointers.
Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) poured in a game-high 20 points, while Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) added 18. Boleware rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points. Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) contributed across the stat sheet with seven rebounds and three steals.
Graceland held a 35–30 edge on the glass, but the Statesmen claimed a 16–12 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Yellowjackets converted those chances into a 21–10 second-chance scoring margin. William Penn countered by forcing 18 Graceland turnovers, turning them into 17 points while allowing just nine points off its own miscues.
