Community Bulletin
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BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan men’s basketball put together one of its most complete offensive performances of the season Saturday afternoon, knocking off West Virginia State, 97–91, at the Rockefeller Center. The Bobcats shot nearly 46 percent from the floor, buried 13 three-pointers, and went a decisive 30-of-37 at the free-throw line to secure the Mountain East Conference victory.
Wesleyan trailed early but settled in quickly, building a 43–39 advantage at the break behind balanced scoring and efficient ball movement. The Bobcats assisted on 20 of their 27 made field goals and committed just 13 turnovers, repeatedly answering every Yellow Jacket run.
The second half turned into a back-and-forth affair before Wesleyan seized control midway through the period. Jerell Jean-Baptiste delivered a career night off the bench, pouring in a game-high 32 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including a blistering 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. He also went 10-of-12 at the line and hit multiple clutch triples during a key stretch that pushed the Bobcats’ lead into double digits.
Adrijus Janciauskas filled the stat sheet with 16 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, while Isaiah Baker added 14 points and five assists of his own. Curtis Litton chipped in 11 points, knocking down three triples, and Stephen Ovia and Jaden Westfall combined for 15 points and nine rebounds.
West Virginia State kept pressure on Wesleyan throughout, led by Trey Harris’ 26-point, 11-rebound double-double and Jaylen Subject’s 21 points. The Yellow Jackets scored 50 points in the paint and earned 24 second-chance points, trimming the margin to just two possessions in the final minutes.
Down the stretch, however, Wesleyan remained composed. The Bobcats converted free throws on 12 of their final 14 attempts over the last two minutes, closing the door as Jean-Baptiste, Milos Cirovic, and Stephen Ovia calmly finished at the stripe.
Wesleyan finished the afternoon shooting 59.1 percent from three-point range and outscored West Virginia State 44–12 in bench points, a season-best showing of depth and efficiency.
The Bobcats travel to Frostburg State University Wednesday, Jan. 21 for a 7:30 p.m. matchup.
