The La Roche University men's basketball team captured its second consecutive AMCC Tournament Championship and third in four seasons, defeating Penn State Behrend 80-69 in Saturday night's tournament final.
La Roche started out hot in the first half, scoring the first seven points before jumping ahead 28-12 with 7:18 remaining. The Lions would follow scoring eight of the next 11 points to trim the deficit to 31-20, but the Redhawks would build on the lead before the half to make it 36-20 going into the locker room.
Out of the locker room, La Roche continued to grow the lead, pushing it to 20 points in the first 3:07 and then to 22 points at 54-32 with 12:45 remaining. With 4:45 remaining, the Redhawks still held a lead of 16 at 69-53, but over the next 3:43, Behrend trimmed the deficit to 71-64 behind an 11-2 run. Down the final minute of play, La Roche hit their free throws and sealed the victory to the title.
For the game, La Roche shot 47.5% (28-for-59) from the floor and 10-for-27 (37%) from deep. From the charity stripe, they went 14-for-19 (73.7%).
On the other side, the Lions went on to shoot 41.9% (26-for-62) from the field, 7-for-26 (26.9%) from deep and went 10-for-19 (52.6%).
Four Redhawks went on to score in double figures, with Isaiah Thomas (6'7''-G) leading the charge. Thomas ended the game with a double-double consisting of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Three others all chipped in 15 points, including Dawson Summers who added eight rebounds, Bryce Epps (5'11''-PG) and his three rebounds, five assists and three steals, as well as Michael Brooks (6'2''-G) who grabbed a pair of rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
Tommy Dirienzo (6'4''-G) led Behrend with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Mason Blankenberg (6'2''-G) added 15 and Matt Niland (5'8''-PG) chipped in with 13.

AMCC Final: Penn St.-Behrend - La Roche 69-80

AMCC Semifinals:
La Roche - Pitt-Greensburg 81-76
Penn State Behrend - Alfred St. 73-65

Courtesy of amccsports.org

Player of the Year: Tommy Dirienzo (6'4''-G) of PS Behrend
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwayne Jones (6'7''-F) of PS Altoona
Newcomer of the Year: Trent Rozich (6'5''-F) of Pitt-Greensburg
Coach of the Year: jack Dignan of Alfred St.

All-AMCC First Team 2024

Dirienzo

Jones

Starzynski

Butler

Schneider

First Team
Tommy Dirienzo (6'4''-G) of PS Behrend
Dwayne Jones (6'7''-F) of PS Altoona
Joe Starzynski (6'6''-G) of La Roche
Jamarion Butler (6'5''-G) of Pitt-Bradford
Cody Schneider (6'3''-C) of Alfred St.

All-AMCC Second Team 2024

Jamison

Rozich

Perez

Marinchak

McDonough

Second Team
Paris Jamison (6'0''-PG) of Alfred St.
Trent Rozich (6'5''-F) of Pitt-Greensburg
Edward Perez (6'4''-F) of Hilbert
Matt Marinchak (6'1''-G) of Pitt-Greensburg
Matthew McDonough (6'1''-G) of PS Behrend

All-AMCC Third Team 2024

Priah

Epps

Hagwood

Clayton-Murphy

Brooks

Third Team
Reggie Priah (6'4''-F) of Mt.Aloysius
Bryce Epps (5'11''-PG) of La Roche
Will Hagwood (6'0''-PG) of Mt.Aloysius
Terrance Clayton-Murphy (6'2''-G) of Wells
Michael Brooks (6'2''-G) of La Roche

AMCC All-Tournament Team 2024

Starzynski

Thomas

Dirienzo

Schneider

Marinchak

All-Tournament Team
Joe Starzynski (6'6''-G) of La Roche
Isaiah Thomas (6'7''-G) of La Roche
Tommy Dirienzo (6'4''-G) of PS Behrend
Mason Blankenberg (6'2''-G) of PS Behrend
Cody Schneider (6'3''-C) of Alfred St.
Matt Marinchak (6'1''-G) of Pitt-Greensburg
Trey Davis (6'4''-G) of Pitt-Bradford
Mason Bush (6'4''-F) of PS Altoona