Velez hits 1,000-point mark to lead PSU-Brandywine

Nikki Velez got hot early and never cooled off, notching her 1,000th career point to help Penn State-Brandywine cap a busy week with its third win in four days with a 78-51 romp over Penn State Mont Alto Friday night.

Velez scored 11 of her game-high 27 points in the first quarter to help Brandywine jump out to a 21-10 lead they would never relinquish. Velez shot 7-for-13 from 3-point range and also grabbed five rebounds and made three steals. Velez is the ninth player in Brandywine history to surpass the 1,000-point mark and the second-quickest to do so, in her 64th career game. She trails only Dana Johnson, the program’s scoring leader who required 50 games to hit the milestone.

As a team, Brandywine was 9-for-20 (45 percent) from deep. Brandi James (Interboro) added 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Dana D’Ambrosio (Ridley) added 11 points six steals and three assists for Brandywine (4-4, 2-0 PSUAC), which has won four of its last five games after an 0-3 start. Kara Newell led Mont Alto (1-4, 0-1) with 15 points.

Men’s Basketball

Jacob Hunt came up big to get Penn State-Brandywine back on the winning track.

Hunt scored a game-high 32 points in a see-saw battle that featured eight lead changes to help Brandywine rally for an 88-79 victory over Penn State-Mont Alto.

Hunt shot 10-for-17 from the field, 4-for-8 from

3-point range and 8-for10 at the free throw line to lead three players in double figures. Hunt scored the final three points in a

9-0 run that turned a 73-72 deficit with 6:03 to play in the game into an 81-73 advantage with 1:51 left in the contest. Brandywine shot

5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 59 seconds to seal it.

Quentin Beasley added

17 points and five rebounds and Bryce Barrouk contributed 11 points and three boards off the bench for Brandywine (3-3 overall,

1-1 PSUAC).

Jalen Smith topped Mont Alto with 15 points.