PITTSBURGH — On Wednesday night, Zoo Crew battled all the way until the last second in a back-and-forth matchup against Happy Valley Hoopers, Penn State’s alumni squad in The Basketball Tournament.
In the end, after a missed three pointer from Dustin Sleva of Zoo Crew, Happy Valley looked to Sam Sessoms, who drove to his right side and drained a layup for the win over a Zoo Crew defender. The final score was 85-82.
Zoo Crew jumped out to an early 10-4 lead, with two quick three pointers from Ryan Luther. The group of former Panthers continued to pile on throughout the first quarter, with Luther and Lamar Patterson (eight first quarter points) leading the way. Pitt’s team hit 11 of its 17 shots in the first quarter, including five of its nine three-point tries.
However, Happy Valley came out firing in the second. Quickly, the Penn State alumni team jumped out to a 7-0 run and did not look back throughout the rest of the quarter. Curtis Jones, Sam Sessoms, and Greg Lee led the way, cutting the lead all the way down to one with several minutes left in the half. However, shortly after, Pitt’s Nike Sibande threw down a posterizing slam on a Nittany Lion defender, igniting the Pitt crowd on hand.
In the third quarter, the former Nittany Lions caught fire behind Lee, who played at Penn State in 2021-22. He led the team on another comeback, this time, eventually taking the lead, 60-59, over Zoo Crew. The intensity grew with each possession, and both teams began to get chippy down the stretch.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Cummings opened the fourth quarter with a corner three pointer, improving his point total to a game-high 20 at that point. Minutes later, as Happy Valley regained the momentum, Cummings once again hit a three, this time on the left wing, to extend Zoo Crew’s lead to four just before the Elam Ending mark. With four minutes to go, the score was 77-75, Zoo Crew. The target score of 85 was set.
Happy Valley quickly tied the score at 77, and shortly after, Sessoms hit a floater to take the 79-77 lead. Mike Young answered to tie the game at 79, and on the ensuing possession, Dustin Sleva tipped in a missed Young layup, earning a foul in the process. Pitt’s team was just three points away.
To win the game, Happy Valley leaned on Sessoms. He finished with 27 while Lee followed with 23. For Zoo Crew, Cummings led the way with 23.
Former Pitt players Bub Carrington, Justin Champagnie, and Blake Hinson were all in attendance for the game.
