Brendan Boken	Justin Klingman
Ethan Danzig	Ross Danzig

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Photo gallery (courtesy of Dan Ceccacci)

SCRANTON, Pa.—Junior forward Brendan Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Loyola) scored a game-high 21 points and keyed a solid defensive effort with 6 blocks, leading The University of Scranton men’s basketball team to its third straight win, a 61-48 victory over Juniata College in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Long Center.

The 21st-ranked Royals, now 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Landmark, also received 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists from senior guardJustin Klingman (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) and 11 points from freshman guard Ethan Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights).

Sophomore center/forward Trevor Clune (Meadville, Pa./Meadville Area), junior guard Justin Fleming (Richmond, Va./Benedictine College Preparatory), and junior forward Nate Ogle (Falls Church, Va./George Mason) led the Eagles, now 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference, with 10 points apiece.

The Royals set the tone early, blocking four of Juniata’s first 11 shots attempts—including three by Boken—to build up a double-digit lead on their way to a 29-16 halftime lead.  Boken scored 10 points and Danzig six as Scranton held the Eagles to just 23.3 percent shooting from the field in the first half.

Leading 34-22 with 14:15 remaining, Klingman ignited a 14-6 run with a pair of 3-pointers and Danzig and fellow freshman guardKevin Doolan (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) each drained a 3-pointer as the Royals opened up their largest lead, 48-28, with 10:40 remaining.  The closest Juniata got the rest of the way was 12 with 3:33 left.

Scranton connected of 11 of 19 field goal attempts (57.9 percent) in the second half and finished 50 percent for the game (21 of 42).  In addition, the Royals finished with 8 blocks and 9 steals, including 3 from senior guard Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy-NJ), who also had 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in 35 minutes of action.

Ethan Danzig, who connected on 4 of 6 field goal attempts in 14 minutes of action, tied his previous season-high of 11 against Centenary College on November 15 at the Long Center, while Boken’s 6 blocks ties his previous career-high of 6 against Keystone College on December 31, 2013.  Boken also made 7 of 9 shots from the field and had 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 28 minutes of play.

The Royals, who have now held five of six opponents to 54-or-fewer points, will break for final exams before returning to Landmark Conference action next Sunday, December 14, against the Merchant Marine Academy at 4:00 p.m. in the Long Center.

--ROYALS--