By Andy Walter

Isaiah Hynson’s jumper with just four seconds left to give No. 5 Salesianum a dramatic 51-49 win over top-seeded Middletown in the DIAA boys’ basketball semifinals on Thursday night at the Capenter Center.

The Sals, who lost in the state semifinals a year ago, will face No. 7 William Penn on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Carpenter Center for the state championship.

The Cavaliers tied the contest at 49-49 on a three-point play from Amir Cunningham with one minute remaining. Sallies then held the ball for most of the final minute to set up Hynson’s game winner.

The tightly-played contest featured five ties and six lead changes. The game was tied 26-26 at halftime.

Hynson tallied a game-high 18 points for the Sals while Cunningham and Jaiden McGhee had 12 apiece for Middletown. The Cavs finish 20-3 with thier only two in-state losses coming to Sallies.

William Penn 55, Howard 39: The No. 7 Colonials continued their improbable run to the stat finals by pulling away to the win in the first semifinal on Thursday.

William Penn took a 34-23 lead into the fourth quarter. The third-seeded Wildcats closed within 36-30 before the Colonials ended the contest on a 19-9 run.

William Penn is in the state finals for the eighth time but for the first time since 2009. Jaiden Guy netted a game-high 20 points for the Colonials Emmanuel Vonhm adding 10.

College basketball

WOMEN, Hampton 78, Delaware 67: The eighth-seeded Blue Hens overcame an eight-point halftime deficit only to have the ninth-seeded Pirates pull away again at the end of the second-round CAA Tournament game.

Defending conference champion Delaware finishes the season with a record 16-14 in their first campaign under coach Sarah Jenkins.

The Hens took a 59-58 lead into the fourth quarter after out-scoring Hampton (12-17) by a 27-18 margin in the third quarter and finishing the period on a 10-0 run.

But, after three lead changes in the fourth quarter, Hampton went on a 13-1 run to take control for good.

Jewel Smalls led Delaware with 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Klarke Sconiers had 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, while Michelle Ojo scored 13 points. Makayla Pippin added 11 points and five rebounds.

Delaware graduates a senior class of of Demi Burdick, Kharis Idom, Wyatt Martin, Pippin, Smalls and Mar Tejedor.

Howard 67, Delaware State 35: The Hornets (7-19) fell to the defending-champion Bison in the first round of the MEAC Tournament.

DSU senior forward Jessica Martino recorded a double-double ith 14 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Moragne finished with 10 points.

MEN, North Carolina Central 89, Delaware State 59: The second-seeded Eagles advanced to the MEAC Tournament semifinals with the win on Wednesday night.

North Carolina Central (18-11) won its eighth in a row over the Hornets. Delaware State dropped its fourth staight game to end the season at 6-24.

Khyrie Staten was high scorer for Delaware State with 18 points, while Martaz Robins added 13 and Cameron Stitt had 12. Delaware State scored the first five points of the game, and led 7-2 before the Eagles took control.

N.C. Central was ahead 36-24 at the half, and outscored the Hornets 53-35 in the final 20 minutes.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at walter@iniusa.org. Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.