YORK, Neb. - Caiden Punt and Evens Appolon played relatively well in Kansas Wesleyan's first 10 games.
Wednesday night against the York Panthers, though, the duo raised their efforts to jaw-dropping levels combining for 51 points and 23 rebounds in the Coyotes' 88-71 Kansas Conference victory inside the Freeman Center.
Punt scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Appolon had 19 points and 15 rebounds, 12 on the offensive end as KWU improved to 5-6 overall, 3-3 in the KCAC.
Punt was 12 of 19 shooting including 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
"He can really get going, he can really fill it up," coach Jordan Murdock said on the postgame radio show. "This past week we've been talking to him about letting the game come to him and getting a lot more of those catch and shoot opportunities, and he did just that tonight.He showed it in every way and I'm extremely proud of him."
The 6-foot-9 Appolon continued his impressive play of late going 9 of 14 from the field and had 10 second chance points.
"He was special; he showed what he can be especially when he's under control," Murdock said. "I thought he missed a few bunnies in the first half and so when we got in there at halftime it was about challenging him to give us more and he did that. He's that type of player and we're lucky to have him."
Matthew Garber scored 14 that included four 3-pointers. KWU shot 48 percent (35 of 73), was 9 of 28 from long range), won the rebounding battle handily 45-29 and had just nine turnovers.
Murdock also pointed to the defensive work of freshman guard Caleb Grill. He guarded York's Jadin Johnson in the second half after Johnson scored 18 in the first 20 minutes. He finished with 31 but had just three free throws in the final 10:45.
"It's been a process for him," Murdock said. "He's been trying to figure out the speed; he's been trying to figure out the physicality. He can guard pretty much everything out there, especially when it comes to guards. That's what I'm most proud of him about."
An 18-2 run early in the first half gave the Coyotes a 20-8 lead, and they twice led by 15 later in the period. York ended the half on a 14-4 surge that trimmed the lead to 39-34 at the break.
Clinging to a 68-64 lead with 8:22 left, the Coyotes effectively sealed the deal with a 16-3 run over the next six minutes that gave them an 84-67 advantage with 2:24 remaining.
York (4-8, 2-4 KCAC) shot 44 percent (26 of 59) and had 15 turnovers.
"For the most part our team did a really good job and I think it showed," Murdock said.