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Portion of South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre to close next week

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Plains shed body was male; disabled man, mom, focus of questions

<p>The Penn State Wilkes-Barre men&#8217;s basketball team proved it&#8217;s a contender this season getting to its first USCAA National Tournament since 2010.</p><p>But Wednesday night, the No. 8 seed Lions lost to No. 9 seed Vermont Tech 69-57 in the first round. They will get to play one final time this season, taking on tournament host Penn State Fayette in a consolation game at 1:15 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>While PSU Wilkes-Barre head coach LeShawn Hammett deserves credit for his team&#8217;s success the last three seasons, his assistant coach, and father, Leroy Hammett, affectionately known by the team as &#8220;Pops,&#8221; is the man that has made it all possible.</p><p>When LeShawn Hammett got his first coaching job at Cecil College, he didn&#8217;t have much time to recruit and assemble a coaching staff.</p><p>&#8220;After working as an engineer in New York City I asked my father to join my staff and help me recruit,&#8221; LeShawn Hammett said. &#8220;But Pops only said he was staying for one year.&#8221;</p><p>In his first season at Cecil, Hammett took his team to the 2013 National Tournament and lost in the Elite Eight.</p><p>&#8220;I thanked my pop and asked if he was going to retire,&#8221; LeShawn Hammett said, &#8220;He said, &#8216;No I&#8217;m staying until I get my ring.&#8217; He&#8217;s been following me for six years since.&#8221;</p><p>Pops is still sticking to what he said six years ago.</p><p>&#8220;Once I got back into it, I started loving it,&#8221; Leroy Hammett said. &#8220;I can&#8217;t quit until I win a national championship.&#8221;</p><p>The elder statesman on the team, Pops is tasked with recruiting players.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a lot of fun,&#8221; Leroy Hammett said. &#8220;We get to go to the players homes, we meet their parents and we talk to them.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s almost like rasing your own kids.&#8221;</p><p>Not only is he a grandfather figure to the Lions but he gives his son some guidance.</p><p>&#8220;When I step in the building I&#8217;m the boss I make the rules.,&#8221; LeShawn Hammett jokingly said. &#8220;But outside he&#8217;s my Dad.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;In the gym, he&#8217;s the boss,&#8221; Leroy Hammett added. &#8220;I respect that. If I have some other suggestion I pull him to the side and tell him otherwise.</p><p>&#8220;I just love watching the joy on his face when we are successful.&#8221;</p><p>Pops, the 69-year-old, will have to wait another year. But with the departure of only two seniors, Shakur Jackson and DeAndre Monroe, the Lions are primed to contend again next season.</p><p>PSU Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s Levaughn Soules had 13 points and six rebounds while Tomir Gibbs contributed 10 points before fouling out.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Penn State Wilkes-Barre head men&#8217;s basketball coach LeShawn Hammett led his the Lions to the program&#8217;s first USCAA National Tournament since 2010. However, the team lost 69-57 to Vermont Tech Wednesday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022718PSUWilkes-BarreTournament_1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Penn State Wilkes-Barre head men&#8217;s basketball coach LeShawn Hammett led his the Lions to the program&#8217;s first USCAA National Tournament since 2010. However, the team lost 69-57 to Vermont Tech Wednesday night. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Times Leader Sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLsports</p></shirttailMeta></div>

PSU Wilkes-Barre loses in USCAA tournament