Patriot League Notebook
Holy Cross Led By The Not So Usual Crew
Kevin Hamilton was “held” to 21 points and Keith Simmons scored 26 points in two games this weekend, but at this point it seems as if nothing can stop Holy Cross. With their two stars held below their season averages, the Crusaders used some of their many other weapons to defeat Navy and American. Big man John Hurley had two of his best games of the season, scoring 15 and 13 points, respectively, while forgotten guard Torey Thomas and unheralded Tim Clifford combined for 28 points to defeat American. At the moment, Holy Cross is making it look inevitable as it rushes for its fourth league title in five years.
Flannery Returns To Bison Bench
Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery returned to the Bison bench this weekend for the team’s Friday game at Lafayette after missing Bucknell’s last three games due a temporary medical leave of absence. Flannery, the longest-tenured head coach in the Patriot League, had been involved in the team’s practices and game preparation, but did not follow the team on the road last weekend. He was given the OK by his doctors and Bucknell athletic director John Hardt, however, and so he returns to guide the Bison in the final seven league games of the season.
Okpwae Back With The Eagles
After serving a two-game suspension for breaking curfew, American senior Patrick Okpwae returned to the Eagle lineup this weekend. The forward averaged nine points and four rebounds in limited action against Army and Holy Cross, and will be asked to once again be a big contributor to Jeff Jones’ squad down the stretch.
Player of the Week
Andre Ingram, American
Ingram scored 45 points in the Eagles’ two games this weekend, leading American to a win over Army and a tough loss to Holy Cross. In the two games, the Richmond, Va., native shot over 56 percent from the field and over 54 percent from beyond the three-point arc. He also pulled down 12 rebounds for American.
Rookie of the Week
Greg Sprink, Navy
Sprink put together back-to-back 14-point efforts in Navy’s loss to Holy Cross and its win over Army. The Cardiff, Calif., native notched his second career double-double against Army, adding 10 rebounds to go along with 14 points.
Holy Cross Crusaders (8-1 PL, 17-5 overall)
Another weekend, another sweep for Ralph Willard’s crew. The weekend did not come without its nervous moments, however, as the team came back late against Navy and then did it again on Sunday against American. The results are still the same, however: more wins for the Crusaders and more losses for their opponents.
The Crusaders survived a big scare on Friday night against the Midshipmen, overcoming a 10-point second-half deficit and then holding on to defeat Navy, 68-66. Holy Cross was very inconsistent against the Middies, jumping out early but then allowing Navy to retake the lead and carry it into halftime. After coming back from its second-half deficit thanks to a pair of three-pointers from freshman Pat Doherty, The HC almost gave the game away by hitting just one of six free throws in the final 30 seconds, but luckily the team managed to escape Annapolis with a win. Keith Simmons scored 22 points off the bench and John Hurley added 13, as the team was able to overcome a relatively quiet night by Kevin Hamilton (seven points).
The team faced another very tough opponent on Sunday in American, and the team found a way to pull out a 76-67 overtime victory. Holy Cross fell behind midway through the first half and trailed for most of the second, and the team got lucky when Andre Ingram missed a potential game-winning free throw with six seconds left. Presented with a new life, the Crusaders took control. Torey Thomas scored 10 of his 15 points in the overtime and Tim Clifford added six of his career-best 13 points in the extra session as the visitors, unlike in the game against Navy, hit 11-of-14 free throws to seal the game. Holy Cross, which played only eight players in the game, won despite only four points from Kevin Hamilton – because Clifford and Thomas stepped it up big time.
Winners of nine consecutive games, the Crusaders are looking as dangerous as ever with the emergence of Clifford and the re-emergence of Thomas. The HC, which now holds a two-game lead over the three second place teams, hosts Lehigh and Lafayette this weekend.
Bucknell Bison (6-3 PL, 15-7 overall)
The Bison had a mixed weekend, destroying Lafayette but falling to Lehigh on a buzzer-beater. Luckily for Bucknell, the team remains in a three-way tie for second place in the Patriot League.
Coming off two consecutive losses, the Bison responded in style by reaching a season-high in points in the team team’s 89-69 win over Lafayette. In head coach Pat Flannery’s first game back at the helm, Bucknell put on an offensive show, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field. The team’s defense left something to be desired, as Lafayette shot 50 percent from the field and was able to hang with the Bison for much of the first half, but a late first-half run extended the lead to double figures and the visitors didn’t break a sweat in the second half. The team also broke the league record for free-throw accuracy, hitting all 20 of its attempts from the charity stripe. Kevin Bettencourt led four Bison players in double figures with 29 points.
Against Lehigh, Bucknell came out strong but faded down the stretch in a 57-54 loss. The Bison led 20-7 early on but allowed Lehigh to get back into the game by the half, as the Bison endured foul trouble all game long. The Mountain Hawks had as many made free throws by halftime as the Bison would have at game’s end, counteracting Bucknell’s superior shooting numbers. Bucknell’s defense came up big near the end of the game, as Darren Mastropaulo swatted away a Jason Mgebroff shot and then hit two free throws to tie the game with seven seconds left, which unfortunately for Bucknell set up a 22-foot buzzer-beater by Lehigh’s Joe Knight. Abe Badmus led three Bison players in double figures, but in the end the Bison came up one shot short.
The Bison return home this weekend for a pair of important league games, including a very important game with American, a team currently tied with Bucknell for second place in the league, on Friday evening and a Sunday afternoon match-up with Navy.
American Eagles (6-3 PL, 13-8 overall)
Like Bucknell, American split its two games this weekend, staying in second place in the Patriot League as we head into the final few weekends of league play.
Against the Black Knights, American scored the first seven points of the contest and never relinquished the lead in an easy 86-58 win over Army. The Eagles came out flying in the first half, shooting over 51 percent from both the floor and from beyond the arc, and used a couple big first-half runs to erase any doubt before halftime. By game’s end, the Eagles actually shot better from beyond the arc (55 percent) than they did from the floor (52 percent). With the lead growing to as many as 35 late in the contest, American head coach Jeff Jones was able to rest up his starters and give some reserves some well-deserved court time. Among the starters, Andre Ingram and Jason Thomas combined to score 41 points on 15-of-24 shooting.
With a chance to jump into a first-place tie, American couldn’t close out Holy Cross on Sunday afternoon and fell at home. The Eagles came out strong in the first half, shooting 54 percent from the field, and then attempted to hold onto its lead as the game wound down. Andre Ingram had a chance to win the game with five seconds left, but after hitting the game-tying free throw he missed the second shot, sending the game into overtime. It seemed as if the Eagles were demoralized by the missed opportunity, as Holy Cross outscored American by nine in the extra session, with 11 of the Crusaders’ points coming from the charity stripe. Ingram led all scorers with 22 points on 10-of-20 shooting, but it was the one shot he missed that looms largest for Jeff Jones and his crew.
American goes on the road this weekend for two important road games, starting Friday with a game against Bucknell that has huge conference tournament implications. The team then travels to Hamilton to face off with Colgate on Sunday afternoon.
Lehigh Mountain Hawks (6-3 PL, 12-10 overall)
Lehigh was the one team that moved itself up the standings this week, defeating Colgate and Bucknell to jump into a three-way tie for second place with five league games remaining.
The Mountain Hawks used the free throw line to overcome a poor shooting performance as the team avenged its earlier loss to Colgate, defeating the Raiders by a score of 63-53. Lehigh only shot 37 percent from the floor for the game, but kept Colgate to 38 percent shooting and was able to pull out the victory by making 18-of-23 attempts from the charity stripe. Conversely, Lehigh committed only 10 fouls in the game and sent the Raiders to the free throw line for only four attempts all game. The game was close for its entirety, but a mini-run by Lehigh in the closing minutes finally allowed the home team to pull away. Jose Olivero led the Hawks in scoring with 21, including 15 in the first half, while Joe Knight finally returned to double figures in scoring with 12 points.
The free throw line was once again a huge help to Lehigh on Sunday, as the team shot terribly from the field yet made its free throws in a win over the Bison. The Mountain Hawks shot 29 percent from the floor in the first half and yet went into halftime with a one-point lead thanks to making 13-of-16 free throw attempts. The team stayed with Bucknell again in the second half and had the fortune to hold the ball last in a back-and-forth affair. With the game tied and seven seconds left on the clock, Knight drove down the court and launched up a game-winning three-pointer as time expired, providing another dramatic win for the Hawks. Knight, who finally seems to have regained his offensive groove, was the only Lehigh player in double figures with a game-high 24 points.
After finishing their four-game home stand with two difficult victories, the Mountain Hawks return to the road to take on the league’s worst and best. Lehigh travels to Annapolis on Friday to take on Army, and then travels to Worcester for a Sunday showdown with the red-hot Crusaders.
Colgate Raiders (4-5 PL, 9-13 overall)
The Raiders continued their mediocre season by splitting games with Lehigh and Lafayette, staying among the middle of the pack in the Patriot League.
When the Raiders faced off with Lehigh, Colgate could never get going offensively and didn’t get itself to the free throw line nearly enough. The defense was very solid for the Raider men, which in itself is a big accomplishment, but they couldn’t compliment that with solid offensive work. The Colgate bench played well, contributing 19 points, but freshman guard Kyle Roemer was held without a point on 0-of-9 shooting and sophomore guard Jon Simon was limited to seven points. Freshman Alex Woodhouse continued to play well for Colgate, amassing a game-high nine rebounds, but Colgate simply didn’t have enough offense to overcome Lehigh. This isn’t a good sign – considering it wouldn’t have taken much offense to beat the Hawks.
The Raiders then barely escaped Easton with a win on Sunday over Lafayette, using a last-second free throw to down the Leopards, 62-61. The game was very close throughout, with neither team gaining a solid lead in the second half. After a Woodhouse free throw tied the game with 36 seconds left, Colgate got away with a questionable non-call on a possible foul on the defensive end and Reed then took the ball to the basket as time ran down. The junior guard was fouled by Lafayette’s Matt Betley with one second remaining, and Reed hit the front end to give Colgate the one-point victory. Simon led the Raiders with 11 points while Reed and Woodhouse both added 10, while Roemer was relegated to the bench and responded with eight points.
This weekend, Colgate will host Navy and American, looking to revenge on the two squads that swept the Raiders just two weekends ago. The team plays Navy on Friday night and American on Sunday afternoon.
Navy Midshipmen (3-6 PL, 7-15 overall)
Navy played very well again this weekend, stretching league leader Holy Cross to the limit on Friday evening before gaining a measure of revenge on Army by destroying the Black Knights in the annual ‘Star Game” on Sunday afternoon.
The Midshipmen took on top-ranked Holy Cross on Friday evening and came ever so close to defeating its second top team in two weekends. Navy played very well in spurts but gave The HC had many opportunities to win the game, and in the end the Middies simply ran out of time. The team held a 10-point edge in the second half but gave it away, and the team’s late run (helped along by Holy Cross’ atrocious free throw shooting) fell just short, as a David Rhoiney jumper that would have tied the game just rimmed out at the last second. Four Navy played reached double figures, including Corey Johnson leading the way with 17 points – and that didn’t include George O’Garro, who was held to just two points on 1-of-7 shooting.
After being soundly defeated by Army in the two teams’ first meeting, Navy came back with a vengeance on Sunday, winning 84-69 in front of a national television audience. The Middies opened the game strong, running out to a 12-1 edge and never looking back. Greg Sprink scored eight of the team’s first 12 points, providing the home team with a solid cushion for the remainder of the game. Navy didn’t shoot the ball particularly well (39 percent), but still managed to send a season-high five players into double figures. Playing in his last Star Game, senior Taj Mathews had the best game of his career, scoring 26 points, and was aided by Sprink, Johnson, O’Garro and Matt Fannin, all in double figures.
Playing as well as they have all season long, the Middies look to keep the good play going this weekend, when they go on the road to take on Colgate and Bucknell on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Lafayette Leopards (2-7 PL, 6-16 overall)
The woes continue for Lafayette, as the team fell to seventh place in the league after a rough outing against Bucknell and a devastating last-second loss to Colgate.
Sean Knitter and Jamaal Douglas combined to score 40 points, but it was not nearly enough as the Leopards fell to Bucknell on Friday evening. Despite the scoring from the duo, including a career-high 20 points from Douglas, the Leopards forgot to play any defense against the Bison. Lafayette allowed the visitors to shoot at will all game long and was never able to get back into the game in the second half because the team couldn’t come close to matching Bucknell on the offensive end. Bilal Abdullah once again began the game on the bench for Lafayette, and he scored seven points in 24 minutes – while the team’s four starters (minus Douglas) combined to score only 12 points.
Against the Raiders, Douglas again led the way as the Leopards came back strong in the second half but couldn’t put the game away. Lafayette had a chance to win the game, holding the ball with 22 seconds left and the game tied. But Marcus Harley’s drive through the lane drew contact but neither a foul nor a bucket, giving Colgate a 3-on-1 break the other way as time drew short. Lafayette’s Matt Betley made a desperation foul attempt in order to prevent an easy basket, and after one made free throw, the Leopards had another league loss. Douglas has another excellent game for Lafayette, scoring 18 points and adding 11 rebounds, but he and Harley were the only Leopards in double figures, as both teams had trouble finding the net for most of the game.
Lafayette gets its second shot at league-leading Holy Cross on Friday evening, but the more important game may be Sunday’s game at Army. A win will keep the Leopards out of the Patriot League cellar, while a loss might mean a first round date with the same Crusaders in the league tournament.
Army Black Knights (1-8 PL, 3-18 overall)
It was another tough weekend, for the Black Knights. The Army men didn’t have enough offense on Friday against American, and then failed to provide enough defense on Sunday afternoon in a loss to archrival Navy.
Army traveled to Washington, D.C., on Friday night and fell victim to the Eagles, who won their ninth consecutive game over the Knights. Army was dominated in all aspects of the game, being out-rebounded by 23 and shooting more than 10 percentage points below the Eagles. Army’s deficient offense kept pace with American for a little while in the first half, but the team’s offense began to sputter and its defense did likewise in the second half. The team was unable to get within 10 in the final 20 minutes, thanks to a 14-minute stretch in which it scored only nine points. Colin Harris was the sole Knight in double figures with 16 points and also tied a team-high with four rebounds.
In the nationally-televised “Star Game,” Army fell behind early and could never fully recover. Army was once again beaten in nearly every offensive category, including rebounds (47-29) and free throws (23-12), and yet curiously had a higher shooting percentage than the Middies – a rare occurrence for the Knights. Grant Carter and Matt Bell attempted to carry the Black Knights on their backs, combining for 27 points, but the team’s offense continued to sputter. Carter got his points thanks to his seven three-pointers in the game, an Army-Navy game record, as all but one of his attempts came from beyond the arc.
The Black Knights welcome Lehigh and Lafayette to Christl Arena this weekend, facing Lehigh on Friday and then facing off with Lafayette in a battle for last place on Sunday afternoon.
