ROCHESTER, NY — Tevin Chisolm led three in double figures as the Henninger Black Knights (III) defeated the Bishop Kearney Kings 50-42 New York State High School Boys Basketball action at Ed Nietopski Gymnasium Friday night.

Chisolm scored seven as the Black Knights took control in the game’s second quarter. Henninger scored the first ten of the quarter.

The 6’2″ guard started the period with a pull up three. On the next trip down the floor, Chisolm drove the lane and finished with a tear drop over the outstretched hands of the Kearney defense.

“He’s our glue,” said Henninger coach Erik Saroney of his three-year starter. “He’s a very old-school player.  Not fast, not quick, but he gets by you. He’s got some old YMCA moves.”

The Black Knights grabbed their largest lead of the game at 26-11 when Chisolm penetrated the paint and kicked to Keith Tyson for a catch-and-shoot three.  Tyson added another trey moments later on a baseline out-of-bounds play when he started on the low block and used a picket fence screen created by two teammates for the basket.

The Black Knights led 35-22 at the half.

“Defensively, our number one goal was to keep them away from the basket, and we did a horrible job of that,” Kearney coach Jon Boon said. “Almost everything was at the basket. The threes were created by people getting into the lane and breaking us down.”

After falling behind 8-7, Henninger held the Kings to just three field goals for the remainder of the half. Kearney’s formidable front court of Chinonso Obokoh (6’9″) and Thomas Bryant (6’7″) were held to a combined 10 points in the first half and 16 for the game.

Saroney pointed out the play of junior Ahmad McKinney getting just his third start of the year.

“I thought he did a phenomenal job on Thomas inside and on the perimeter.  Marquies Young did a great job on Obokoh. We tried to front him and keep it out of his hands as much as possible.”

“A lot of our problems were self-inflicted,” Boon explained. “We had 17 turnovers through the first three quarters. You got to be stronger with the basketball. We talked about it before the game. They are very athletic. They’re very long.”

Bryant and Obokoh managed just five field goals for the contest.

“I’m real proud of our big guys. Defensively, we executed what we worked on against their size which we don’t see very often.”

Struggling with their offensive execution, the Kings used their defense to rally in the fourth. BK created turnovers on five straight possessions and six overall in the stanza.

“This is a state level game,” Saroney continued. “It was so physical. I think both teams were worn down, and it became a battle of attrition at the end.”

Redell Freeman got into the lane off the dribble created contact and got to the free throw line where he converted one of two.  The senior point guard followed with a steal and layup. Alvin English hit a leaner, and the Kings were within nine at 43-34.

The rally continued.

Freeman hit two from the charity stripe. On the next trip, he drove the baseline and took advantage of the space created by Obokoh posting up for a basket and BK was within five.

But the Black Knights responded.

Kavon Delee hit a three to increase the lead.

English answered with a trifecta, but it was for naught.

Chisolm scored four of Henninger’s final six in the last minute to seal the victory. He finished with a game-high 15. Delee added 13, and Marquies Young chipped in 12.

English led Kearney with 13. Obokoh had 10. Freeman and Bryant added nine and six respectively.

Henninger improves to 13-3 with the win. The Black Knights have two more regular season games before sectional play begins. They host Central Square on Tuesday before finishing at Liverpool next Friday.

Kearney falls to 10-4. The Kings play at Pittsford-Mendon Wednesday night. BK finishes out the season ledger with games against Canisius (VI) and John Marshall.

ROCHESTER, NY — It was everything it advertised.  And then some. A pair of high school basketball heavyweights going toe-to-toe on the hardwood.

In the end, the Little Irish of Aquinas had more to prove.

Christian White and Phil Valenti combined for 49 points as Aquinas defeated the Bishop Kearney Kings 65-57 in Section V High School Boys’ Basketball at the Blue Cross Arena Wednesday night.

Valenti’s pull up three from the right corner gave Aquinas its first lead of the game at 51-50 with just five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

“There was a timeout right after that, and we said we got to step on them right now,” Valenti commented. “It was over. We knew it.”

Valenti’s shot completed a 15-point comeback for Aquinas.

“We started off slow,” continued the senior forward who will play at Canisius College next season. “But it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.”

Kearney sprinted to an early nine-point advantage.

Chinonso Obokoh started the scoring with a turnaround jumper just outside the lane. The 6’9″ junior forward followed with a rebound and putback on the next possession. Redell Freeman found Antwoine Anderson open in transition, and the junior guard pulled up behind the arc for a 7-0 lead.

After an Aquinas timeout, the Kings kept up the pressure.  Freeman had a steal and a layup.  Obokoh followed with another rebound and finish. Freeman pulled up at the free throw line and hit a jumper. Anderson took an outlet pass from Obokoh and went end-to-end for a 15-3 lead.

Freeman and Anderson connected from long range before the end of the quarter, and BK led 21-6.

But the price for the lead proved too much. By the end of the second quarter, both Obokoh and Thomas Bryant were on the Kearney bench with three fouls.

“It’s always tough to overcome it,” Kearney coach Jon Boon said of his team’s foul troubles. “Especially when it’s your two best players. All of a sudden we go from having the size advantage to those two sitting next to me, and they have the size advantage.”

White sparked the AQ rally connecting seven times from behind the arc.

“Christian didn’t miss tonight. I don’t know once, twice maybe,” Boon explained. “He shot it great. We didn’t do a real good job of finding him especially in transition a couple of times.”

White pulled up on the break for his third trey of the second quarter narrowing the gap to 32-30.

“We started off slow,” White said. “I think it smacked us in the face and woke us up a little bit.”

Kearney responded early in the second half. With Obokoh and the 6’7″ Bryant back on the floor, the Kings played to their advantage in the paint.

Obokoh hit a jump hook in the lane. The junior went to the free throw line on the next two trips hitting three of four. Anderson drove the baseline and led Bryant with a pass on the opposite side of the lane for a dunk. Obokoh scored on the next two possessions, and Kearney’s lead swelled to ten at 44-34.

Aquinas answered back.

“They played with a lot of energy,” Boon said of the Irish. “They had a point to prove. Everyone was saying you almost lost to them without Chinonso.”

The Little Irish outscored Kearney 22-10 in the final eight minutes for the decisive margin.

White’s back-to-back threes with four minutes remaining gave the the Maroon and White a 57-52 advantage.

The senior point guard’s long range game captured the attention of everyone in the arena, but his free throw shooting sealed the victory.  White drained six of eight from the charity stripe in the game’s final two minutes. He hit one-and-one free throws for a 59-55 margin, and the Irish never looked back.

White led all scorers with 27. Valenti added 22.

Obokoh had 19 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.

Freeman added 15 with five assists. Bryant chipped in 12. Anderson scored nine.

The game was marred by technicals assessed late in the fourth quarter.

Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim and his assistant Mike Hopkins watched the game from court side as did Villanova head coach Jay Wright and his staff. Former Section V standout and Villanova Wildcat, Greg Woodard was also in attendance. Texas Longhorn assistant Rob Lanier also was in town to take in the tilt.

Last month, the Little Irish beat Kearney in double overtime 76-71. Obokoh was sideline for that match with a strained ligament in his foot.

Aquinas, ranked ninth in New York State, improves to 12-2 with the win.

The Kings fall to 10-4. Kearney hosts Henninger High (III) Friday night. Tipoff is 7PM. The Kings are ranked 23rd in the state.

ROCHESTER, NY –With a national showcase tournament looming for the weekend, a letdown seemed possible. But any chance for a setback was quickly answered as Jon Boon’s Bishop Kearney Kings dispatched a local rival on Wednesday night.

Antwoine Anderson led four in double figures as the Kings defeated the Edison Tech Inventors, 76-58 in Section V Boys Basketball action at Ed Nietopski Gymnasium.

Anderson scored seven as the Kings sprinted to a 26-9 lead during the first quarter.

“We came out with a lot more energy than our last game,” Boon said. “When we play defense and block out, we’re a good team.”

Anderson’s layup in transition gave Kearney a 17-4 lead and prompted a timeout from the Edison bench.

The Kings did not stop from there.

Redell Freeman got into the paint and dished off to Stanley Foster for the basket. One trip later, Freeman connected on a step back jumper.  Anderson made it a 24-7 Kearney advantage with a three from the wing.

The Inventors used an 8-1 rally early in the second quarter to pull within 12.

Jonathan Blythers drew contact on a drive to the basket and completed the traditional three-point play at the free throw line. Blythers got to the stripe on the next trip and connected on both.  Keefa McCullough added his own three-point play on a baseline drive and trip to the charity stripe. Blythers made it 33-21 with a steal and dunk in the open floor.

Kearney responded with eight straight to take their largest lead of the game.

Jwan Smith got a tap in for two. Anderson was fouled on the arc and connected on the trio. Thomas Bryant put an exclamation point on the run with a dunk when Anderson led him along the baseline with an alley oop.

“We got a lot of guys who can finish,” Boon added. “What we do very well is get in transition.”

Blythers hit a pull up three in transition to draw Edison within nine midway through the third, but that was as close as the Inventors would get.

Freeman scored five straight late in the fourth to seal the victory. Kearney broke the Inventors 1-2-1-1 press, and Bryant fed Freeman on the arc. The point guard used a stutter step before driving the lane and finishing at the rim.  Freeman grabbed a defensive rebound at the other end and went end-to-end for a lay up. The senior capped it hitting one of two free throws.

Anderson finished with 22 points. Freeman added 13 while Bryant and Alvin English chipped in 12 apiece. The Kings hit 24-of-33 from the free throw line.

Blythers led all scorers with 24.

The Kings played the game without Chinonso Obokoh who continues to recover from an injured foot.

“I’m not bringing him back until he’s 100 percent,” Boon commented about the junior.

Bishop Kearney improves to 9-1 with the win. The Kings leave for Morgantown, West Virginia where they will lay in the Moutaineer Showcase. BK plays Huntington Prep, Friday.

BK edged McQuaid Jesuit (3-9), 46-43 last time. McQuaid led 12-10 after the first quarter.

Edison falls to 5-4.  The Inventors host Franklin on Friday.

By Paul Casey Gotham

ROCHESTER, NY — A football play decided it. After more than 39 minutes of basketball plays, it took a high school quarterback calling on his old talents to win the game.

C.J. Williams lofted a full-court pass, and C.J. Leslie made it count at the buzzer as the North Carolina State Wolfpack stunned the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 67-65 in non-conference action at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena.

“That was a heckuva play at the end,” said North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried. “C.J. Williams made a great pass. It’s a hard pass to make that accurate, but it’s also a hard pass to catch coming that length of the floor. I thought Calvin did a nice job of catching it first, and then to have the sense and wherewithal to turn it into a good play.”

The play was one the Wolfpack has run several times in practice, albeit with little success.

“Obviously you got to have a little luck,” the first-year coach continued. “But I felt like we had the right guys in the right spots.”

“We practice it a lot,” said Wolfpack guard Alex Johnson. “I think we maybe completed it two times. I tip my hat off to C.J. Williams. He used to play football. Quarterback pass. That’s Drew Brees right there.”

The play came directly after Eric Mosley tied the score with a free throw. Without a timeout to use, Williams calmly grabbed the ball and stepped out-of-bounds before sending the 94-foot pass. Leslie caught the pass underneath the opposite backboard and managed to get the ball to the rim with a shot that was part hook, part layup.

“A get-it-done shot,” Leslie said of his game-winner. “It felt good leaving my hand.”

The play ended a back-and-forth affair which saw nine ties and ll lead changes.

“I’m really proud of our team,” Gottfried said. “Tonight was a step in the right direction for us. We’ve had some situations where we’ve been close and haven’t found a way to win.”

After leading for much of the second half, the Bonnies fell behind when their leading scorer, Andrew Nicholson, went to the bench with a bloody nose.

Leslie and Wood sparked a 9-0 run. Wood scored twice on nearly carbon copy plays. The 6’6″ forward curled off screens and hit a pair of catch-and-shoot jumpers – the first for three. Leslie beat the Bonnies up the floor twice, and  Johnson led him for easy baskets. The second, a thunderous alley oop dunk, prompted a timeout from the Bonaventure bench.

By the time Nicholson checked back into the game, Bona trailed 55-52.

Mosley responded with a pull up jumper going to his right.

Demetrius Conger drove into the paint, drew contact and finished a pair of free throws to recapture the lead.

“Our guys really fought,” commented St. Bonaventure coach, Mark Schmidt. “It was really competitive.”

NC State switched to a zone late in the game, and the Bonnies struggled with the first possession against the 2-3 getting whistled for a shot clock violation.

Wood connected four times from the charity stripe, and State led 59-56.

The Brown and White responded. Conger hit twice from the line in a one-and-one situation. Matthew Wright stripped Leslie on a drive. Mosley grabbed the loose ball and found Conger ahead of the play. The junior forward fed Nicholson who drew contact cutting down the lane. Two free throws later, and SBU led 60-59.

Wood accounted for the next six State points scoring twice and feeding Williams for a basket.

Wright brought the partisan crowd of 5,802 to its feet when he  nailed a three to tie the score at 63.

“The last play is going to be talked about,” Schmidt continued. “But as I told our team, it’s not just the last play. It’s a lot of possessions in that game. They took 58 shots; we took 54. The last is going to be magnified, but it’s a lot of plays that go on in that game, and if we make one or two, it doesn’t come down to that.”

The Brown and White sprinted to an early 9-0 lead. Da’Quan Cook grabbed a Charlon Kloof 3-point attempt and finished at the rim. Conger took an inside-out pass from Nicholson, went one dribble to his right and nailed a pull up jumper. Wright hit a teardrop from the baseline. Kloof and Cook capped the run with a steal and 2-on-1 break as Kloof finished the layup causing NC State to call a timeout.

With Leslie on the bench with two fouls, Johnson gave the Wolfpack its largest lead.  The 5’10″ guard connected three times from long range for a 34-26 advantage.

Mosley led the Bonnies back. The junior transfer drew contact on the perimeter and made good at the line. He followed with a steal and layup in transition. Mosley finished the half with a pullup jumper off a Nicholson ball screen, and the Bonnies led 39-37.

Wood posted a game-high 20 including a perfect eight-of-eight from the line to go with six assists. Leslie added 12, and Richard Howell led all with 13 rebounds.

Johnson dished seven dimes to go with nine points.

Conger and Nicholson paced the Bonnies with 16 apiece. Mosley added 15.

The box score was as even as the game with State getting a 30-24 advantage in the paint while the Bonnies scored 16 off turnovers to nine for the Wolfpack. Both benches scored 17 with State getting 14 second chance points to 10 for Bona.

State improves to 7-4 with the win. The Wolfpack most recently lost to #1Syracuse, 65-60. State also fell at Stanford 76-72.

The Bonnies fall to 5-5. Next up for the Bonnies is St. Francis (Pa.). Friday’s tipoff is 7p.m. at the Reilly Center.

Andrew Nicholson (Courtesy of SBU athletics)

By Paul Casey Gotham

ST. BONAVENTURE, NY — Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos only got to witness the play of Andrew Nicholson for 24 minutes on Sunday. The eighth-year coach got his fill. And then some.

Nicholson scored the game’s first points – a thunderous right-handed slam on a drop step that split a  double team.

Wide-eyed, Patsos turned to his staff seated on the bench, shook his head and muttered into his hand.

“We all know he’s going to get drafted,” Patsos said of Nicholson. “He’s going to be a solid N.B.A. guy that plays for like ten years.”

Nicholson picked up his second foul less than six minutes later, but the setback didn’t stop the National Player-of-the-Year candidate from putting his imprint on the contest. The senior forward finished with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. Nicholson connected eight times in nine attempts from the free throw line including three in the game’s final minute as St. Bonaventure sealed a 76-66 victory.

Jimmy Patsos (Courtesy of Loyola athletics)

“They’re inside is their strength,” Patsos said of SBU’s offensive attack.

Before taking over at Loyola, Patsos spent 13 seasons as an assistant  on the Gary Williams staff at the University of Maryland.   During that time the Terrapins earned 11 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including seven Sweet Sixteens, back-to-back Final Four appearances (2001 and 2002) and the 2002 NCAA National Championship.  Under his watch, Patsos contributed to the development of 13 players who were drafted into the NBA, including six first-round selections and lottery picks — Walt Williams (1992), Joe Smith (1995), Steve Francis (1999) and Chris Wilcox (2002). Keith Booth (1997) and Juan Dixon (2002) were also taken in the first round.

“Guys call me all the time because I was in the ACC for a long time, and I will tell them about Nicholson,” Patsos added when talking the N.B.A. prospects of the Bona forward. “I don’t think he is going to be a star, but he is going to play.”

Patsos earned his 100th win at the helm earlier this season. He and his staff took over a program that won just one game in the season prior to his arrival.

Up next, Nicholson and the Bonnies travel to Rochester for a tilt with North Carolina State.  Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Blue Cross Arena. Representatives from 12 N.B.A. teams have requested credentials for the contest.

The Bonnies have played six games in Rochester since 2000. Last year against Virginia Tech, Nicholson led all scorers with 22 points to go with eight rebounds but SBU fell 76-68.

Ogo Adegboye hit a three at the buzzer as SBU rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to force an extra period. It was the Bonnies fifth overtime period in less than a week.  The Hokies outscored the Brown and White 11-3 in extra time.

St. Bonaventure has also played games in the Flower City against St. John’s (2009), West Virginia (2005), Syracuse (2003), Saint Louis (2002) and Charlotte (2000).

UD's Kevin Dillard might as well have used a wand with the magic he dished out.

By Paul Casey Gotham

Three days and twelve games sit in the rear view mirror. Dayton reigned supreme at the 2011 Old Spice Classic. DePaul, Indiana State and Minnesota registered winning records. Arizona State, Fairfield, Texas Tech and Wake Forest take with them 120 minutes of game experience.

Wins and losses are one thing. How a team can improve and grow from the experience; now that is what is most important. Teams face a few more non-league games before conference play begins. It won’t be long before the urgency of March shifts from sub-conscious to conscious. Maybe it already has.

What, if any, clues can fans gain from the events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports this past weekend? Join me as we wade through these games using as a lens the characters who roam the grounds of Walt Disney World.

General Joe Potter

One of the three sea-faring vessels which transport visitors to the Magic Kingdom – the place where dreams come true. For the many Flyer Faithful who turned the HP Field House into South Dayton for the Thanksgiving weekend, their vehicle for dreams coming true was General Archie Miller.  The last time Dayton won an in-season tournament was 2008.  UD went on to win a first-round game in the NCAA tournament that year.  Will the Old Spice championship become a springboard for UD? Tonight’s game against the University of Buffalo could prove an interesting test. The Flyers will have to avoid any signs of a hangover. The Bulls can get up and down the floor.

The Sorcerer

Granted, Kevin Dillard didn’t have anyone like the mischievous Mickey Mouse deliberately  causing problems for him. Three games of basketball offer enough possible pitfalls. The redshirt junior point guard weaved his way through defenses striking an impressive balance of when to dish, shoot and drive. He turned in a double-double during the championship handing out 10 dimes while cashing in 19 points for the champions. Dillard’s play over the past weekend might have the A10 pollsters reconsidering the Flyers pre-season sixth place finish.

To the rescue

Who saved Wendy when she jumped from the plank? Peter Pan. Dayton’s run to the title might not have happened. Then along came Josh Parker and a 13-point outburst as the Flyers walked their own plank at the end of the first half against Fairfield. The Stags were threatening to take momentum into the break when the guy known as “Juice” went off for three consecutive 3s to go with a layup and a pair from the charity stripe.

Chim chim-in-ey chim chim-in-ey

Bert, from the Disney classic Mary Poppins, turned chimney sweeping into art form.  Unafraid to get dirty he proclaimed “a sweep is as lucky as lucky can be.” Dayton’s Chris Johnson knows no boundaries when it comes to getting it done for his team.  Sure, Johnson has averaged double-digit points the last two seasons. When the Flyers needed someone to get on the floor, there was Johnson and Parker sliding across the hardwood creating a turnover early in the second half against Fairfield. Moments later, Johnson was giving up at least 25 pounds in the post while slowing down the Stags’ Rakim Sanders.

Just can’t wait to be king

It must have seemed like a lifetime ago that Matt Kavanaugh was named All-Ohio at Centerville High.  The junior forward played a total of 337 minutes his first two years at Dayton.  Like Simba coming out of the jungle to claim his rightful throne, Kavanaugh notched his first career  double-double versus Wake Forest and followed that with 11 boards against Fairfield and six in the championship game.

Announcing his presence

There never was any overlooking Thumper.  The rabbit let everyone know he was in the area with a persistent pounding of his paw. It was hard to ignore Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe last weekend. Mbakwe’s block of Cleveland Melvin‘s dunk attempt received the widest of wide-eyed reactions. Melvin attacked the cup at full speed when he reared back for what looked like an emphatic jam. Mbakwe calmly put one hand in Melvin’s way ceasing all forward momentum. DePaul led 48–37 at that point. Minnesota went on to win. Mbakwe logged a double-double and took a charge in the lane during the game’s final minute as Melvin thought twice about going for another dunk.

Unfortunately, Mbakwe’s suffered an ACL injury in the championship game and is lost for the season.

10,000 years… 

…can give you such a crick in the neck. Minnesota coach, Tubby Smith, deserves three wishes from Aladdin’s lamp. To say Smith has run into a stretch of bad luck in Minnesota delves into understatement. Mbakwe’s injury is just the latest challenge facing Smith. The one-time national champion coach has dealt with an assembly line of injuries, ineligibility, legal issues and defections during his time in the land of 10,000 Lakes.

Hey! No force fields

Dash loves open spaces. It gives the son of Mr. Incredible a chance to use his super-hero speed.  Minnesota’s Rodney Williams also benefits from space. The 6’7″ forward made the DePaul Blue Demons pay for their insistence in playing up-tempo with a trio of open floor dunks that effectively rattled the roof.

Dunk #1

Dunk #2

Dunk #3

Short-term memory loss

That is the affliction faced by Dory – the blue tang from Finding Nemo who adds to the struggles endured by Marlin in search of his thrill-seeking son. Appreciating Dory’s plight can help one understand the play of Indiana State’s R.J. Mahurin.

“He remembers the plays we get him shots,” said Sycamore head coach, Greg Lansing. “But he doesn’t remember the other plays. ”

Like Dory implores Marlin to “keep swimming, keep swimming,” Mahurin keeps shooting. The sophomore forward came off the bench and gave Indiana State three double-digit scoring performances over the weekend. In twelve minutes of playing time against Texas Tech Mahurin hit 3-of-5 from the field including 1-of-3 from behind the arc as ISU pulled away from Texas Tech, 60-49.

“He’s got courage,” Lansing said of the Rockville, Indiana native. “R.J. doesn’t care. He’s got the guts to step in and take big shots and make big shots.”

In 30 minutes of playing time over the weekend, Mahurin knocked down 11-of-18 from the field contributing 31 points to the cause. At 6’8″ he creates matchup problems.  He can put the ball to the floor for one or two dribbles and create his own shot, but he is at his best roaming the baseline for catch-and-shoot opportunities.  While not grabbing many rebounds, he is still active on the glass and requires opponents to deal with his size. At the same time, he makes it difficult for a post player to chase him on the perimeter.

Speaking of the Sycamores…

 Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It’s off to work we go…

The Sycamores whistle while they work on the defensive end. Rare is the occasion when one can catch a team (not to mention a college team) doing defensive drills in pre-game warmups. The Sycamores bust out the shell drill prior to tip-off. And they break it out with enthusiasm executing pinpoint movement on the flight of the ball. Five guys all hanging on the same string. It was great stuff to watch.

Their defense was on display throughout the three days, but one sequence in particular stands out. The Sycamores forced Texas Tech into three air balls and one shot clock violation in six possessions.  ISU’s defense creates headaches when they get five players between the ball and the rim.  Their weakness is on the glass. Minnesota wore them out with 13 offensive rebounds for 11 second chance points. Mix in a couple of turnovers and undefended baskets at the other end, and that is what Lansing and his crew will need to improve before the Missouri Valley season.

Continuing with ISU…

The twilight bark

Pongo, Perdita and their 101 spotted progeny take the spotlight, but one can not overlook the efforts of all those other canines that aid the escape from Cruella deVil (If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will). One in particular, the Great Dane, makes it happen as he is the one at the center of the barking chain.

ISU has the capability of hitting threes in bunches. They went 10-21 against Minnesota. Mahurin, Jordan Printy and Carl Richard all have to be defended behind the arc. Myles Walker is the Great Dane creating space on the perimeter by doing work in the paint. Opponents have to defend Walker. He works on every possession whether with or without the ball making it difficult for opposing defenses to stretch out on the perimeter.

The blue hat

ISU’s Jake Odum thrives on being tight spots. The sophomore point guard is more comfortable slithering and twisting his way through a crowded paint than a wooden stirring stick at the local Sherwin-Williams. Odum often teeters on disaster as he hangs suspended over the baseline before releasing one-handed, shovel passes to open teammates. Like Mickey, who needed plenty of the Sorcerer’s aid, Odum makes his mistakes. He turned the ball over on 14 occasions during the weekend. But his 23 assists, including 12 in a triple-double versus Fairfield, far outweighed the setbacks.

Give me some fin

No one is going to say that De Paul’s Brandon Young is as laid back as “Crush” – the turtle from Finding Nemo.  But the sophomore guard possesses that abstract quality of letting the game come to him. Young’s line for the weekend: 20ppg, 5apg, 2spg and 2topg. All while shooting better than 50 percent (22-40) from the floor. He has range (5-10 behind the arc). He has mid-range. He can create his own shot. He can catch and shoot.

Shere Khan

There is no other way to describe Fairfield’s Rakim Sanders than a man-eating Bengal tiger. Sanders bounces opposing players around the paint in a manner akin to Rodney Rodgers during his Wake Forest days. Maybe Iona isn’t the favorite in the MAAC. That being said, is the Metro-Atlantic in line for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament?

Clearly, you’ve never been to Singapore

If only Fairfield’s Ryan Olander could stay out of foul trouble. The 7′ center has great touch around the basket as at least one NBA scout commented over the weekend. Olander scored the Stags first eight against Dayton only to find himself, like Captain Jack Sparrow, in a predicament of his own devise sitting with two fouls ten minutes into the game. Olander played no more than 23 minutes in any of Fairfield’s three games.

Sit down before you hurt yourself

Traveling with a Wart Hog and a king in waiting can give a person an inferiority complex. Especially when you are a Meerkat.  Timon makes up for his lack of size with witty quips. Wake Forest’s Tony Chennault brings a chip on the shoulder to the court. The Neumann-Goretti product needs no imploring to drive the ball into the lane. Philly toughness on display. The Demon Deacons are young. They are a year away, but don’t write them off yet.

International flavor

Disney’s Epcot gives visitors a sample of a trip around the world.  The Old Spice Classic brought players from all over the globe.

Arizona State: Jordan Bachyinski (Calgary, Alberta), Jonathan Gilling (Kingstad, Denmark) and Ruslan Pateev (Moscow, Russia)

Dayton: Alex Gavrilovic (Strasbourg, France)

Fairfield: Vincent Van Nes (Dorchester, England)

Indiana State: Mangisto Arop (Alberta, Canada)

Minnesota: Oto Osenieks (Riga, Latvia) and Maurice Walker (Scarborough, Ontario)

Texas Tech: Dejan Kravic (London, Ontario), Ty Nurse (Vancouver, British Columbia) and Kader Tapsoba (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)

Wake Forest: Nikita Mescheriakov (Minsk, Belarus)

Batten the hatches the season is upon us.

ORLANDO, FL — For thirty-nine-plus minutes Thursday afternoon Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe filled the stat sheet with points and rebounds. It was the play he made not found in the box score that made the difference.

Mbakwe registered a double-double, and Rodney Williams had a team-high 18 points as the Golden Gophers defeated the DePaul Blue Demons 86-85 in the first round of the 2011 Old Spice Classic at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports.

Saddled with four fouls and his team clinging to a one-point lead Mbakwe used guile to stop a late opportunity.

“It was a last minute decision,” Mbakwe said. “Maybe he thought I was going to try and block his shot. I was just in the right spot at the right time.”

With less than 20 remaining in the game, DePaul’s Cleveland Melvin took the ball on a handoff and looked to drive as the 6’8″ Mbakwe slid  across the lane catching Melvin in the air and drawing the offensive foul.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to take the charge,” Mbakwe continued. “They had a good chance to win the game. It was a relief for us. It’s the way the game goes.”

In the first half, Mbakwe met Melvin at the rim and stopped the DePaul forward’s dunk attempt.

“We needed stops,” explained Minnesota head coach, Tubby Smith. “Trevor is an outstanding defender. We have only taken two or three charges all season, and he has taken all of them. He’s a heady player.”

Williams sealed the victory at the other end with a rebound and putback of a free throw attempt.

Ralph Sampson III helped the Gophers respond from a 12-point hole in the first half.

Sampson grabbed a rebound and finished at the rim.

Two possessions later, Sampson led Andre Hollins for a backdoor layup. On the next trip Williams, out of the corner, fed Sampson for a catch-and shoot jumper.   Two trips later, Mbakwe grabbed an offensive rebound and found Sampson open in the lane for the easy bucket.

“I was very skeptical about playing him,” Smith said of the injured Sampson. “We needed Ralph’s maturity and experience. Even on a bad wheel he had four rebounds, four out of eight and two assists.”

Andre Ingram capped a 12-4 run with a pair of free throws as the Gophers took their first lead in the second half, 72-71.  Chip Armelin hit Ingram in transition, and the 6’7″ forward went to the basket leaning into contact for the foul.

DePaul reclaimed the lead when Worrell Clahar hit a pair at the charity stripe.

Mbakwe followed with four of his own from the line, and Minnesota led 77-75.

The Gophers stretched the advantage to four when Hollins hit Williams who quickly redirected the ball to Mbakwe for a dunk.

DePaul took their largest at 38-26 when Brandon Young canned a three from the right free-throw extended.

Yound had a game-high 23. Melvin added 20 and Krys Faber chipped in 10.

Williams kept the Gophers close with a series of thunderous dunks. The junior hit seven of nine from the field.

Mbakwe finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Austin Hollins and Julian Welch had 11 apiece.

Andrew Nicholson (Photo courtesy of SBU athletics)

By Paul Casey Gotham

ST. BONAVENTURE, NY — For twenty minutes a visitor got comfortable in the Reilly Center. The relaxed state was short lived.

Player-of-the-year candidate Andrew Nicholson led all scorers with 24 points as the St. Bonaventure Bonnies defeated the Cornell Big Red 79-58 Friday night on Bob Lanier Court.

Leading by two at half, Nicholson sparked a 22-11 run as the Brown and White took a commanding 62-49 lead.

Matthew Wright entered the ball to Nicholson on the left block, and the senior forward took a dribble to create space and hit a turnaround baseline jumper for the 13-point lead.

After a layup by Cornell’s Josh Figini at the other end, Da’Quan Cook grabbed an offensive rebound and finished at the rim.

“We’ve always had our slow starts at the beginning of the second half,” said head coach Mark Schmidt. “I thought we came out and did a great job. We got a stop on the first possession and came down and scored.  In a game like that, you talk about stops and scores. We put them together, and that’s what you got to do to beat a team like that.”

Wright gave the Bonnies a 66-52 lead when he caught on the left side, showed a ball fake, went one dribble to the right and pulled up from fifteen feet.

Eric Mosley added to the bulge when he grabbed a rebound of Wright’s three-point attempt and hit a jumper in the lane.

The Bonnies stretched it to 16 when Demitrius Conger used a bounce pass to lead Nicholson sliding from left to right across the lane, and the senior  connected on a baby hook.

Cornell hit eight of their first ten from behind the arc as the teams traded leads fourteen times in the first half.

Michael Davenport finished a layup in transition for 23-22 lead.

After a making a pair of one-and-one free throws, Conger grabbed a defensive rebound and busted up the middle of floor. With Michael Davenport taking a defender with him on the wing, Conger finished a right hand layup in the lane. SBU led 35-31.

Cornell responded. Dominic Selfo came off the bench and hit back-to-back carbon copy treys from the right to give Cornell a 25-23 lead.

“They hit some tough shots,” Schmidt explained. “It’s not like we weren’t there. You live with it and keep on working.  Hopefully, they’ll start missing, and that’s what happened.”

Johnathan Gray finished in transition and was fouled. Cornell trailed 35-34.  Nenad Tomic finished a layup and the Big Red reclaimed the lead36-35.

Cook led the way as the Bonnies grabbed the momentum going into the half. Davenport fed Cook along the baseline to the right of the basket. The 6’8″ forward pivoted and used his body to shield a defender before scoring.

Next trip down the floor Cook took another pass on the baseline and used identical footwork to draw a foul where he cashed one of two.

The senior continued the effort at the defensive end with a steal and a layup for a 40-36 edge.

“That was a big lift,” Schmidt said of Cook’s steal and layup. “That layup wasn’t typical. That was a difficult layup. He did the blue-collar stuff. That’s what we want him to do.”

Cook accounted for eight points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Wright also provided valuable input. In 27 minutes, the sophomore added 13 points, seven points and five assists.

“I got to play through some mistakes,” Wright mentioned. “I got extended minutes, so I got to take advantage of it.”

“Matthew was terrific off the bench,” Schmidt noted. “He gave us a spark.”

After hitting eight of their first ten from behind the arc, the Big Red failed to connect for the rest of the game. The Bonnies used full=court pressure to slow the Cornell aerial attack.

“We told the guys to keep pressuring them and take their legs away,” Schmidt noted. “We won the game defensively. They’re a great three-point shooting team. The guys did it. They stepped up. We didn’t do anything differently as far as switching. We just got into them a bit more.”

The Bonnies are 43-3 in home openers at the Reilly Center.

Davenport added 11 points and three assists.

Conger chipped in nine points and grabbed four boards.

The victory came at a cost. Both Davenport and Marquise Simmons left the game with injuries. The two will be evaluated.

St. Bonaventure heads out on the road for their next three games with their first road test next Friday at Cleveland State.

 

Mark Schmidt (Photo courtesy of SBU athletics)

By Paul Casey Gotham

The realization came to Mark Schmidt in March of 2000.  Schmidt, at the time an assistant at Xavier, was on the bus back to the Buffalo Airport. St. Bonaventure had just trimmed the Musketeers 65-64 when soon-to-be NBA star David West missed a shot at the buzzer.

Thinking about the game, Schmidt commented to then Xavier head coach, Skip Prosser, “I have played in Madison Square Garden. I have played in the Carrier Dome. That’s the loudest place I have ever played.”

Seven years later the St. Bonaventure job became available. Schmidt called his late mentor and asked him for his thoughts. Prosser reminded him of that bus ride to Buffalo.

“Remember what you told me?” Schmidt recalled of the advice. “It’s been down for four or five years. You can bring it back, and if you ever brought it back, that environment could be turned.”

“That’s what has happened,” Schmidt commented. “The community and the students have been tremendous in their support. There’s nothing like it when we have a full house. We don’t have 13,000. We have 6,000. It’s electric.”We have a commitment from the community and the university.”

Evidence of that electricity came last February when Duquesne visited the Reilly Center. The Dukes brought with them an 11-game winning streak including seven Atlantic 10 triumphs for share of first place in the conference.

The Bonnies rallied late, and a Michael Davenport three at the buzzer set off a wild celebration as the Bonnies beat the Dukes 64-62.

“There’s a commitment from the community and the university to men’s basketball,” Schmidt explained. “The average fan, that is not a big basketball fan, those people have no idea what the Reilly Center is to Bonaventure or to college basketball. Basketball is everything in Olean. You saw it first hand at the Duquesne game. You can’t get a better environment. You may get a bigger venue, but you’re not going to get a more lively college environment than the Reilly Center.”

ESPN’s Jay Bilas called the Reilly Center one of the five most hostile environment’s in college basketball.  Opposing teams are greeted by the student body whose section is at court-level.

“When they talk about going to the game,” Schmidt continued when discussing the community. “It’s not the Sabres game or the Knicks game. It’s one game. It’s Bonaventure basketball.”

Senior Da’Quan Cook has seen the transformation first hand.

“It’s been a long journey,” Cook said when asked about St. Bonaventure’s trip from seven wins in 2007 to the present time. “It’s been a huge turnaround. We definitely put in the time and effort. We’ve had our bumps and bruises, but we overcame that.”

The senior smiled when asked if he feels sorry for opposing teams who have to deal with the raucous student section.

“Not at all. It’s our court.”

With their recent successes Schmidt and the Bonnies will have to make some adjustments. When he took the job five years ago, the Bonnies had just three scholarship players. They start this season with double-digit scholarship athletes.

“It’s great to have depth,” Schmidt mentioned. “But you also have to have guys that are pulling for each other. You can’t be on the bench hoping that the guy that’s playing in your position screws up. That’s going to be a really big key for us.”

That sacrifice will begin with the four the starters who return to Schmidt’s lineup.

“Last year those kids knew that no matter if they played well, or if they played badly, they were going to play,” Schmidt said of Cook, Demtrius Conger, Davenport and Andrew Nicholson. “We were lucky to have kids that were self-motivated.”

Schmidt stressed the importance of the team’s chemistry.

“Can those guys that played 35 minutes accept 25? Can they sacrifice their minutes, their points, theirs shots? And do it for the betterment of the team.”

The Bonnies start the season ranked fourth in the preseason Atlantic 10 poll.

“It’s great. It’s a tribute to our players, and the hard work they have put in,” Schmidt said of the pre-season poll. “But it doesn’t mean anything to us. We’ve got to go out there and play.”

The Bonnies are led by senior forward Nicholson who earned a spot on both the preseason Wooden and Naismith award watch lists for player-of-the year.

“It’s all motivation,” Nicholson said of the recognition. “My goal is the NCAA tournament.”

The Bonnies season opens tonight when the Cornell Big Red visit the Reilly Center.

Last season in Ithaca, the Bonnies came from behind to defeat the Big Red, 56-54. Conger scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.  Nicholson notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards. The Bonnies overcame an 11-point second half deficit with a 13-2 run to defeat host Cornell.

A 7 p.m. tipoff is scheduled for tonight’s opener.

By Paul Casey Gotham

(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) –Gerry Burns and his Monroe Community College Tribunes needed redemption on Sunday afternoon. One Tribune in particular went seeking a second chance.

Isaiah Jefferson (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo East) scored six points and grabbed three rebounds in the final 60 seconds of play as the Tribunes came from behind to to trim the CCAC-Allegheny Cougars 73-67 in action at Monagan Court.

Trailing by one, Jefferson put the Tribunes ahead to stay with a rebound and putback of a missed free throw.  At the other end of the floor, the 6’3″ guard was fouled when he leaped across the lane to corral a defensive rebound. He hit both chances (two of his four free throws in the final minute) to seal the victory.

“I could hear his voice in my head,” Jefferson said of his head coach.

It didn’t take much imagination. Jefferson got a clear message from his head coach in the first half.

“Coach tells us everyday to play hard,” Jefferson explained. “I wasn’t playing hard. I had to stop turning over the ball and make good decisions.”

Jefferson earned some time on the bench. The freshman made good of the experience and finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists.

“He played well,” Burns said of Jefferson. “I don’t think our team played particularly well, but he played hard.”

Despite committing 14 turnovers, the Tribs led 33-32 at half.

MCC’s defense kept the game close in the first half. The Black and Gold extended its pressure 40 feet from the basket and forced a shot clock violation. On the next possession, Mike Wilson (Philadelphia, PA/Rise Prep) grabbed a defensive rebound and hit Algeron Torrance (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) in stride  for a basket in transition.

With the Cougars continuing to push the ball, Torrance got on the floor for a loose ball and freed Chris Thompson (Far Rockaway, NY/ Beach Channel) with an outlet pass who found Marcus Feagin (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) ahead of the pack. Torrance sprinted the floor, again, and received the return dime for an easy deuce. MCC trailed 23-19.

“When nothing goes right, you have to defend,” Burns explained. “We didn’t execute well. We didn’t shoot the ball from the free throw well, but those are the games that make you better. If you can survive and win that game, you’ll be a better basketball team next time you play.”

Feagin stripped the dribble next time down the floor and went end-to-end to draw the Tribs within two at 23-21. The 6’2″ Feagin made one of two free throws before Wilson tied the score at 24 with a steal and bucket.

After making one of two free throws, Wilson had a steal and a bucket. On the next possession, the freshman guard drew contact in the lane and finished both from the charity stripe.

Then Wilson found Thompson to the left of the basket for a layup.

Andre Armstrong (Queens, NY/Notre Dame Prep) had a steal and finished with a layup at the other end, and Eddie Callender (Philadelphia, PA/Lankenau) finished the scoring before halftime with a free throw.

The teams traded punches in the second half.

Callender gave the Black and Gold a three-point edge at 42-39 with a rebound and putback of his own miss.

But Marcus Smith (Perry Traditional) answered for the Cougars with a layup and free throw.

Richardo Chatman gave Allegheny a 50-49 lead with a free throw.

The teams traded leads twice in the game’s final eight minutes.

Wilson led the Tribs with 17 points. The 6’4″ guard added four assists and seven rebounds.

Callender chipped in 15 points and six boards.

Torrance had a game-high eight rebounds.

Allegheny’s Ajani Ogbonna (Westinghouse) led all scorers with 28.

MCC improves to 2-0 with the win.

The Tribunes host Cuyahoga CC next Saturday in the opening round of the MCC Tournament. A 3 p.m. tipoff is scheduled.