LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Colorado College and Schreiner improved to 3-0 in conference play after the first full weekend of conference games. The Mountaineers used a late rally to pick up the road win over previous conference unbeaten Trinity. Southwestern got its first SCAC victory on a last second shot while Centenary, Dallas, and Trinity all had wins.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College fell in
each of its first two SCAC games last weekend, losing 68-53 to
Colorado College and 76-69 against the University of Dallas, as
both teams used second half runs to pull away from the ‘Roos.
Ransom Okpala averaged 17.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two
games and Jeremy Swisher added 10.5 points per game. Alvin Michael
had a strong weekend, averaging 7.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0
blocks, and 3.0 steals and had a double-double of 12 points and 12
boards and also added five blocks against Colorado
College.
Centenary went 1-1 on the road to open SCAC play.
The Gents picked up a 79-62 win at Dallas on Friday before falling
79-71 at Colorado College on Sunday. Centenary placed five players
in double figures on Friday evening as Jonathan Blount, Kendall
Demouchet and Caden Cheramie averaged double figures for the
weekend. Blount led the way with 37 points while Cheramie added 28
with Demouchet providing 23 for the weekend. Friday evening the
Maroon and White shot a season-best 58.9 percent from the field
including a clip of 76 in the second half. The Gents connected on 8
of 16 shots from behind the arc –also a season-best -
including an astounding 7 for 9 (77.8%) in the second stanza.
Centenary also shot a season-best 83.3 percent from the charity
stripe. Centenary returns to action on Friday, Jan. 17 as they
travel to Trinity University.
Colorado College improved to 3-0 in conference
play with victories over Austin and Centenary, marking the fourth
time it has won its first three SCAC games since joining the league
for the 2007-08 season. The Tigers used a 21-5 run early in the
second half to break open a defensive battle and pull away for a
68-53 victory over the ’Roos on Friday night. Four players,
including starting guards Justin Berardino and Ryan Milne with 13
points apiece, scored in double digits to pace a balanced offense.
Junior forward Chris Lesnansky added 12 points and six rebounds,
while sophomore forward James Lonergan added 10 points and a
team-high seven boards. Milne tied his season high with seven
assists and grabbed six rebounds. In what was expected to be a
showcase for two of the most explosive offensive players in the
conference, junior forward Chris Lesnansky and CC’s
supporting cast proved to be the difference in a 79-71 home-court
victory over Centenary on Sunday. Lesnansky tied his career high
with 27 points and the bench came through with 25 more to help the
Tigers maintain a share of first place. Milne finished with 11
points, while sophomore guard Justin Berardino added 11 and helped
keep the Gents’ Jonathan Blount in check from the floor.
Colorado College appeared to be in complete command when freshman
forward Mitch Carter completed a three-point play to give his team
a 65-48 lead with 5:40 remaining, but Centenary dialed up the
pressure and used a 14-3 run to pull to within six points. Leading
just 70-64 with 1:28 to go, Lesnansky set up a senior forward
Daniel Webb basket and canned a pair of free throws to put the
Tigers up by 10 with 57 seconds left and senior guard Jake
Tramutolo iced the game with four free throws during the final 24
seconds. Colorado College hits the road for three consecutive road
contests, beginning this weekend with its first-ever league games
at Schreiner University and Texas Lutheran University on Friday and
Saturday, respectively.
The Dallas men’s basketball team went 2-1
on the week at home. On Monday, in Irving, Texas, the Crusaders won
90-78 over Rust College (Miss.). On Friday, head coach Jarred
Samples’ squad resumed conference-play with a 79-62 loss to
Centenary. On Sunday, at the Maher Athletic Center, the navy and
white claimed a 76-69 victory over Austin College. Dallas has two
road games on tap this week -- Texas Lutheran (Friday, 6 p.m.) and
Schreiner (Sunday, 4 p.m.).
Schreiner went 2-0 with
two road wins over Southwestern (73-59) and defending SCAC Champion
Trinity (65-62) this past weekend. First place Schreiner has
begun their SCAC era with three straight victories and are
currently on a five game winning streak. Fourteen games into
the regular season, Schreiner is being led by Senior AJ Myres, who
is third in the SCAC in scoring with a 21.1 ppg average and Junior
Stevan Guerrero, who leads the ‘Neers with 6.3 rebounds per
game average, along with a 15.6 ppg. SU will play host this
week to Colorado College (Friday, December 17th)and Dallas
(Saturday, December 11th).
Southwestern returned to SCAC conference action
at home this weekend, facing Schreiner and Texas Lutheran.
Rebounding cost the Pirates on Friday night against Schreiner as SU
was out-rebounded 20-11 in the first half and 45-26 for the game.
Schreiner held a double-digit lead most of the game, defeating
Southwestern 73-59. SU turned things around on Saturday to defeat
Texas Lutheran 70-68 on a fade away jumper by Blake Scott with one
second left on the clock. Southwestern got huge plays from a
variety of players all night to seal their first conference win of
the season. Southwestern sits at 5-7 on the year and 1-2 in the
SCAC following the win. The Pirates remain at home to face Austin
College and Centenary this weekend.
Texas Lutheran couldn’t get its offense
going in Friday’s 64-37 loss to Trinity. The Bulldogs were
held to under 28 percent shooting for the game and, despite hanging
tough in the first half behind a strong defensive effort,
couldn’t keep up with the Trinity firepower in the second
half. Thomas Verm scored a team-high nine points in the loss. A
game-winning jump shot with four seconds left from
Southwestern’s Blake Scott sent the Texas Lutheran
men’s basketball team home with a heartbreaking loss on
Saturday. The Bulldogs fell 70-68, despite a career night from
freshman Jordan Kouremetis, who scored a career-high 23 points off
the bench in the losing effort. After struggling from the field
yesterday against Trinity, the Bulldogs were much improved
Saturday, shooting almost 39 percent from the field. While the
Pirates shot a higher field goal percentage, TLU was able to stay
in the game by getting to the free throw line and forcing
turnovers. The Bulldogs knocked down 25 freebies and shot 78
percent from the line, while the Pirates made just 22 and shot 56
percent. The Bulldogs also forced 16 Southwestern turnovers.
Trinity went 1-1 in SCAC action at home over the
weekend, defeating Texas Lutheran 64-37, but falling in a narrow
65-62 matchup against Schreiner. The Tigers held the lead in
the final minute against Schreiner, but the visitors were able to
pull off the upset to give Trinity its first conference defeat of
the season. In Saturday’s loss, Zach Lambert became the 25th
player in Trinity history to score 1,000 points in a career,
contributing 10 points for the Tigers. He is the second
player this season to reach the milestone, following teammate
Robert Kitzinger. Trinity will host two more conference games this
weekend, facing off against Centenary on Friday night, then Austin
College on Saturday. The Tigers swept six games from the two
teams last season, including two games in San Antonio.
To view the entire SCAC Hoops Daily for week seven, click here.
