men's basketball News - June, 2009 Archive

Mar. 13: In the 2008-09 season, there were 392 NCAA Division III men's basketball programs, and only 60 teams made it into this year's NCAA Tournament. On Friday evening, the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team not only proved to a packed arena why they were one of the top 16 teams in the country, but they proved it to the other 376 teams as well.

The Saints used two crucial comebacks in the second half to try and overcome an 18-point deficit late in the game, but nationally-ranked Richard Stockton was able to hold off the Scarlet and Brown in the final seconds, using clutch free throws down the stretch, to earn a 71-68 victory in the bitter-Sweet 16 round of the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament, hosted by Richard Stockton in a packed Sports Center in Pomona, NJ.

Richard Stockton, most recently ranked sixth in the country according to D3hoops.com, improves to 28-2 and extends their winning streak to 16 games and will face Farmingdale State, the winner of the other game on Friday, Saturday at 7:00pm in the Sectional Championship, with a trip to Salem, Virginia and the Final Four on the line. St. Lawrence finishes the season with a 22-7 mark.

Mar. 7: Senior captain and forward Richard Williams recorded a career-high 28 points and 15 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season, while senior Tom Wopperer, junior Josh Sharlow and rookie Terry Parham all scored in double-digits as the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team defeated SUNY Institute of Technology, 90-80, Saturday night in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament at Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, N.Y.

With the victory, St. Lawrence, who improves to 22-6, will advance to the Sectional Round, scheduled to begin next Friday night and will face Richard Stockton. It will be the first time since the 1997-1998 campaign and the second time under Head Coach Chris Downs that the Saints will advance to the ‘Sweet 16'.

Williams (Kingston, NY) recorded 19 points in the first half alone and shot 12-for-16 from the floor and knocked in a couple of critical shots from behind the arc to pace the Saints to the win. Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded 17 points and shot 70 percent from the field, while Sharlow turned in another impressive performance, recording 13 points, seven assists, and two steals. Parham (Petersburg, VA/Indian River) led a strong group of first-year athletes coming off the bench as he and classmates Ralph Temgoua (Paris, France/Deerfield Academy) and Garrett Sharlow (Massena, NY/Massena) combined for 26 points.

Mar. 6: Senior forward Bela Vonnak posted 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while fellow teammates Josh Sharlow, Richard Williams and Tom Wopperer all scored in double-digits as the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team put away a gritty Brooklyn College team by the score of 81-69 on Friday night at the Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, NY.

St. Lawrence (21-7) advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in two years and will face SUNYIT, who stunned Elms College 85-77, at 7:00pm tomorrow at the Burkman Gymnasium. Brooklyn's season comes to an end with a final mark of 23-6.

The Scarlet and Brown peeled off to a quick start, jumping on the Bridges nearly five minutes into the game. Richard Jean-Baptiste would lead Brooklyn back, though, as his offensive efforts and rebounding prowess allowed the visitors to claw back to within a point at 21-20 after a jumper by Daniel Nisbett. Ahmad Hemingway would follow with a pair of free throws to put the Bridges on top for the first time in the opening half at 22-21 with 7:48 to go before intermission.

Though St. Lawrence was able to grind away two impressive runs to take a pair of seven point advantages, their opponents met every challenge sent their way and answered the call before halftime. Amil John converted a lay-up to pull Brooklyn to within two at 36-34 with 16 seconds left in the first half. The bucket would be the final points in what was a very energetic and entertaining 20 minutes of basketball.

Feb. 28: The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Red Hawks shot 65 percent from the floor in a strong second half to lift themselves past the top-seeded St. Lawrence University men's basketball team in the Liberty League championship game Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, NY. With the victory, Rensselaer earns an automatic bid into the 2009 NCAA Tournament, which is scheduled to begin next week.

Rensselaer improves to 15-12 overall in the 2008-09 season while the Saints fall to 20-6 and will await their season's fate, as the NCAA Tournament bracket is set to be released on Monday.

RPI senior Sam Simmons was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and to the All-Tournament Team after scoring a game-high 20 points in the title game, moving him into third place on the career scoring list for the Red Hawks. Joining him on the All-Tournament Team was teammate and junior Tim Rupp, as well as St. Lawrence senior captain Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius). Clarkson's Ryan Smith and Hamilton's Lance Wilson rounded out the 2009 All-Tournament squad.

First-year Garrett Sharlow (Massena, NY/Massena Central) tallied a team-high 15 points for St. Lawrence while collecting six boards, while Wopperer recorded 13 points for the team. Senior captain Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) chipped in 11 points.

Feb. 27: The Class of 2009 accounted for 60 points as the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team celebrated a thrilling 88-64 victory over North Country rival Clarkson University in the semifinal round of the Liberty League Tournament Friday evening in a packed Burkman Gymnasium. The win also marks the 200th victory for St. Lawrence University Head Coach Chris Downs, who is in his twelfth season as head coach for the Saints.

The top-seeded Saints, who improve to a 20-5 overall mark, defeated the No. 4 Golden Knights in a rematch of last year's semifinal game and advance to the conference championship game and will face third-seeded Rensselaer, who upset No. 2 Hamilton, 64-55, in the other semifinal. Clarkson closes out the season with a 15-11 record.

Senior captain Rich Williams (Kingston, NY/Kingston) led the Scarlet and Brown with a game-high 25 points, shooting 11-for-14 from the floor, with nearly all of his shots coming from inside the paint, while also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Classmate and captain Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded 19 points off 60-percent shooting from the floor, while also accumulating four assists and three steals. Senior captain Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) scored 14 points and grabbed seven boards.

Feb. 21: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team defeated Liberty League opponent Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 82-75 on Saturday afternoon to clinch their second straight conference regular season championship and earn the opportunity to host the Liberty League Tournament, beginning next weekend.

St. Lawrence, who finishes the regular season with a 19-5 overall record and a 12-2 mark in the conference, will face North Country rival and No. 4 seed Clarkson in a repeat of last year's semifinal game. No. 2 Hamilton, who also finished 12-2 in League action and shares the regular season title with the Saints, will face No. 3 Rensselaer, who falls to 13-12 overall and 7-7 in the conference, in the other game, with the winner of each meeting in the championship game on Saturday.

The Saints' squad also celebrated their four graduating seniors prior to Saturday's game, honoring them for their achievements and contributions in the last four years. The Class of 2009, who has made a trip to the conference tournament each season, has amassed an impressive 72-32 overall record (69.2 winning percentage) and a 45-11 (80 winning percentage) Liberty League mark, the best of any other class in the League.

Feb. 20: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team suffered only their second Liberty League loss of the season Friday evening as Vassar College upended the Saints, 76-65, in Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, NY.

The Brewers improve to a 10-14 overall record and a 5-8 League record, while the Saints endure their fifth loss of the season and fall to 18-5 and 11-2 in conference action.

The Saints are now tied for first place in conference standings with Hamilton College. Tomorrow's games will determine who will win the regular season title and host the tournament next weekend.

Senior captain Rich Williams (Kingston, NY/Kingston) recorded his third double-double of the season, recording 11 points and grabbing 10 balls off the glass, while classmate and cohort Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) scored a team-high 12 points. Junior Josh Sharlow (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) also reached double digits, chipping in 11 points.

Feb. 14: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team held off a Hamilton College comeback in the second half on Saturday afternoon to earn their eighth straight victory against their Liberty League rival, defeating the Continentals by a 75-62 margin in Scott Field House in Clinton, NY. It is the first time since the 2001-2002 season that St. Lawrence has defeated the Continentals on their home court in Scott Field House during the conference regular season. The Saints defeated Hamilton on their home turf in 2007 to win the Liberty League Tournament title.

The Saints improve to 18-4 overall and a 11-1 mark against conference opponents, while Hamilton falls to 15-6 and 9-2 in Liberty League action, with both conference losses coming at the hands of the Scarlet and Brown.

Following the win, St. Lawrence is one victory away from the conference regular season title and hosting the Liberty League Tournament in two weeks. St. Lawrence can clinch both with a victory over Rensselaer or Vassar next weekend.

Feb. 13: A 12-4 run that ended the first half gave the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team all the momentum they needed to earn their tenth conference victory of the season as the Saints were able to hold onto their lead in the second half and hold off the Hobart Statesmen 70-65 in Liberty League play on Friday night in Geneva, NY.

St. Lawrence improves to 17-4 with their seventh consecutive win and 10-1 in League action while Hobart falls to 7-14 on the season and 4-6 in the conference.

First-year student Garrett Sharlow (Massena, NY/Massena Central) and senior captain Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) led the visiting team's offense with 12 points apiece, while senior captains Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) and Rich Williams (Kingston, NY/Kingston) each contributed 11 points and eight boards.

The first half of the contest contained three ties and six lead changes with St. Lawrence earning the biggest lead of the frame as halftime neared. The Scarlet and Brown were able to find ways to penetrate and score from the post, tallying 26 of their 40 first-half points off shots within the paint. The Saints earned as much as a seven-point lead within the first three and a half minutes after Wopperer sank a three but a 9-2 run on the part of Hobart closed the gap as the game witnessed its first tie, 15-15, with 14:27 to play.

Feb. 7: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team won their sixth straight Liberty League contest and earned a spot in the 2009 Liberty League Tournament Saturday afternoon with their 83-68 win against Skidmore College in Burkman Gymnasium.

The Scarlet and Brown improve to a 16-4 record and a 9-1 mark in the conference and remain in first place in the League, while Skidmore falls to 7-14 on the season and 2-8 in Liberty League action.

St. Lawrence had five players score in the double-digits, with rookies Ralph Temgoua (Paris, France/Deerfield Academy) and Garrett Sharlow (Massena, NY/Massena Central) each contributing 17 points, a game-high, and combining for 14 rebounds, while Terry Parham (Petersburg, VA/Indian River) recorded 15 points and five boards. Senior captains Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) and Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) had 12 and 10 points, respectively, to help pace the Saints to the win. Vonnak had a game-high nine rebounds.

St. Lawrence, who shot an impressive 52.9-percent from the floor in the first stanza, opened the contest with a distancing 21-0 run that left Skidmore cold for nearly six minutes before making a shot. The Saints were able to maintain their advantage over the Thoroughbreds throughout the remainder of the period, earning as much as a 24-point lead and only allowing the visiting team to get as close as 17, before closing the half with a score of 49-30 in favor of the Saints.