Saints Top Statesmen, 105-98, Clinching Spot in Playoffs
by:
Tara FreemanSophomore Garrett Sharlow led the Saints with a game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Feb. 13: Sophomore Garrett Sharlow earned a game-high 27 points to help the St. Lawrence men's basketball team come from behind to defeat Hobart College, 105-98 Saturday in Geneva, NY and clinch a spot in the playoffs.
The Saints improve to a 12-11 (8-4) overall record, while the Statesmen fall to a 14-9 (7-5) mark.
The Saints shot over 50% Saturday, including 54.5% from the arc in the first half, to take down Hobart. Sharlow shot 10-of-17 from the field to lead the Saints, supported by senior captain Josh Sharlow who racked up 21 points off 8-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-7 from the arc. Rookie Nick Meunier also had an impressive performance, totaling 17 points, shooting 8-of-8 from the floor. Garrett Sharlow led St. Lawrence in rebounds with ten, while Josh Sharlow earned a team-high eight assists and a game-high five steals. Hobart's Matt Pebole led his team with 25 points off 8-of-18 shooting, complimented by Tim Llewellyn (23 points) and Stefan Thompson (22 points). Thompson also earned a game-high ten assists, while both Pebole and Sean Peer posted a team-high seven rebounds. Hobart also shot impressively from the arc, averaging 55.6%.
The Saints managed to get on the board first, moving out to a five point lead just two minutes into the first half. However, two consecutive threes from Llewellyn gave Hobart the lead moments later. With 14:43 on the clock, Meunier chipped one in off the glass to tie the score at 14, but the Statesmen were then able to move out on a 9-0 run, extending their lead to 11 points (27-16) as the clock his 12:15.
St. Lawrence managed to work its way back, cutting the deficit to six with solid shooting from Josh Sharlow, Garrett Sharlow, and sophomores' Ralph Temgoua, and Jon Goldberg. However, Hobart crawled back ahead by 15 (44-29), due to Llewellyn and Thompson's accuracy from beyond the arc. First-year Jack Conboy responded with an easy layup as the clock hit 6:33 to spark a 9-0 run for the Saints. The Scarlet and Brown picked up a lot of momentum in the last four minutes of the frame, recapturing the lead with 1:45 remaining. Rookie Kyle Miller drained two threes, while Josh Sharlow sunk one to put Saints' fans on their feet. After being down the majority of the half, St. Lawrence finished the half on a high note as Meunier tipped one in from underneath and Garrett Sharlow sunk a free-throw to put the Saints up by seven (56-49) as both teams entered the locker room.
St. Lawrence carried that last minute momentum into the second half, extending their lead to 12 points with roughly a minute and a half gone. The Statesmen managed to cut the deficit to three as Llewellyn nailed one from beyond the arc, but the Saints responded with an 8-0 run after junior Ben Araya chipped one off the glass. With 13:01 on the clock, the Scarlet and Brown led by 14 points (73-59), but Hobart was able to work its way back to within seven points as Mark Bruce and Pebole impressed from the arc. Nevertheless, St. Lawrence followed suit, as senior captain Andy Hoercher and Garrett Sharlow hit back-to-back-threes. The Saints managed to maintain a significant lead until the clock hit 2:54 and Thompson sunk a pair of foul-shots to cut the deficit to two (88-86). However, St. Lawrence countered with a 5-0 run, extending their lead to seven points. Hobart was able to climb back to within four points as Thompson hit another three-pointer, but that was the closest his team ever got to matching the score. St. Lawrence moved back out to a ten point lead with 44 seconds left in regulation, and although Thompson was on fire in the paint at the end of the game, the Saints held strong, securing the 105-98 victory.
St. Lawrence returns home next weekend to host Skidmore College, Friday, February 19th in the Burkman Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm.