SAINTS SHARE OF EARN LEAGUE TITLE

WITH 72-59 WIN OVER HAMILTON

Feb. 16: Three members of the St. Lawrence men’s basketball team scored in the double digits to help lead the Saints to a 72-59 win over Liberty League opponent Hamilton College in Burkman Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

 

With the win, St. Lawrence, now 15-8 overall and 10-2 in the Liberty League, clinches at least a share of the conference regular season title. The Saints can win the title outright and lock up the number one seed, as well as home court advantage for playoffs, with a win in either game against RPI or Vassar next weekend.

 

The game began with both teams vying for control, with two ties and the lead changing twice in the first two and a half minutes. The Saints earned a two-point edge after senior Tyler Wright (Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) made a lay-up off a steal made by teammate Josh Sharlow (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk).

 

St. Lawrence gained momentum when junior co-captain Richard Williams (Kingston, NY/ Kingston) stole the ball from Hamilton and ran down the court and dunked the ball to give the Saints a five point lead with 14:12 to go in the half, the biggest lead thus far. The Scarlet and Brown saw their lead slowly increase to as many as 11 points with 3:24 to go, but the Continentals 9-2 run down the stretch made it a four-point contest with the Saints ahead 35-31 at halftime.

 

Hamilton fought for the lead in the first part of the second, closing the gap and tying the game 39-39 with 16:40 left in the game after a lay-up from Jon Ciriello. The Saints regained the lead after junior Bela Vonnak ( Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) made two free throw shots to push the Saints ahead.

 

The Continentals battled and brought the game within one point five times throughout the last 14 minutes of the contest, but a 17-6 Saint run in the final minutes gave the Saints a decisive 72-59 victory over the Continentals.

 

St. Lawrence was able to keep Hamilton from doing much in the paint, as the Continentals were held to only 26 points inside.

 

Sophomore Andy Hoercher (Auburn, NY/Hotchkiss) led the Saints with a game high 15 points, as the guard shot 60-percent from the floor and was perfect in free throws. Williams had 14 points, five boards, and three assists, while his classmate and co-captain Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) tallied 10 points in the contest.

 

Hamilton was led by Harlee Wood, who netted 13 points, and Joe Manns, who posted 12.

 

The Saints will travel to Poughkeepsie, NY on Friday to play Vassar College in Liberty League action. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:00pm.