SAINTS REMAIN PERFECT IN 2008; TOP DUTCHMEN, 76-49

Jan. 19: It was truly a team effort for the St. Lawrence men’s basketball team on Saturday afternoon, as each of the 13 players contributed to scoring points in their 76-49 victory over Liberty League opponent Union College in Burkman Gymnasium, maintaining the Saints’ perfect record in 2008 and earning their fifth consecutive win.

 

The Saints started out with a slight 4-0 edge over their opponent, but Union regrouped quickly and was able to tie the game with two good free throws and took a three-point lead after Joey Lakitis made a shot from beyond the arc.

 

The Dutchmen made it a two-possession game with 13:18 on the clock after being awarded two more free throws, but St. Lawrence’s Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) followed with eight unanswered points to push the Saints ahead of Union by three, bringing the score to 13-10 with a Saints’ advantage.

 

Union responded with a good jump shot, making it a one-point contest, but junior forward Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) made a lay-up to get the Saints back ahead, 15-12, with 10:45 to go in the first.

 

The Saints’ defense kept Union scoreless for the next two and a half minutes and only allowed them to score seven points in the remaining minutes of the game to end the period with an impressive 37-19 lead. The Dutchmen were only 17-percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes of the contest, while the Saints shot a notable 61-percent (14-for-23) and 45-percent from three-point range.

 

The second half saw the Saints’ increase their lead by as many as 30 points with the help of strong offensive efforts from their team’s bench, as they were responsible for scoring 24 of their 39 points.

 

There wasn’t a statistical stand out in the game as the home team shared the wealth amongst each other. Both Wopperer and Vonnak tallied 11 points, while sophomore Andy Hoercher ( Auburn, NY/Hotchkiss), who made some crucial shots in the first half to put the Saints in the lead, scored 10. Senior Tyler Shaver ( Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg Free Academy) and classmate Sebastian Kurtz ( Newnan, GA/Our Lady of Mercy) had eight points a piece.

 

St. Lawrence, now 7-6 overall and 2-0 in the conference, will host North Country rival Clarkson on Tuesday night in Burkman Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00pm.