WRIGHT EARNS CONFERENCE

'GUARD OF THE WEEK' HONORS

Feb. 18: St. Lawrence University senior Tyler Wright was named Liberty League “Co-Guard of the Week” on Monday after helping the Saints men’s basketball team to two critical wins over the weekend against Hobart and Hamilton that helped them clinch a playoff berth and at least a piece of the Liberty League regular season title.

 

Wright (Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) tallied 21 points in a 2-0 weekend for the Saints, where the guard shot 57-percent from the floor and had a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Wright had 12 points in St. Lawrence's 69-58 win over the Statesmen, where he shot 5-for-9 from the field and 2-for-3 in free throws. On Saturday, the senior grabbed nine points and was 3-for-5 from the floor while also grabbing two steals in the 72-59 win over the Continentals.

 

The Saints, who are now 15-8 overall and 10-2 in the conference, only need to win one of two games this upcoming weekend to earn home court advantage and take the 2007-2008 Liberty League regular season title for themselves. The Saints will travel to Vassar College on Friday, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00pm in Poughkeepsie, NY.

 

(Photo by Tara Freeman)

 

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.

 

SAINTS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH WITH WIN OVER HOBART, 69-58

Feb. 15: The St. Lawrence men’s basketball team earned a spot in the Liberty League Tournament for the third consecutive year Friday night after defeating conference opponent Hobart College 69-58 in Burkman Gymnasium.

 

The Saints, who are currently in first place in the Liberty League, improved to 14-8 overall and 9-2 in the conference with the win. The Statesmen fell to 10-11 overall and 5-5 in the league.

 

The Statesmen kept the Saints off the scoreboard for the first 3:59 of the game while racking up six unanswered points while both teams attempted to solve the other’s defense. Neither team scored for close to four minutes before the Saints began a 14-1 run in the middle of the period to give them a 17-7 edge with 7:59 remaining.

 

The Scarlet and Brown were able to obtain a permanent double-digit lead in the last minutes of the period, earning as much as a 17-point lead, ending the half with a score of 34-18 in favor of the Saints.

 

The second half saw the Saints build upon their momentum from the first half, shooting 52-percent from the floor, while containing a tough Statesmen offense to only 36-percent. In the middle of the period, junior co-captain Richard Williams (Kingston, NY/Kingston) and junior Ben Augliano (Clayton, NY/Thousand Islands) both dunked the ball, bringing the crowd to its feet both times.

 

Hobart was able to put some pressure on the Saints in the final minutes of the contest, as they cut the Saints’ once 22-point lead in half, but it wasn’t enough as St. Lawrence emerged victorious with a 69-58 win.

 

Senior Tyler Shaver ( Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg Free Academy) led the Saints with 14 points in only 19 minutes, while classmate Tyler Wright ( Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) also tallied in the double-digits, accumulating 12 points. Sophomore Josh Sharlow (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) had an impressive defensive game, grabbing 11 boards while also adding nine points, four assists, and three steals.

 

St. Lawrence will host Hamilton College, the second place team in the Liberty League, Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00pm.