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.

 

SAINTS WIN FOURTH IN A ROW;

DEFEAT SKIDMORE, 75-39

Jan. 18: The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team showed the Liberty League what they’re capable of in their first conference game of the season against Skidmore College Friday night, as the Saints came away with a decisive 75-39 victory over the Thoroughbreds in Burkman Gymnasium.

 

It only took a 9-0 run in the first three minutes of the game to give the Saints what they needed to take control of the court. Their strong offensive capabilities coupled with their defensive pressure helped keep the Thoroughbreds to 21 points in the first 20 minutes of the game and only 18 in the last half.

 

St. Lawrence was 52-percent from the field and 53-percent from beyond the arc while making 15-of-20 free throws. Skidmore was unable to solve the Saints’ defensive strategies and only shot 30-percent from the field and 4-for-7 from three-point range. The home team used their depth to their advantage, as they scored 36 points from off the bench.

Sophomore guard Andy Hoercher ( Auburn, NY/Hotchkiss) led the home team’s offense with 13 points while shooting 5-for-9 from the field and achieving perfection from three-point range, sinking all three of his shots. Sophomore Kevin Himmelwright (Ballston Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) contributed 12 points, a career-high for the forward, who was 4-for-7 from the court and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. Himmelwright was 2-for-2 from the line and also tallied three rebounds and one assist.

 

Junior forward Bela Vonnak ( Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) also accumulated double-digits in points, while also tallying six rebounds in only 13 minutes of play. Classmate Ben Augliano ( Clayton, NY/ Thousand Islands) had a game high eight rebounds, while sophomore Josh Sharlow (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) had a game-high four assists and three steals. Junior forward and co-captain Richard Williams ( Kingston, NY/ Kingston) also had three steals and nine points.

 

The Saints, now 6-6 overall and 1-0 in the conference, will look to keep their Liberty League record perfect on Saturday as they will host the Union Dutchmen in Burkman Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00pm.

 

SAINTS RIDE THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK

INTO CONFERENCE PLAY

Jan. 17: After concluding a very competitive non-conference schedule on Tuesday with a victory over Elmira College, the St. Lawrence men’s basketball team heads into its first weekend of Liberty League play on Friday with a perfect record in 2008 and a three-game winning streak as they prepare to host the opening games of conference action in Burkman Gymnasium.

 

The Scarlet and Brown (5-6 overall) have played 11 teams, including three who are ranked in the Top-25 nationally this season, with a combined record of 96-46 for a 68-percent winning percentage.

 

Saints Head Coach Chris Downs is encouraged by how well the team has come together in the past few games.

 

“The team seems to have really gelled since returning from our trip to the Land of Magic Classic in Orlando, Florida, and that has been evident in both practice and throughout the games,” he says. Downs believes the difficult teams they have faced thus far in the season have prepared the team well for conference play.

 

Currently, St. Lawrence has four players who have averaged double figures so far in the 2007-2008 campaign, and as a team lead the Liberty League in scoring offense.

 

In recent weeks, the Liberty League has recognized the outstanding efforts of the Saints, honoring junior forward Bela Vonnak ( Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) as Forward of the Week last week after he led the Saints to a win over nationally-ranked SUNY Brockport. He tallied a career high 25 points in only 23 minutes against the Golden Eagles while shooting 10-for-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from the line. Vonnak also grabbed three rebounds and one assist.

 

Junior guard Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) also earned conference honors and is currently Liberty League Co-Guard of the Week after tallying 21 points for St. Lawrence in their 97-88 win over SUNY Oswego. The guard shot 6-for-8 from the field and was perfect from beyond the arc and the free throw line. He also tallied four rebounds, one assist, and three steals in the Saints' victory.

 

Wopperer was a key factor in the Saints’ win on Tuesday against Elmira, as he scored a game-high 22 points to help the Saints to another key win over the Soaring Eagles.

 

The Saints, who were chosen first in the Liberty League Preseason Coaches Poll, will host Skidmore and Union this upcoming weekend, with tip-off against the Thoroughbreds scheduled for 8:00pm on Friday, while the Dutchmen and the Saints will meet on the court at 4:00pm on Saturday.