MAR. 8 — Daugherty Pleased With Foundation Of Program
First-year head coach says 2001-2002 season has set the stage for promising future

Looking Up: Head coach Stan Daugherty (second from left) takes in a conference game with assistant coaches Cory Furman and Mark Landes. Daugherty feels the 2001-2002 campaign was a successful beginning to the future of the program.

Goshen, IN — Ask Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty how he feels about his first season at the helm of the Maple Leaf basketball program, and you will get a very positive response.

“This was a great year in the foundation building process,” Daugherty says. “Going into the season, I thought that there were some important foundational areas that we had to develop. Areas concerning attitude and effort, encouraging each other and being a team were critical to giving hope to the program for this year and the future. Establishing a solid team work ethic in practices and understanding the fundamentals of offense and defense were also very important. I also thought that the idea of enthusiasm and effort had to be involved in every practice and game. In short, each player had to buy in to the new system and coaches’ philosophy. As I look back over the past few months, I really believe that all of these ideals are in place.”

Goshen finished the 2001-2002 season with an overall record of 7-26 and 3-11 in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference. Though these on-the-court results are much less than where Daugherty’s overall goals are set, Daugherty knows that a superior program can’t be built without a strong foundation.

“I would consider Coach Daugherty a true college basketball program-builder,” said Cory Furman, assistant coach. “Coach is one of the most patient, long-term oriented people I have ever met. He sees the big picture. He sees the positives in this season. I think that, in college basketball, there are ways to produce quick-fixes; there are a lot of corners that can be cut and it can be a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of environment. But Coach does things the right way. He is more concerned with the growth of the people wearing the uniforms than simply winning. It’s more than just the game itself with him. He does things first-class. Goshen basketball is a program on the rise.”

According to year-end player evaluations, this season’s Maple Leaf team would agree. Asked to rate the organization, leadership and preparedness of their own coaches on a 10-point scale, the anonymous player evaluations came back to the coaching staff ranking each category at an average score of nine or higher. The coaches’ approachability and availability also rated at over nine points apiece.

“The willingness of players to believe in the coaches and philosophy this first year, despite our record, is so crucial to the building of the program,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty and his staff now turn their attention to the ever-important off-season period, where recruiting and individual player development take supreme priority.

“The next several months are very important for the next step in building the program,” Daugherty said. “I am excited to see our returning players work on their skills and strength in the off-season. I am also excited to bring in several new players who will add to the quality and depth of our team. I don’t think there is any doubt that the best days of Goshen College basketball are ahead of us.”

To contact Coach Daugherty, call him at (219) 535-7493 or click here to send an email.

FEB. 20 — Season Concludes At Taylor In MCC Tournament
Goshen falls 54-77 after Trojans catch fire at home

Ahead of the pack: Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh gets a breakaway layup against Taylor Wednesday night.

In the trees: Junior Mark Wenclewicz attacks the basket in the second half of Wednesday's game as sophomore Jeremy High looks on. Wenclewicz finished with 12 points on the night.

Upland, IN — Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty knew that Taylor’s size up front was the primary reason his team had lost to the Trojans twice in the regular season. The game plan for the first round of the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference Tournament, then, was to make Taylor score from the outside. This plan worked for about 10 minutes.

“We wanted to go into the game and try to make them beat us from the outside,” Daugherty said. “We tried to double their posts and pack our defense in the lane. Taylor did a great job of hitting their three point shots in the first half and made us pay for packing in our defense.”

After Taylor missed its first two three-point attempts, the Trojans caught fire from behind the arc, connecting on six of its next nine three-pointers en route to a 49-27 halftime lead. Goshen (7-26, 3-11) trailed by only one point at the 12:46 point of the first half, but a 35-14 Trojan run from that point until halftime was too much for the Leafs to come back from.

“We did not shoot the ball well in the first half and that created a gap that was just too much to overcome,” Daugherty said.

Taylor, which finished the season as the eighth-ranked team in the country and the regular-season MCC Champion, shot a scorching 63.6 percent from the field in the first half, compared to Goshen’s 37.5 percent. For the game, the Trojans shot 57 percent from the floor, while the Leafs connected on 36.2 percent of its shots. Rebounds (35) and turnovers (10) were identical for each team — in the end it was Taylor’s hot shooting that determined the outcome.

“I did think our guys played well defensively in the second half and limited their offense to 28 points,” Daugherty said. “We continued to struggle shooting the ball and could never cut into their lead. Taylor is a fine team deserving of their number one seed. I hope that our returning players will be challenged by this game to set high goals for our work in the off season.”

Goshen was led by senior Pete Gaff’s 14 points on five of 11 shooting and eight rebounds. The Leafs’ other senior, guard Carlos Mullet, handed out two assists. Sophomore Jeremy High scored 13 points and junior Mark Wenclewicz had 12. High and Wencelwicz each had six rebounds.

“The promising thing was to see our guys start to play well when we went back to our original, beginning-of-the-year defensive concepts in the second half,” said Cory Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “Obviously, it’s easy to second-guess yourself when Taylor shoots as well as they did in the first half from outside. But it’s what we had to try. Coach Daugherty has done a great job this season with these guys. I think our returning players are excited about the possibilities of the future.”

Goshen finishes the season with an overall record of 7-26, and a conference mark of 3-11. Goshen will announce the date, time and place of its men’s basketball post-season awards banquet in the near future. Check back on the Goshen College athletics website for the latest details and announcements.

FEB. 16 — Goshen Better, But Not Good Enough To Get Grace
Leafs give Lancers a scare before falling, 65-79

Senior Pete Gaff

Lake Winona, IN — Goshen couldn’t quite fill the role of party-crashers Saturday, as Grace defeated the Leafs 79-65 on its senior day and final home game of the season.

“I was pleased with our effort for the game,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We had about 10 minutes where we were not very efficient on offense. Overall our enthusiasm and effort was very good, we just need to cut down on our mental mistakes on both ends of the floor.”

Before a packed crowd at Grace’s Lancer Gymnasium, Goshen (7-25, 3-11) played a tough first half before trailing by five at halftime, 31-36. Grace extended the lead to double-figures before Goshen got hot from outside the arc — three-point field goals by sophomore Josh Turnpaugh, senior Pete Gaff and junior Mark Wenclewicz cut the Lancer lead to only five with 10 minutes to play.

Grace was too tough down the stretch, however. The Lancers outrebounded Goshen by a 44-27 count and went to the free throw line 10 more times than the Leafs.

“We played hard defensively, but we got hurt on the offensive boards,” Daugherty said. “They had 16 second chance points to our three. That was really the difference in the game. We did not block out consistently for the whole game and Grace took advantage of our mistakes.”

Goshen shot 40 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from behind the three-point line, after hoisting up 30 from behind the arc. Goshen also had 15 turnovers, many of which were unforced according to Daugherty.

The Leafs were paced by Gaff’s 24 points on nine of 13 shooting. Junior Phil Mikel chipped in 12 points.

Goshen finishes the season as the eighth-place team in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference. The team starts MCC tournament play Wednesday night, traveling to #1 seed Taylor for a 7 p.m. tip. The winner of that game will play Saturday at 3 p.m. If Goshen should win, the team would play the winner of the Bethel-Marian game. Goshen would travel to either site on Saturday. For a complete rundown of the conference tournament and schedule, click here.

FEB. 12 — Offensive Woes, Rebounds Cause For Loss Against St. Francis
Leafs can't pull upset on senior night; fall to Cougars 60-78

Senior blur: Senior guard Carlos Mullet lays in two of his season-high 15 points against St. Francis. Mullet, along with classmate Pete Gaff, played in their final home game Tuesday night.

Goshen, IN — For the two seniors in Carlos Mullet and Pete Gaff, nothing would have been sweeter than to win their final game in the Roman Gingerich Center. Unfortunately, a bad night shooting and an incredible rebounding deficit prevented that from happening.

Goshen dropped its final home game of the season to St. Francis Tuesday night, after shooting a meager 21 of 59 (35.6 percent) from the field and giving up a total 48 rebounds to its 21 total boards. The Leafs could only muster five three-pointers in 24 attempts in losing 60-78 on senior night.

“We played hard all night, but we were not efficient on offense,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We continued to struggle in our block outs on the defensive end of the floor. Because we give up so much height, we have to be almost perfect in this area.”

Goshen (7-24, 3-10) was outrebounded by the largest margin of the season. The Cougars grabbed 16 offensive rebounds in the game, while Goshen collected only 15 defensive rebounds.

“I was pleased with our effort on defense, and we got some stops but then didn’t finish with a rebound,” Daugherty said. “I still liked our approach to the game in practice and in pre-game. There was good work and a positive attitude that speaks highly of this team. We must continue that the rest of the season.”

On a brighter side for the Leafs, the senior twosome finished with a strong night offensively. Mullet finished with a season-high 15 points, while Gaff had 20 despite shooting only seven of 16 from the field.

“Pete and Carlos are exceptional people, and they will be missed greatly,” said Cory Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “The rest of the guys really wanted to get this for them, and they all feel badly that we couldn’t get it done.”

After trailing 22-34 at the half, Goshen closed the gap to nine points with 17 minutes to play. The Leafs could get no closer, however, as St. Francis collected eight offensive rebounds the rest of the way in holding off Goshen.

Sophomore Jeremy High chipped in 12 points to help the cause. Junior Phil Mikel had nine points. No other Leaf scored more than two points.

Goshen plays in its final regular season game this Saturday at Grace. Tip time is set for 3 p.m. Following this game, Goshen will be playing in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference tournament. The Leafs will be on the road on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Time and place will be determined following Saturday’s conference games.

FEB. 9 — Bethel Nips Goshen In Terrific Contest
Pilots take 91-83 decision after 40 minutes of highly competitive basketball

Seeing the floor: Junior Phil Mikel checks out his options in front of a packed house at Bethel Saturday. Mikel led Goshen's effort with 21 points.

Mishawka, IN — It might not have been Duke-North Carolina, but for the NAIA Division II level, it was close.

Adding yet another chapter to what is becoming an extremely competitive rilvalry, Bethel defeated Goshen by a 91-83 score Saturday after both teams competed and played well for the entire contest.

“This was an excellent basketball game,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “Both teams played hard and the game was closely contested throughout.”

In front of a sold-out crowd at Bethel’s Wiekamp Center, the action was heated from the start. The Pilots shot out to a quick 2-0 lead, but Goshen (7-23, 3-9) answered seconds later after beating Bethel’s press and scoring a layup. That sequence would set the tone. Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh buried a three-pointer at the buzzer before halftime making the score 51-50, Bethel.

“It wasn’t the tempo we wanted, but it was the first time we really competed and played well for an entire half,” said Cory Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “I think this is the type of game that you dream about playing in growing up. Our guys definitely appreciated this opportunity.”

Bethel’s lead grew as large as eight points in the second half, but the Leafs would not go away. Key three-point field goals by junior Mark Wenclewicz kept the game close down the stretch. With 2:30 left to play, Bethel’s Tim Ritter got a break away opportunity and Goshen senior Pete Gaff went up to challenge the shot. An intentional foul was called on Gaff. From that point on, Goshen could get no closer than eight points.

“The only disappointing area to me was the amount of offensive rebounds (19) that we gave up during the game,” Daugherty said. “That was really the difference in the final outcome.”

Goshen was outrebounded 45-36 in addition to giving up the 19 offensive boards. Goshen also turned the ball over 20 times, but forced Bethel into 16 turnovers of its own. Goshen also shot 50.8 percent from the field, breaking the six-game slide of shooting under 40 percent as a team.

The Leafs were led by junior Phil Mikel’s 21 points. Gaff added 17, Wenclewicz had 14 and sophomore Jeremy High had 11.

“We shot the ball well for the first time in three weeks,” Daugherty said. “I thought that our ball movement and passing was the best that it had been in some time. It is nice to be healthy overall and be competitive for forty minutes. Hopefully, this will help us build some momentum to play our best basketball of the year in the next two weeks.”

Goshen hosts “Senior Night” this Tuesday against St. Francis. Seniors Gaff and Carlos Mullet will be honored before the game. Tip time is slated for 7 p.m.

FEB. 5 — Leafs Not Ready To Play At Marian
An early deficit and poor shooting contribute to latest loss

Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh Sophomnore Jeremy High

Indianapolis, IN — Goshen spotted Marian 17 points to start off Tuesday night’s Mid-Central Collegiate Conference match-up in Indianapolis. The Knights didn’t even need it.

Goshen missed its first nine shots from the floor and shot 23 percent from the field in the first half of play, trailing by as many as 26 points in the first half in losing to Marian by a 56-83 final score.

“Again, we got good looks at the basket early but just couldn’t connect,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “On the other end of the floor, our effort was not there to start the game. We were not prepared mentally and it showed.”

Marian beat Goshen (7-22, 3-8) down the floor for layups early, and took a 17 point lead. The lead blossomed to 34-9 before Daugherty called a timeout with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half. After the stoppage, Goshen finished the period with a nine to four run.

“Coach basically challenged the guys (during the timeout) as to how they were going to react to the situation we had put ourselves in,” said Cory Furman, assistant coach. “The score doesn’t show it, but we really competed after that timeout. Our effort got much better and, though we still had troubles scoring, we started to play with a little passion. At the start of the game it looked as if playing was a burden to us.”

The Leafs shot the ball much better in the second half — with a clip of 48.8 percent — but still had mental problems. Goshen turned the ball over 14 times and lost Marian forward David Meece, who scored a game-high 32 points on 11 of 20 shooting, on several occasions.

“Again, it goes back to being prepared mentally to play,” Daugherty said. “Our effort and intensity got better, but we still were making entirely too many mental errors both offensively and defensively. It’s obvious that we’ve got to be ready to play every night, or this can be the result.”

Goshen was led in scoring by a pair of sophomores — Josh Turnpaugh and Jeremy High each had 12 points to lead the Leafs.

Goshen travels to Bethel this Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip off.

FEB. 2 — Banged Up Leafs Fall To Wesleyan
Injured squad again has trouble finding basket in 65-86 home loss

Sea of red: Junior Phil Mikel is met by a slew of Indiana Wesleyan defenders on his way to the basket during the second half of Saturday's game.

Goshen, IN — It was the season’s story line of choice for Goshen on Saturday, after an injured lineup gave a good effort but shot poorly in a 65-86 loss at the Roman Gingerich Center.

The Leafs (7-21, 3-7) started the game with an 0-11 deficit, as the team again got good looks at the basket, according to head coach Stan Daugherty, but had trouble connecting.

“We created some good shots with our screeners (on offense), but did not hit them in the first half,” Daugherty said. “We continued this trend of the last few games of getting off to a slow start. We worked hard for good shots, but we just didn’t shoot well.”

Overall, Goshen shot a collective 33.9 percent from the field, marking the fifth straight game that the Leafs have shot under 40 percent from the floor as a group. Not helping the matters are linering injuries — senior Carlos Mullet is still not up to speed with strained ligaments in his foot, while classmate Pete Gaff has shot poorly (two of seven shooting for four points Saturday) due to a strained lower back.

“This is a tough stretch for us because we are not healthy and we have to persevere and overcome our lack of team depth,” said Daugherty.

Goshen was led by sophomore Josh Turnpaugh’s 11 points. No other Leaf scored in double-figures.

Goshen travels to Marian Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

JAN. 29 — Taylor Too Big For Goshen
Trojans use size to score and rebound; defeat Leafs 72-60

Met underneath: Junior Phil Mikel attacks the basket Tuesday night against Taylor's Matt Boling. Mikel tallied four points on the evening.

Goshen, IN — Taylor University used its collective height and strength to defeat Goshen at the Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday night by a 72-60 score. Playing five players at 6-5 or taller, the Trojans continually went inside to exploit the Leafs — 47 of the team’s 72 points came from inside the paint while Taylor outrebounded Goshen by a 35-13 margin.

Goshen (7-20, 3-6) did not help themselves early with extremely poor shooting. The Leafs began the game with 10 consecutive missed field goals, en route to shooting only 25 percent from the floor in the first half and an early 2-11 deficit. Despite the horrid output, Goshen was only down 37-24 at the half.

“I was pleased with our overall effort in the game,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “I thought that our intensity was solid for forty minutes. We tried to stick to our game plan both on offense and defense, although we still struggled shooting the ball in the first half.”

Goshen picked up the pace in the second stanza, shooting much better from the floor (46.4 percent) and cutting the Trojan lead to nine points with 15 minutes to play. Still, Taylor went inside time and time again — 6-8 post Adam Musters scored 19 points while 6-7 Matt Boling had 12 and 6-5 Matt Lettinga had 10 — to keep the spread.

“We did shoot the ball better in the second half, but I thought Taylor really used their size inside to hurt us,” Daugherty said. “Overall, it was our best effort in the last four games and I think that we are getting back to where we were in the first round of conference play.”

Goshen was led by junior Mark Wenclewicz’s 15 points on five of 10 shooting. Senior Pete Gaff had 13 points, while sophomore Josh Turnpaugh had nine. Sophomore Mark Wilson played in his first game in almost a month, garnering five points in 10 minutes of play. Senor point guard Carlos Mullet saw limited action, scoring one point in 12 minutes. Wilson has been out with a severe ankle sprain, while Mullet has strained ligaments in his right foot.

Goshen hosts Indiana Wesleyan this Saturday. Game time is 3 p.m.

JAN. 26 — Slumping Leafs Drop Haymaker To Huntington
Injured squad can't break out of funk; get beat 113-62 on road

Junior Phil Mikel

Huntington, IN — Goshen suffered its worst defeat of the season Saturday, dropping a 113-62 bombshell at Huntington. The Leafs shot only 35 percent from the field, marking the third straight game the team has shot under 40 percent collectively.

“This is the third game in a row where we have not shot the ball well,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We have to continue to work for good shots and then have the confidence to hit the shots when we are open.”

Huntington, one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, shot a 55 percent clip for the game overall and shot 16-32 from deep, compared to Goshen’s six of 23 three-point effort. Huntington’s senior post player David Porter scored 31 points, the most any individual has scored against the Leafs (7-19, 3-5) this season. This accompanied the 113 points given up by Goshen, the first time this season any team has reached the century mark against them.

“We wanted to try to defend the three-point line early in the game and give them one on one looks in the post,” Daugherty said. “They did a good job of reading this and hurt us inside. In the second half, they shot the ball well from the outside when we doubled the post.”

Goshen was led by junior Phil Mikel’s 18 points. No other Maple Leaf scored in double-figures.

Goshen was again without its senior point guard Carlos Mullet. Mullet is nursing a foot injury and is listed as day-to-day. Also recovering from a sprained ankle is sophomore swing Mark Wilson. Wilson’s prognosis is the same as Mullet’s.

“Offensively, we miss Carlos as our point guard and floor leader,” Daugherty said. “We do not have very good court organization without him and we press sometimes shooting the ball. Against Huntington, as we struggled on offense I thought it affected our defensive effort, especially blocking out and rebounding.”

Goshen gave up 12 offensive rebounds, and was outrebounded by a 50-32 margin. The Leafs also had 14 assists to 14 turnovers, while Huntington claimed a 26 to 11 ratio.

Goshen hosts Taylor Tuesday night. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

JAN. 22 — Grace Opens Game With Run Goshen Can't Come Back From
Lancers' 14-0 start is good enough to fend off Leafs, 74-64

Hangtime: Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh floats a jumper over Grace's Matt Abernethy. Turnpaugh finished witth 12 points on the night, though only shooting five of 14 from the floor.

Goshen, IN — Tuesday night’s men’s basketball game with Grace was slated to start at 7 p.m. in the Roman Gingerich Center. Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Maple Leafs.

Grace stormed out of the gates to a 14-0 lead before Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty was forced to call timeout. That early push helped Grace lead the entire game — the closest Goshen could get was within five — and secured a 74-64 Lancers victory.

“We had some very good looks at the basket early, and we missed,” said Daugherty, whose team missed its first seven shots from the floor. “Our intensity on defense wasn’t very good and Grace took it to us early.”

Goshen (7-18, 3-4) came up empty on its first 10 offensive possessions of the game, with the seven missed shots being intertwined with three turnovers. On the night, the Leafs shot a collective 39.4 percent from the field and had 13 turnovers. Grace connected on 53.6 percent of its shots.

Goshen cut the Lancer lead to five points with just over four minutes to go in the first half, but could get no closer. Grace’s 39-30 halftime lead ballooned to a 20-point cushion in the second half before Goshen put together a 23-13 run to end the game.

“This was a game where we never really made a strong push,” said Cory Furman, assistant coach. “We had trouble making good consecutive possessions, and when you start out down 14, you need a few of those.”

Sophomore Jeremy High came off the bench for the Leafs and scored 16 points, including going four of seven from three-point land. Senior Pete Gaff, junior Mark Wenclewicz and sophomore Josh Turnpaugh each had 12 points. Grace’s Matt Abernethy led all scorer’s with 28 points, 20 of which came in the second half.

Goshen was without its senior point guard Carlos Mullet. Mullet suffered a foot injury in Saturday’s game against St. Francis and remains questionable to play. The Leafs are also awaiting the return of sophomore swingman Mark Wilson. Wilson, who sprained his ankle three weeks ago, has yet to see action in a game or practice since.

Goshen travels to Mid-Central Collegiate Conference leading Huntington this Saturday. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

JAN. 19 — St. Francis Hands It To Goshen
Tired squad is no match for host Cougars; Leafs fall 52-97

Freshman Troy Springer

Fort Wayne, IN — Not much went right for Goshen on Saturday. In addition to losing by 46 points — the largest margin of defeat this season — two Goshen players suffered injuries during the 52-97 loss at St. Francis. Senior point guard Carlos Mullet compressed ligaments in his foot, while junior swingman Darin Nunemaker suffered a mild concussion after landing on his head when contesting a shot. For Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty, it was a day he’d soon like to put well past him.

“I am just hopeful that the injuries to Carlos and Darin will not keep them out of our next game with Grace,” Daugherty said. “This was a game that we just have to forget and move on.”

As the score would attest, Goshen was beaten soundly in all facets of the game, and it started from the tip. St. Francis missed its first shots on its three first possessions — but got three offensive rebounds and three scores. On the evening, the Cougars outrebounded Goshen by a 43-22 count, attempted 32 free throws to Goshen’s 17 and shot 62 percent from the floor to Goshen’s 35 percent.

“We looked like a tired team as we were playing our fourth game in eight days,” Daugherty said. “St. Francis played excellent and exploited all of our defensive weaknesses, especially in the post and driving the ball on the perimeter.”

Goshen (7-17, 3-3) trailed 27-44 at the half after connecting on 41 percent of its field goal attempts and three of nine from three-point land. The second half was a debacle offensively for the Leafs, as the team shot a collective nine of 30 from the floor and missed all 12 three-pointers in the second stanza.

“We played decent at times in the first half, but we still were fundamentally not sound in most areas,” Daugherty said. “In the second half, we lost all of our focus and this resulted in a complete breakdown of our fundamentals.”

Freshman Troy Springer collected a career-high 12 points before fouling out. No other Maple Leaf scored in double-figures.

Mullet and Nunemaker are questionable for Tuesday’s 7 p.m. home game with Grace. Sophomore swingman Mark Wilson is still recuperating from a high ankle sprain. He is hoping to be able to play within a week.

JAN. 17 — Unfocused Leafs Give Game To Grace Bible
Goshen still had opportunity to win despite mental and physical fatigue

Sophomore Jeremy High

Grand Rapids, MI — After collecting three straight wins in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, including a buzzer-beater ending against Bethel on Tuesday night, Goshen traveled to Grace Bible College Thursday. As head coach Stan Daugherty expected, his team was not focused. Goshen was defeated by a 71-72 score.

“This was a tough game for us being in the middle of conference season, particularly in the middle of a three game winning streak,” Daugherty said. “I thought that we tried to play hard and focus, but we were just not mentally sharp for most of the game.”

Despite this fact, Goshen (7-16, 3-2) led most of the game, including a 36-29 lead at the intermission, and was in a position to win at the end. The game got close down the stretch, with Goshen shooting only 52 percent from the free throw line (11 for 21) and committing 21 turnovers on the evening. With nine seconds remaining in the game and Grace Bible leading by one point, senior Pete Gaff was fouled on his way to the basket. He connected on both free throws to give Goshen a 71-70 advantage. The Leafs played solid defense on the final possession of the game, but the officials called a foul on senior guard Carlos Mullet with 2.5 seconds to play. Grace Bible connected on both foul shots. Sophomore guard Josh Turnpaugh’s last-second three-pointer fell just short as time expired.

“Most of our turnovers were unforced and we didn’t shoot the ball with much focus, especially at the free throw line,” Daugherty said. “I was pleased with our effort given the tough playing conditions and I hope that there were some lessons learned that will make us better as we continue conference play.”

Sophomore Jeremy High led the Leafs with 21 points. Gaff contributed 19. Goshen travels to St. Francis this Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip.

JAN. 15 — Goshen Gets Bethel At Buzzer, 64-62
Senior point guard hits game-winner from just beyond free throw line as time expires in regulation

Hard to the glass: Sophomore Jeremy High gets a layup against Bethel in the first half Tuesday night. High worked extremely hard in defending Bethel's post players, according to Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty.

Game winner: Senior Carlos Mullet knocks down the game-winning shot with 0:00 on the clock. Students rushed the floor after the 64-62 victory.

Goshen, IN — For point guard Carlos Mullet, four seconds of time was just enough Tuesday night. For the Bethel faithful, it was just too long.

With the game tied at 62 and four seconds remaining on the clock, the Goshen senior took the inbounds pass from just beyond half court and raced down the floor, pulling up from just behind the right elbow and nailing a 16-footer as the final horn sounded. A chaotic scene ensued, with the sold-out Goshen student section rushing the floor and enveloping the players.

“Obviously, that was a huge shot from our senior point guard,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “But our seniors really stepped up and made big plays all night.”

The fact that Mullet’s shot had the opportunity to happen was incredible in itself. In a game that saw neither team lead by more than six points at any time, Goshen (7-15, 3-2) found itself down by a point with 1:04 remaining. After a 20-second timeout called by Daugherty, Mullet scored a layup off an inbounds pass, making the score 62-61 Goshen with 53 seconds to play.

Bethel called a timeout, and looked to set up a final play. With 18 seconds remaining, Pilot freshman Jerod Weimer missed a three-pointer. Bethel sophomore Jake Parker collected the offensive rebound, but his 15-foot fallaway shot on the baseline missed. After a scramble, the ball was deflected out of bounds to Goshen. Only 10 seconds remained. Bethel took another time out to set up its full-court press.

“At that point, our guys were pretty confident,” said Cory Furman, assistant coach. “Being up by one and having the ball — I think we all felt like we were in control.”

But then, Goshen senior Pete Gaff was whistled for an offensive foul before the ball was inbounded. Gaff was attempting to go deep down the floor, when Pilot senior Tim Ritter slid in front of him, resulting in a charge call.
Ritter’s first free throw was good, tying the game at 62. He missed the second, and with nine seconds left junior Mark Wenclewicz came down with the apparent rebound. Goshen attempted to call for a timeout, but Wenclewicz was tied up by Bethel freshman Jake Parker on the rebounded free throw. The possession arrow favored Bethel with nine seconds remaining. Bethel head coach Mike Lightfoot took another timeout.

“You talk about a time when our guys could have folded,” Furman said. “We go from having the ball and being up one to not having it with the score tied? We could have easily felt sorry for ourselves. But our guys had a look in their eye — we were going to defend.”

And defend they did. Bethel attempted to get the ball in the post to junior Joel Grindle off the inbounds, but Wenclewicz got a hand on it. A loose ball situation followed, and Bethel was last to touch it as the ball went out of bounds five feet short of the half court line with four seconds to play. The rest, as they say, is history. After a Goshen timeout, Mullet’s shot hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

“We told Carlos during the timeout that he would have time for four dribbles and to get as deep down the floor as he could,” Daugherty said. “He did an excellent job of keeping his composure and made a terrific play.”

Mullet had plenty of help. Though Gaff was whistled for the untimely offensive foul, he was anything but detrimental for the Leafs' cause. His game-high 23 points on 10 of 13 shooting was just too much for Bethel throughout the game. Mullet finished with nine points, while sophomore Josh Turnpaugh added eight. Junior Darin Nunemaker had seven.

“There were two keys to the game from our perspective — defense and tempo,” Daugherty said. “Our post defenders worked extremely hard and made their inside play very difficult. We also got a lot of help from our guards helping on the post and we picked up some steals, including a big turnover with four seconds to play. Secondly, I thought when we beat the press we shot too quickly early in the game, but then we settled down and played a good half court game on offense. We didn’t want the score to get into the eighties or nineties.”

Goshen forced the Pilots into a 36 percent shooting effort from the field, including a five of 15 performance from beyond the arc. Neither team scored over a three-minute stretch late in the second half, before the late game heroics began.

“I was proud of our players resolve at the end of the game,” Daugherty said. “We had a couple of tough plays not go our way in the last 10 seconds, but we hung in there and made a couple of plays. It was a great college atmosphere and I was very pleased with how our players responded.”

The third-straight win pushes Goshen’s conference record to 3-2, good for a current fourth-place stronghold. Goshen travels to Grace Bible College this Thursday for an out-of-conference contest. The Leafs resume conference play Saturday when the team travels to St. Francis. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

JAN. 12 — Leafs Make It Two In A Row With Win Over Marian
Goshen plays well enough to win 80-73 at home

Pure shooter: Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh cans a three-pointer in the first half against Marain. The win put the Leafs at 2-2 in conference play.

Goshen, IN — Satruday’s 80-73 victory over Mid-Central Collegiate Conference foe Marian gave Goshen its first back-to-back wins in the conference since the 1998-1999 season. The Marian win came on the heels of a 67-65 defeat of Indiana Wesleyan on Tuesday night.

“This was a good win for us because it was against a quality team and it gave us back-to-back wins in the conference,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “Hopefully this win will give us more confidence as we continue play in the conference.”

It was a methodical win for the Leafs (6-15, 2-2) on Saturday, as the team found itself down by as many as eight points in the first half early, only to lead by 13 points later on. A run by Marian shortly before the conclusion of the first stanza made the score 44-38, Goshen.

The second half was similar to the first. Goshen was down by as many as five points with 13:52 to play, but responded with patience and poise. Goshen took a two-point lead with 4:46 to play and never trailed again. Marian’s full-court pressure forced the Leafs into 12 first-half turnovers. The team only committed six in the second half.

Goshen was lead by junior Mark Wencelwicz’s 16 points, while sophomore Jeremy High had 16, senior Carlos Mullet 11 and sophomore Peter Martensson 11.

“Our scoring balance was excellent and we got a great boost from our players who came off the bench to score a total of 32 points,” Daugherty said. “I thought that we adjusted to their press after struggling early in the game. Once we settled down we made good decisions.”

Goshen hosts Bethel on Tuesday. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

JAN. 8 — Goshen Gets First Conference Win Of Season
67-65 victory at Indiana Wesleyan is school's first conference road win in three years

Baseline look : Sophomore Peter Martensson gets a look at the basket early in the second half at IWU Tuesday. Martensson was one of nine players to play double-figure minutes in contributing to the team's first conference win.

Marion, IN — Prior to Tuesday night’s game at Indiana Wesleyan, one would have to look back to the 1998-99 men’s basketball season to find a Mid-Central Collegiate Conference road win in the Goshen College record books.

Look no more.

Goshen (5-15, 1-2) defeated Indiana Wesleyan on its home floor by a 67-65 score, giving the Leafs not only its first conference win of the year, but the school’s first MCC road victory in three seasons.

“Our effort was excellent against Indiana Wesleyan for the complete game,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “It was a solid team effort as we had nine players play in double-digit minutes and all nine contributed in a variety of ways. I hope that we can improve and not be satisfied with this good victory.”

It didn’t look to be a good night early for the Leafs. Playing a pressuring defense, the Wildcats raced off to an 8-0 lead before Goshen collectively calmed, and went on a run of its own. Senior Pete Gaff led the Leafs in scoring with 18 points, while juniors Mark Wenclewicz and Darin Nunemaker had 12 and 10, respectively.

Perhaps more important than scoring, however, was the Leafs’ defensive and rebounding efforts. Goshen outrebounded IWU by a 36-27 margin, with 14 of those boards coming on the offensive end. The Leafs couldn’t convert on its final three offensive possessions of the game, but relied on a stiff team defense that made each trip difficult for the Wildcats at the end.

“I was particularly pleased with our defense down the stretch,” Daugherty said. “We defended hard and went after rebounds and loose balls.”

Wesleyan was down by two with a chance to win or tie at the end of regulation. The Wildcats called a timeout with 17 seconds to play to set up a final look at the basket. Goshen defended the set well, as IWU guard Derick Shepherd was forced to shoot a contested shot with six seconds left. He missed, and the loose ball wound up in off guard Danny Morris’ hands. His last-ditch three-point attempt was long at the buzzer.

Goshen played nine of its ten dressed players, with all nine playing 15 minutes or more. The Leafs were without its versatile sophomore swingman Mark Wilson, however. Wilson sprained his ankle Monday in practice and is expected to miss one week of competition.

Goshen hosts Marian this Saturday at 3 p.m.

JAN. 5 — Leafs Give 6th Ranked Taylor A Fight
Goshen loses 57-69 in competing for 40 minutes

Rising: Senior Pete Gaff goes up for two of his team-high 18 points at Taylor Saturday. Goshen kept pace with the Trojans for the majority of the game, until a second-half shooting slump helped dig a 12-point deficit.

Upland, IN — Goshen brought a terrific effort to the table Saturday afternoon against the sixth-ranked team in the country. That effort, though commendable, was not enough to win as Goshen lost 57-69 to host Taylor.

“This was really a good effort against a very good team,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “ We played a good tempo, and we matched their tempo today. We battled hard defensively, even though they are much bigger than we are up front.”

The undersized Leafs (4-15, 0-2) were faced with the daunting task of defending Taylor’s three post players, standing 6-8, 6-7 and 6-5 across the paint. Despite 6-8 Adam Musters’ 13 points on six of seven shooting, Daugherty said he was pleased with his squad’s effort defending the post.

The Leafs trailed 31-33 at the intermission, and scored the first two points of the second half to tie the game. A mid-second half shooting slump hurt Goshen, as the Trojan lead grew to 12 on three different occasions. The Leafs were able to cut it to eight points on two different situations down the stretch, though they couldn’t convert shots to get any closer.

“That stretch in the second half where we didn’t shoot the ball as well as we had been was tough,” Daugherty said. “We did a good job rebounding the ball, which led to several more opportunities for us, however.”

Goshen outrebounded Taylor by a 29-23 count, though the Trojans shot the ball much better than the Leafs — 60 percent to 40 percent — and attempted 13 more free throws than Goshen.

Goshen was led by senior Pete Gaff’s 18 points on eight of 12 shooting before fouling out. Junior Phil Mikel had 10 points, while senior Carlos Mullet and junior Darin Nunemaker provided seven apiece.

“Coach Daugherty has talked a lot about humility and knowing who we are this season,” said Cory Furman, assistant coach. “As we start to build a new foundation here, our guys should feel good about their performance today. We’re getting better and we have to continue to do so.”

Goshen travels to Indiana Wesleyan Tuesday night. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.

JAN. 3 — First Conference Game Is Tale Of Two Halves
Leafs take two point lead into halftime, then surrender 68 points in second half and lose to Huntington, 82-105

Crowded space : Sophomores Jeremy High and Mark Wilson compete for a rebound against Huntington Thursday night.

Goshen, IN — Goshen competed hard with Huntington College for 20 minutes Thursday night, leading the Foresters in both free throws made and rebounds while taking a 39-37 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Then the second half started.

Goshen (4-14, 0-1) could not keep pace with Huntington’s 10 second-half threes and 76 percent second half shooting and gave up 68 points in the stanza, losing by a score of 82-105.

“In the second half, we did not match the intensity of Huntington,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “I thought that they picked it up a notch and we didn’t. They shot the ball extremely well from the three point line and we didn’t respond defensively.”

After eight ties in the first half, Goshen found itself up by as many as four points, even though the Foresters shot 54 percent from the floor in the first stanza.

“Obviously, I was very pleased with our first half of basketball,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “Our defensive awareness and effort was good and our offense was patient to get some good shots. We were aggressive with the basketball and got to the free throw line much more than Huntington.”

The Leafs were led by sophomore Josh Turnpaugh’s 17 points. Junior Phil Mikel had 13, while classmate Mark Wenclewicz and senior Pete Gaff had 12 apiece. Senior Carlos Mullet had nine points to go with four assists.

“This game should show our team that we can play with people in the conference, but it will take forty minutes of supreme effort and execution on both ends of the floor,” said Daugherty.

Goshen travels to Taylor Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip-off time.

DEC. 29 — Dismal Shooting Contributes to Loss Against Purdue Calumet
Leafs shoot 33 percent from the floor in 65-87 loss at home

Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh Senior Carlos Mullet

DEC. 20 — Goshen Can't Grasp A Win Before Break
Leafs miss three shots to win or tie in last eight seconds of game

Michigan City, IN — Goshen traveled to Purdue University North Central Thursday night and was defeated by a 94-92 score.

Playing in a middle school gymnasium, the host team stayed close to the Leafs the entire game, trailing by no more than five points at any time. Goshen (4-12, 0-0) found itself down by eight with just over nine minutes to play but had its share of opportunities to win or tie the game in the final possession.

After a PNC basket with 12.5 seconds remaining put the host school up by two, Goshen senior guard Carlos Mullet pushed the ball down the floor and passed to a wide open Pete Gaff (senior) for a three-point attempt. His shot was long, and junior Darin Nunemaker rebounded with just over three seconds to play. Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty called a timeout with 2.5 seconds remaining to set up a final look at the basket.

The Leafs executed it’s set perfectly, as sophomore Jeremy High received the inbounds pass and had a wide open look from four feet away on the baseline. His shot rimmed out, and another offensive rebound by Nunemaker gave the Leafs an additional look at the buzzer. His tip-in attempt was short, and the Leafs fell by the 94-92 score.

“Our effort tonight was better but our execution on offense was not,” said Daugherty. “We missed several layups and we had good shots at the end that didn’t fall.”

No game stats were available from the contest. Goshen is idle until Dec. 29 when the team hosts Purdue University Calumet. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.

DEC. 18 — Poor Start Dooms Leafs
Calumet College races off to 60-41 halftime lead and never looks back

Open look: Sophomore Peter Martensson attempts one of his six shots against Calumet Tuesday night. He finished with seven points.

Goshen, IN — Goshen College came out of the gates very poorly Tuesday night against Calumet College, found itself down by 19 points at halftime and got beat by a 104-92 score in the Roman Gingerich Center.

“Calumet played much harder than we did in the first half, particularly on the offensive end of the floor,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “Our decisions on offense were not good the first half and we didn’t shoot the ball well. Defensively, in the first half we didn’t pressure their shooters well.”

The Crimson Wave got up by as many as 22 points on two different occasions in the first half. After a long halftime discussion, the Leafs came out in the second stanza with a 9-0 run of its own, cutting the Calumet lead to seven points on eight different occasions. Goshen (4-11, 0-0) could get no closer, however, as the Crimson Wave made free throws down the stretch.

“I hope that this game reinforces the idea that we have to be mentally prepared from the opening tip to the end of the game,” Daugherty said.

The Leafs were led in scoring by sophomore Jeremy High. High scored 25 points and grabbed seven boards. Senior Pete Gaff had 19, while senior Carlos Mullet and junior Darin Nunemaker each had 12. Mullet had nine assists to two turnovers on the evening.

Goshen travels to Purdue University North Central Thursday night in its last game before a brief Christmas break. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

DEC. 15 — Leafs Drop Heartbreaker To Spring Arbor
Contest goes down to final possession; Goshen falls 76-78

Senior Pete Gaff

Goshen, IN — Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty had been wanting his team to have the opportunity to play in a tightly contested game that would go down to the wire.

On Saturday afternoon, he got it.

Spring Arbor University defeated Goshen by a 76-78 score in a game that literally came down to who had the ball last. After being down the entire contest, the Leafs came roaring back to force the cardiac finish.

“I was glad that we played in a close game because I am sure that we will have several games like that if we are to compete in the conference,” Daugherty said. “The key for us is to learn from this game and be better prepared for any close games in the future.”

Goshen (4-10, 0-0) came out sluggish according to Daugherty, and save for a 3-2 lead at the start, trailed the entire game until the 2:35 mark in the second half. Being down 52-61 at the 9:15 point, the Leafs put together a 14-4 run which led to the late game scenario.

“I was proud of our comeback the last ten minutes of the game,” Daugherty said. “We played some decent defense and we executed on offense better.”

Goshen found itself down 72-73 with 41 seconds to play after a made Pete Gaff (senior) layup. The Leafs fouled, and Spring Arbor’s Rob Salisbury connected on both free throws. This scenario happened twice more, until two seconds remained on the clock. Spring Arbor’s Matt Magee intentionally missed the second free throw after making his first, and with no time outs remaining, Goshen’s Pete Gaff grabbed the rebound and hoisted a 70-foot heave for the win. It fell short, and the game concluded.

“I thought we were a little sluggish (at the start of the game),” Daugherty said. “Perhaps the week of finals and playing at Valpo on Thursday finally caught up with us mentally and physically.”

The Leafs were led by Gaff’s game-high 22 points. Junior Mark Wenclewicz was four of eight from behind the arc scoring 18 points, while sophomore Jeremy High scored 13 and grabbed 10 rebounds, all while playing with a stomach virus.

Goshen must quickly turn around for Calumet College of St. Joseph’s. The Crimson Wave visit the Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

DEC. 13 — Goshen Takes Its Shot At Valpo
Team loses by a large margin; Daugherty says squad is better for the experience

Seven-footer: Sophomore Peter Martensson attempts a shot in the lane against 7-0 Antti Nikkila at Valparaiso Thursday night.

Valparaiso, IN — Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty knew that playing one of the best college basketball teams in the country would be a difficult test in his first year as head coach at Goshen. He also knew that the opportunity was too good to pass on.

On Thursday night, the Maple Leafs traveled to Valparaiso University and got beat, 98-54. Amid the defeat, however, a tremendous experience was gained.

“This was overall a great experience to play a Division I school the caliber of Valparaiso,” Daugherty said. “They obviously were much bigger, stronger and quicker than us, but it forced us to play quicker and stronger also. Will it help us in the future? Only time will tell, but I think our guys learned a lot about the potential we have to play better than we have up to this point in the season.”

The experience started in a hurry Thursday night in Valpo’s ARC Arena. After losing the tip, Goshen (4-9, 0-0) got a stop defensively and found itself in a position to score the game's first points. Senior Pete Gaff couldn’t connect on a three-point attempt, and the Valpo run was on. The score was 17-0, Crusaders, before junior Phil Mikel connected on a short jumper at the 15 minute mark. Mikel led all scorers on the night, nabbing 22 points on 8-15 shooting, including four of eight from three-point land. Gaff was the only other Leaf in double-figures, scoring 14 points. Junior Mark Wenclewicz scored eight points on three of six shooting.

“It was good to see Phil (Mikel) shoot the ball well from the perimeter against a very good defense,” Daugherty said. “I was pleased with our rebounding effort and the way we moved the ball against their match-up zone.”

Goshen was only outrebounded by a 50-40 margin, despite being outsized at every position on the floor. Sophomore Mark Wilson led the effort with seven rebounds, while four players had five apiece.

“We tried to use the television timeouts (at every four minutes) to break up the game into more manageable segments, keeping score within each segment,” said Cory Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “With the exception of the first four minutes of each half (a 13-0 and 16-3 Valpo run) we competed fairly well. This is a very good Valparaiso team.”

The Crusaders are currently 7-2, and were ranked 52nd in the country by Sports Illustrated in a pre-season poll. Goshen was wedged in the schedule between Rhode Island and New Mexico State University. Goshen now hosts a tough Spring Arbor team this Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

DEC. 7-8 — Goshen Plays Better Basketball In Tournament
Leafs take host school to the wire; win consolation game in Franklin Classic

Sophomore Jeremy High

Franklin, IN — Goshen College made huge strides in the improvement of its play this weekend, winning against Berea College and nearly knocking off the host school in this weekend’s Franklin College Goaltenders-Bankers Classic.

Paired with Franklin in the late first round game Friday night, Goshen (4-8, 0-0) was anything but easy competition for the host school. Despite a very good shooting night by the Grizzlies (49 percent from the field), Goshen was in the game until the end, trailing 79-83 with 50 seconds remaining in the game. Franklin scored on its next possession and made free throws down the stretch, however, making the final 90-82, Franklin.

“This was overall our best effort of the year,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We were pleased to be in a position to win without shooting the ball all that well.”

Franklin’s inside game of seniors Josh Quattrochi (6-6) and Jed Zarse (6-8) were a load inside, scoring 23 and 17 points, respectively. Still, Goshen outrebounded the Grizzlies by a 40 to 32 count, and made a serious push to take the game at the end.

“To be honest, I really felt like Franklin deserved to win that game,” said Cory Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “They made some huge shots in the second half when I felt like we were in control, forcing them into shots that we wanted them to take. Franklin fended off our effort which I thought was enough to win it.”

That effort was led by sophomore Jeremy High. High shared game-leading scoring honors with Quattrochi, scoring 23 points while nabbing 12 rebounds, all in 25 minutes of play. High had plenty of help — junior Phil Mikel contributed 17 points off the bench, senior Pete Gaff had 15 while juniors Darin Nunemaker and Mark Wenclewicz had 11 and 10, respectively.

Facing Berea College (KY) in the consolation game Saturday, Goshen again had to come back from a poor first half shooting performance. Trailing by six at the intermission after shooting just 32 percent from the floor, Goshen stormed back shooting a blistering 62 percent in the second half (69 percent from three-point land) and defeated the Mountaineers, 87-80.

“We hung around in the first half and we stepped up and made big shots in the second,” Daugherty said. “It was encouraging that we shot the ball that well in the fourth half of the tournament.”

Goshen again outrebounded its opponent — this time by a 43-27 margin — and again placed five players in double figures. High led the way for the second straight time, scoring 21 points and grabbing seven boards. Nunemaker had 17, Mikel had 13, Wenclewicz scored 12 and Gaff 10 with nine rebounds.

High was selected to the all-tournament team as a result of his play over the weekend. Franklin defeated Marian College 81-79 to take the championship game Saturday afternoon. Marian defeated Berea 89-58 in its first round game to set up the championship.

DEC. 4 — Leafs Finally Rewarded For Effort
Goshen gets a much-needed win after playing better basketball in last three outings

Playing well : Senior Pete Gaff gets an easy bucket against Tri-State on Nov. 20. Gaff led the Leafs against IUSB Tuesday, pouring in 19 points on eight attempts.

South Bend, IN — After playing stretches of good basketball throughout the last three games, Goshen was finally rewarded with a much deserved 80-70 win over Indiana University South Bend Tuesday night.

“We have been playing better each week so it was nice to see our guys get a win for their improvements,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach.

Playing in IUSB’s brand new Student Activities Center, the Leafs (3-7, 0-0) shot out to an early 17-4 lead. Goshen led by as many as 19 on two different occasions, but the Titans pulled to within 14 at the intermission. IUSB put a 19-9 run together in the second half, but the Leafs responded with an 8-0 run of its own to hold the Titans off.

“When we spread the ball around we are much more effective,” Daugherty said. “Perhaps the most important aspect of the game was the way we handled their run in the second half — that was a key to our win.”

As in all of Goshen’s wins, the scoring balance was tremendous: Senior Pete Gaff led the way for the Leafs with 19 points and six rebounds, junior Phil Mikel chipped in 13 while sophomores Jeremy High and Mark Wilson each had 10 apiece. Junior Darin Nunemaker and sophomore Peter Martensson each scored nine points. Senior guard Carlos Mullet saw his first full game back from a hamstring injury, playing 28 minutes while dishing out five assists and pulling down eight rebounds. Goshen shot 11 for 21 from the three-point line in handing IUSB only its third loss of the season.

“Overall this was a good outing against a good team,” Daugherty said.

The Leafs travel to Franklin College this weekend for a four-team tournament. Goshen will play the host school at 8 p.m. Friday night.

DEC. 1 — Goshen Competes Hard With Adrian
Squad plays some of its best basketball but falters down stretch

Senior Pete Gaff Sophomore Jeremy High Junior Phil Mikel

NOV. 27 — Road Swing Starts With Loss
Kalamazoo remains undefeated after beating Leafs 64-48 Tuesday night

Braintrust: Head coach Stan Daugherty and assistant coach Cory Furman take in action during a game earlier this season. Daugherty has emphasized the need for more consistency among his players.

Kalamazoo, MI — Playing well in stretches again wasn’t enough for Goshen College, as the Leafs fell at Kalamazoo College by a 48-64 count Tuesday night.

“Our biggest difficulty continues to be inconsistency on offense,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We would play well for four or five minutes, then we would not move very well for four or five minutes.”

This inconsistency translated into a game of runs Tuesday. After being down by six points at the half, the Leafs (2-6, 0-0) watched the Hornets build a 19-point lead midway through the second stanza. Goshen would push back, however, making the score 42-47, Kalamazoo, with a little over nine minutes to play.

Kalamazoo then went on a five to nothing run, but even with three minutes left the Leafs were down by 10 with several opportunities.

“We had two great looks at three-pointers that we missed to cut into the lead at that point,” Daugherty said.

Goshen was led by senior Pete Gaff and sophomore Jeremy High’s 13 points each. Gaff led the team in rebounding and assists with six total boards and three assists. Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh dropped in eight points, all in the second half.

“Overall, we are playing better basketball,” Daugherty said. “We just have to sustain it for longer periods of time.”

Kalamazoo pushed its record to 4-0 with the win over the Leafs. Goshen continues its six game road swing Saturday when the team travels to Adrian College. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

NOV. 20 — Goshen Struggles On Offense And Loses To Tri-State
Team produces 22 fewer points than its scoring average; drops 55-74 decision

Avoiding contact: Junior Mark Wenclewicz attempts a shot early in the game against Tri-State Tuesday night. Wenclewicz, along with most of his teammates, was held under his scoring average against the Thunder.

Goshen, IN — After scoring 77.2 points per game as a team coming into Tuesday night’s game with Tri-State, Goshen College went cold on its own court and fell to the Thunder, 55-74.

“We struggled all night getting into a flow on the offensive end,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We would make good decisions on one possession and then make bad decisions on other possessions. We were not very consistent in our offense.”

After averaging four players scoring in double-figures, the Leafs (2-5, 0-0) could only muster two players — senior Pete Gaff with 17 and sophomore Jeremy High with 12 — in double digits Tuesday.

Trailing only by four points at the half, Tri-State built a 13 point lead early in the second half. Goshen did not respond to that run, and Tri-State maintained a lead of at least eight points for the final 10 minutes.

“Hopefully, we can learn how to handle runs like the one Tri-State made on us early in the second half in future games,” Daugherty said.

Goshen’s size was tested throughout the evening, as Tri-State’s bigger perimeter players attempted to post Goshen’s. According to Daugherty, the defensive effort was enough to win the game.

“I thought our defensive effort was good and for a lot of the game we made good decisions on defense,” Daugherty said. “It was a challenge for us to defend the post, but for the most part we did a decent job.”

Adding to the Leafs peril was an eight for 18 performance at the free throw line, with six of those misses coming during the stretch that Tri-State made its run.

Goshen is off for a week, and will travel to Michigan to play Kalamazoo College on Nov. 27.

NOV. 16 — Judson Gets The Best Of Leafs
Goshen's good start doesn't last long; team falls 68-97 on road

Sophomore Jeremy High

NOV. 13 — Goshen Explodes To 37-Point Win Against Grace Bible
Leafs build on 10-point halftime lead en route to win

Strong in the paint: Senior Pete Gaff gets two of his nine points early in the second half against Grace Bible College Tuesday night.

NOV. 9-10 — Leafs See Both Ends Of Spectrum In Weekend Tournament
Team plays well Friday and poorly Saturday; lose two games at Mt. Vernon Nazarene

Senior Pete Gaff Sophomore Mark Wilson

In the distance: Junior Phil Mikel pulls up for a jumper late in the game against Purdue University North Central Tuesday night. Mikel was one of four Maple Leafs scoring in double figures.

NOV. 3 — Goshen Gives Great Effort In First Game Of Season
Leafs drop an 80-92 decision to Roberts Wesleyan; injured squad has two days rest before next game

Sophomore Josh Turnpaugh Junior Mark Wenclewicz