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JAN.
15 — Leafs Pull Away From Trinity International, Twice
Goshen
needs two bursts to put away visiting Trojans by 80-64
score |
Goshen, IN — It may have been just
one game, but the Goshen College men’s basketball team needed
two very separate -— yet very impressive — scoring bursts
to put away visiting Trinity International University by an 80-64 score
Saturday at the Roman Gingerich Center. A 16 to two Leaf opening to
the game wasn’t enough to thwart the Trojans’ efforts, as
Trinity International responded with a 15 to two run of its own to pull
to an 18-17 deficit, and the game was anyone’s for the taking.
Fortunately for Goshen, the Leafs were able to assemble a 22 to six
run midway through the second half to put the game away, this time for
good.
“College basketball is a game of runs, and we experienced that
first hand today,” said Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “We
came out with a great start to the game, but then we got kind
of lackadaisical with the lead. Trinity quickly took advantage of that,
and we had a game
on our hands.”
A close game was perhaps the last thing anyone in the arena’s crowd
expected after the contest’s first six minutes, where Goshen (14-7,
3-4) looked to be hitting on all cylinders. The team scored on eight of
its first 11 shots from the field, generating a 16-2 lead with 14:10 to
play in the first half. It was then Trinity International’s turn
to put together a streak, connecting on six of its next seven shots from
the floor — which included three three-pointers from the Trojans’ Leigh
Batts — in cutting the Leafs’ lead to a single point. Goshen
would again increase its lead to eight points (a 30-22 lead with 5:29
remaining), but Trinity closed the first half with an 11 to two run to
make the score 33-32, Trojans, at the break.
“Trinity International has some very good offensive players, and
we were a step slow defensively for much of the first half,” Daugherty
said. “We talked at halftime about the need for better effort, and
our players responded.”
Goshen steadily rebuilt its lead from the start of the second
half, and led 50-42 with 12:27 to play. Trinity International cut into
that lead by four points just seconds later, but the 50-46 deficit was
as close as it would come. Daugherty’s team put together a 22 to
six run over the next eight and a half minutes, and the Leafs led 72-52
with 4:07 remaining. The final margin of 16 points was as close as the
Trojans would get over the final four minutes of action.
For the game, Goshen connected on 30 of 60 shots from the field
(50 percent) and made seven of 21 three-point tries (33.3 percent) but
hit six of 11 in the second half. Conversely, Trinity International shot
36.9 percent from the field (24 of 65) and made just four of 23 tries
from deep (17.4 percent), including a zero for 10 performance in the second
period. The win came on the Leafs’ bye weekend in Mid-Central Conference
action, as the addition of Spring Arbor University to the league gives
two of the MCC’s nine teams a night off within inter-conference
play each week.
“We attacked Trinity’s zone better in the second half,
and our interior passing and perimeter shooting improved,” Daugherty
said. “We also had a better effort defensively. I liked the way
we finished the game. I didn’t necessarily expect the intensity
of an MCC game, but we had a good, solid effort in the second
half this afternoon.”
The Leafs were led by senior Paul Kopanski’s 22 points on 10 of
15 shooting from the field. He also had 10 rebounds. Junior Eric Walsh
chipped in 15 points and six boards, while classmate Jordan Buller scored
13 points to go with a team-high nine assists. Sophomore Willie Frazier
scored 12 points and snagged 11 rebounds, while junior Tyler Sheerer scored
seven points and freshman Brice Hartman six. Goshen recorded 24 assists
on its 30 made shots for the afternoon, greatly pleasing Daugherty.
“It’s been this way since I got here, but we are
a much more effective team when we share the ball well,” Daugherty
said. “Hopefully
today’s game can help us into the second round of conference play.”
The Leafs conclude the MCC’s first round on Tuesday night, when
the team will host rival Grace College to the Roman Gingerich Center.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. |
  Senior
Paul Kopanski
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