|
|
JAN. 5 — Maple Leafs bounce back to claim win on the road
Solid team effort gives Goshen a 101-71 win over USF |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Following its first conference loss of the season, the Goshen College men’s basketball team traveled to Fort Wayne on Saturday to face the University of Saint Francis Cougars.
The Maple Leafs (14-3, 2-1) came into the contest looking to rebound from a poor shooting performance against Spring Arbor, making 31% from the field, and to also knock off the NAIA Div. II 20th ranked Cougars on their home floor. Both goals were achieved as Goshen shot 63.5% overall from the field, and convincingly won by a 101-71 score.
The game started relatively slowly for the Leafs as they quickly found themselves in a five-point deficit in the opening minutes. Down 5-0, and not wanting to repeat their subpar performance of their last game, the Leaf offense ignited to go on a 12-2 run and grab the lead.
From this point, Goshen would never trail again.
Thanks in large part to their three-point shooting, making 8 of 11 from beyond the arch, the Leafs would finish the half making 70.8% of shots from the field. Along with the offensive push, Goshen also flexed its muscles on defense by holding Saint Francis to only 28 points, giving the Leafs a 49-28 advantage going into the break.
Regarding the team’s performance, head coach Gary Chupp said, "I was very pleased with how our guys bounced back from a poor performance at home on Wednesday. We brought the defensive intensity from the the tip and took control early on, eventually building a 21-point halftime lead."
Chupp added, "It’s amazing what a couple of days will do. We shot 19% in the second half of our loss to Spring Arbor on Wednesday, and 71% in the first half tonight. I think it all starts at the defensive end; when we get after it, our offense comes naturally. That was certainly the case tonight.”
The second half saw the Cougars heat up offensively, as they ended the half shooting 60.9% from the field. However, Goshen’s defense stayed tough and never let Saint Francis within striking distance, giving the offense many opportunities to improve on the 21-point halftime lead.
Aiding in the defensive effort were Goshen forwards Sam Boldman and Caleb Kitchell, who each contributed two blocks to the Maple Leaf’s total of eight. Also, Errick McCollum turned in four steals to help the team finish with eight steals for the game.
Leading all scorers was sophomore Errick McCollum with 29 points. Senior Brice Hartman followed with 24, making 6 of 7 from three-point range. The Goshen bench also helped the final score by posting 31 points, with each player giving a positive contribution in at least one statistical category.
In a final thought, coach Chupp added, "We approached tonight's game with a sense of urgency, knowing we had to get that home loss back by knocking someone off on the road. Even though Saint Francis has lost some kids due to injury, they are going to win a lot of games this year, so this was an important win for our program.”
The Maple Leafs are now set to face another tough MCC challenge as they will host the NAIA Div. II 24th ranked Pilots of Bethel College at the Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center. This may prove to be a pivotal game in the MCC standings as both teams are 2-1 in conference play. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Click Here For Complete 2007-2008 Season
News
|
  Senior Brice Hartman
|
|
|
|
|
|
