(First Round Box Score) (Championship Box Score)
Adrian, MI — It was more of the same for the Goshen College men’s basketball program this weekend, as the team captured the 29th annual Siena Heights University Maple City Classic Championship via a 74-60 defeat of Daemen College Friday night and a 84-72 win over the host Saints in Saturday evening’s championship contest.
The wins moved Goshen (6-1, 0-0) to 6-1 on the season, the program’s best start to a year since the 2004-2005 campaign’s 7-1 opening run. The Leafs also captured their first tournament title since last year’s McDonald’s Maple City Hoopfest Championship (click here for related article), as only a dramatic, come-from-behind loss to Aquinas College in this year’s Hoopfest (click here for article) has provided the team’s lone setback to date.
“We do feel good about the start that we have gotten off to, no question,” said Gary Chupp, Goshen head coach. “But we realize that we need to play at a higher level with Mid-Central Conference play right around the corner. In no way are we patting ourselves on the back right now. That is for sure.”
One player hard-pressed to play at a higher level is sophomore guard Errick McCollum, as the wiry Canton, Ohio native scored 24 points and grabbed 14 boards in Friday’s win over Daemen and then poured in 33 points and collected nine rebounds in Saturday’s championship win over Siena Heights. Those numbers equated to tournament most valuable player honors, while McCollum’s overall scoring average of 28.7 points per game is currently second best in the nation at the NAIA Division II level (minimum five games played). In Goshen’s last five contests, McCollum has scored 30, 30, 37, 24 and 33 points, respectively.
“Errick had an outstanding tournament and is having an incredible start to his sophomore season,” Chupp said. “We had a number of quality contributions this weekend, though, and to a player we’re starting to realize just how we can all help the team succeed.”
Chupp’s squad used a stifling defense to get past Daemen in Friday night’s opening contest, holding the Wildcats to just a nine for 33 second-half shooting effort (27.3 percent). That clip helped the Leafs turn a 39-37 halftime advantage into the final 74-60 margin, as Goshen was able to connected on 29 of 66 shots overall (43.9 percent).
Following McCollum’s impressive line, Goshen received 11 points and 10 rebounds from senior Brice Hartman while sophomore Nate West added 10 points and six caroms. Junior Kyle Laker scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds, while freshman guard Scott Bruggeman scored nine points and dished out a team-high five assists.
Facing the hosts in Saturday night’s championship contest, Chupp’s squad again handled adversity effectively. After a 54.2 percent first-half shooting clip lead to a 40-28 advantage at the intermission, a strong Saints’ surge to open the second half eventually tied the contest at 44-44.
Goshen did not panic, however, and went on to connect on 14 of 28 shots in the second period (50 percent), eventually coasting to the 12-point win.
Hartman again padded McCollum’s scoring efforts, charting a season-high 21 points on a brilliant seven for eight shooting performance. West scored nine points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while Bruggeman dished out a game-high six assists in 25 minutes of work.
“We knew Siena Heights was going to come out firing on all cylinders playing in their home championship so we emphasized matching their intensity,” Chupp said. “We came out and defended very well for the first ten minutes of the game, which provided a double-digit lead that we took into halftime. Although they knocked down several threes starting out the second half to tie the score, I was very pleased that we took that punch and immediately built the lead back up.
“It was good to see Hartman find his shooting touch in the championship game,” Chupp continued. “Nate did a great job on the boards all weekend, and I thought Scott Bruggeman provided tremendous leadership at the point position.”
Goshen will next look to equal the 2004-2005 season’s 7-1 record on Tuesday, when the team hosts the University of Northwestern Ohio. That game will be the second leg of a men’s-women’s double-header. Game time is set for approximately 8 p.m.
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Sophomore Errick McCollum