An imperfect 10 (minutes)..MU men game story for the Press for Sunday
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - There were just over 10 minutes remaining in Saturday's
Northeast Conference game when Monmouth University freshman
Jhamar Youngblood squeezed
off a 15-footer.
The basket gave the Hawks a nine-point lead and a critical and uplifting
victory over first place Central Connecticut State appeared in sight.
""I was saying to somebody on the court, "Let's just get stops, all we need
is two or four more points and we're going to win the game,' ''said Monmouth
senior Dejan Delic.
But Monmouth scored just one point after that on a Marques Alston free throw.
It missed seven shots, turned the ball over six times, and CCSU roared back.
The Blue Devils rallied to sink the Hawks, 49-46, outscoring Monmouth 13-1 to close the game before
1,528 fans at Detrick Gymnasium.
CCSU (9-10, 6-1), in winning for the first time in the last eight
games vs. Monmouth (7-11, 2-4), extended the NEC losing streak of the Hawks
to three games, their longest NEC skid since the 1999-2000 season.
That year Monmouth ended 12-16, 9-9
in sixth place in the NEC.
After Saturday Monmouth remained tied with Wagner (5-12, 2-4), with
whom it holds the tie-breaker, for the eighth and final NEC Tournament
playoff berth.
Delic said Monmouth's second half offensive fade was not related to
nervousness on an opponent's floor.
"They're (CCSU) a pretty good defensive team,'said Delic of the NEC's
defensive leaders.
""They're really packed in,'' he said. ""It's hard to get in the lane.''
Trailing by the final score with six seconds left Monmouth was attempting
to free Delic (14 points) or Whitney Coleman (10 points) for a 3-point attempt,
but a Delic 3 under duress hit the front rim.
On the prior Monmouth possession, down 47-46, Jhamar Youngblood (12
points), committed his fifth personal foul as he was called for charging
with 47 seconds showing.
""We tried to run something (a play) sooner and we didn't get it,'' said
Dave Calloway, Monmouth coach. ""Then we were just running our stuff.
"" He was
trying to get to the basket to make a play and the official saw that he pushed
off and called it.''
Calloway said he was at fault during the game for calling too many
offensive plays from the
bench.
""I think they (the players) start looking for us to call something
every time,'' he said. ""Then, if it doesn't work, they kind of get stagnant.
""That's why I try not to call stuff, we've got good players, let them
play. I started calling stuff a little too soon.''
Both teams played their starting fives almost the entire second half.
Monmouth 7-2 center John Bunch (one point, two turnovers, one rebound) was
ineffective
in eight first half minutes and Calloway elected not to play him in the
second half.
""He's been ineffective for three straight games,'' said Calloway. ""He's got
to start getting effective.
""He got the ball four times in there (the post). And he made one foul shot
and three times he got the ball taken from him or he didn't catch it.''
"We did what we wanted do do with Bunch"",'' said Howie Dickenman, Central coach.
""Last year he came in here and had his own way. We really wanted to smother
him.''
Bunch scored 34 points in Monmouth's three game sweep of CCSU last season.
CCSU senior guard Javier Mojica was gratified to see Monmouth's domination
of the Blue Devils come to an end.
""So getting this win was a great win,'' said Mojica.
He also noted Monmouth may be a little different minus its two senior guards
from the 2007 NEC Tournament champions.
""Last year they had great players like (Tyler) Azzarelli and (Chris)
Kenny who basically were the heart and soul of their team and ran the offense
and kind of gave them that fire,''said Mojica.
"'But this year they're also a great team.''
""It's a tough one to take,'' said Delic. ""But still we can go into
the next game (Monday at St. Francis, N.Y.) knowing that we finally played
well.
""Not as well as it should be. But the effort was there.''
""We've got to get Monday,'' said Calloway. "'Monday is a huge game.''
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com Read his blog@www.app.com
STAFF WRITER
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - There were just over 10 minutes remaining in Saturday's
Northeast Conference game when Monmouth University freshman
Jhamar Youngblood squeezed
off a 15-footer.
The basket gave the Hawks a nine-point lead and a critical and uplifting
victory over first place Central Connecticut State appeared in sight.
""I was saying to somebody on the court, "Let's just get stops, all we need
is two or four more points and we're going to win the game,' ''said Monmouth
senior Dejan Delic.
But Monmouth scored just one point after that on a Marques Alston free throw.
It missed seven shots, turned the ball over six times, and CCSU roared back.
The Blue Devils rallied to sink the Hawks, 49-46, outscoring Monmouth 13-1 to close the game before
1,528 fans at Detrick Gymnasium.
CCSU (9-10, 6-1), in winning for the first time in the last eight
games vs. Monmouth (7-11, 2-4), extended the NEC losing streak of the Hawks
to three games, their longest NEC skid since the 1999-2000 season.
That year Monmouth ended 12-16, 9-9
in sixth place in the NEC.
After Saturday Monmouth remained tied with Wagner (5-12, 2-4), with
whom it holds the tie-breaker, for the eighth and final NEC Tournament
playoff berth.
Delic said Monmouth's second half offensive fade was not related to
nervousness on an opponent's floor.
"They're (CCSU) a pretty good defensive team,'said Delic of the NEC's
defensive leaders.
""They're really packed in,'' he said. ""It's hard to get in the lane.''
Trailing by the final score with six seconds left Monmouth was attempting
to free Delic (14 points) or Whitney Coleman (10 points) for a 3-point attempt,
but a Delic 3 under duress hit the front rim.
On the prior Monmouth possession, down 47-46, Jhamar Youngblood (12
points), committed his fifth personal foul as he was called for charging
with 47 seconds showing.
""We tried to run something (a play) sooner and we didn't get it,'' said
Dave Calloway, Monmouth coach. ""Then we were just running our stuff.
"" He was
trying to get to the basket to make a play and the official saw that he pushed
off and called it.''
Calloway said he was at fault during the game for calling too many
offensive plays from the
bench.
""I think they (the players) start looking for us to call something
every time,'' he said. ""Then, if it doesn't work, they kind of get stagnant.
""That's why I try not to call stuff, we've got good players, let them
play. I started calling stuff a little too soon.''
Both teams played their starting fives almost the entire second half.
Monmouth 7-2 center John Bunch (one point, two turnovers, one rebound) was
ineffective
in eight first half minutes and Calloway elected not to play him in the
second half.
""He's been ineffective for three straight games,'' said Calloway. ""He's got
to start getting effective.
""He got the ball four times in there (the post). And he made one foul shot
and three times he got the ball taken from him or he didn't catch it.''
"We did what we wanted do do with Bunch"",'' said Howie Dickenman, Central coach.
""Last year he came in here and had his own way. We really wanted to smother
him.''
Bunch scored 34 points in Monmouth's three game sweep of CCSU last season.
CCSU senior guard Javier Mojica was gratified to see Monmouth's domination
of the Blue Devils come to an end.
""So getting this win was a great win,'' said Mojica.
He also noted Monmouth may be a little different minus its two senior guards
from the 2007 NEC Tournament champions.
""Last year they had great players like (Tyler) Azzarelli and (Chris)
Kenny who basically were the heart and soul of their team and ran the offense
and kind of gave them that fire,''said Mojica.
"'But this year they're also a great team.''
""It's a tough one to take,'' said Delic. ""But still we can go into
the next game (Monday at St. Francis, N.Y.) knowing that we finally played
well.
""Not as well as it should be. But the effort was there.''
""We've got to get Monday,'' said Calloway. "'Monday is a huge game.''
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com Read his blog@www.app.com
posted by Tony Graham at 8:13 PM
10 Comments:
Time to send Bunch back to the movie theater were the Lincoln coach wife found him.Its over the season and the winning streak.Wow how fast the MU Basketball fell apart,lots of questions and no answers to the reason why this team has no guts.2-4 in the NEC is a Joke.....
Mu was pick number 1 what were they smoking? They will be lucky to be 8th place ,my guess is last.
10 minutes of pure Basketball miss mgt and poor coaching.Mu is done its over say good by to the 6 years of winning seasons...
Corey and Bunch 3pts in 40 min at center? How about 1 re bound and 5 t/o why do they play... Because Rickey is in his room trying to figure out how to work the alarm clock.... What a Div 1 program we have...
What happen to the team,why don't they win,is it over or are they just done with the season??? Any answers or what changes do you see..
Bob...Stephens is averaging 11 points and 4 rpg. fopr UMKC (7-14, 2-3).
He is the No. two scorer..wouldn't call him a "star".
But would have been a significant contributor at MU though. I have always thought that.
One word to describe MU basketball: inconsistent.
One game Jhamar makes the opposing team look like idiots...the next, well, he turns the ball over more times then he scores. One game John Bunch gets a triple double and earns the top dog of the week. The next, he can't catch a rebound or score a point to save his soul. One game Deki thinks he's Koby Bryant and makes 3 after 3 after 3. The next, people call him selfish because nothing out of his hands can find the basket.
MU is way too inconsistent. The only person who hasn't had an up and down season is Crews, and that's because he's too busy getting in trouble. The Hawks need to find some consistency in order to get some more W's. They certainly will not make the tourney, but I don't think this team is done and I certainly don't think that they'll be in last when all is said and done.
Did Shipman really flunk music??!!?? If so, you got to be kidding me!! It's my understanding that if they go to class & attempt do the work, they'll get a passing grade.
On Shipman..that seems to be the word.
All due respect fellas, Music is not so easy. It may sound like it but it is not. On the flip side work has to be done in order to pass. It doesn't have to be A level work to pass you just have to turn it in and show up to class and you will pass the class. Ship fell short on both ends.
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