MU Hoops: men's game story for Sunday Press
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
WEST LONG BRANCH - The man they call "Big John" was huge Saturday night
for the Monmouth University men's basketball team.
""When I get started early the game comes to me more quickly,'' said 7-2,
320 pound senior John Bunch.
Bunch established career highs with 23 points and 12
rebounds (six offensive) in leading the Hawks to a, 62-56, over Mount St. Mary's in a Northeast Conference game before a season high crowd of 2,057 at Boylan Gym.
Monmouth concluded a six-game home stand with its fourth victory in a row.
""I was making my free throws (five-for-seven) and the shots were just
falling in,'' said Bunch who also blocked four shots including sending a
a 3-point attempt into the first row of seats in the final two
minutes.
No shot Bunch took was more telling than his basket with 1:38 left that
provided Monmouth (7-8, 2-1) a 56-52 lead over the Mount (3-11, 2-1).
Senior Dejan Delic, who scored 21 points and grabbed four rebounds, dumped
the ball into Bunch who deposited a mini hook for the four-point advantage.
""I was kind of tired to be honest,'' said Delic. ""And they were all over
me so I didn't want to force anything.
""I know Bunch was having a phenomenal game so that was my first option to
throw row the ball into the big man.
" "I'm proud of him,'' said Delic. ""We've been waiting for this break out
game from him now for a while and we finally got it.
""I told him as soon as he gets the ball close to the basket it's
more likely he's going to score. He struggled early in the season I think
because he wasn't getting good position and today he was getting great
position and he had a phenomenal game.''
For a fourth consecutive game Monmouth allowed less than 60 points
and improved to 17-4 dating back to last year when limiting the opposition to
under 30 points in the first half.
Monmouth fell behind at the half Saturday night, 29-25, but took the
lead for
for good, 34-32, on a right corner trey by Whitney Coleman with 15:14
remaining.
"'Defense won us the game obviously,'' said Monmouth coach Dave Calloway.
""We did a very good job, especially in the second half I thought.""
Monmouth held the Mount to 39 percent shooting in the second half and most
importantly 2-for-12 from downtown.
""I don't think our offense was anything special tonight,'' said Calloway.
Sophomore Alex Nunner, a 6-3 guard, though failing to score, pulled down a career high
eight rebounds.
""I thought he rebounded great,'' said Calloway. ""He went after the ball
and the shots he took just didn't fall.''
It was a long night for Monmouth's outstanding rookie Jhamar Youngblood who battled
foul trouble and ended with one assist, nine turnovers, and two steals.
""He played a like a freshman,'' said Calloway. ""He hadn't been playing
like a freshman.''
Monmouth had 14 assists and 21 turnovers in the game. ""Twenty one is
obviously way too many,'' said Calloway. ""But it's a victory and we'll definitely take it.''
Monmouth never led by more than eight points in the second half and was
in front 54-47 when Youngblood swished a 3 with 4:08 left.
Junior guard Chris Vann scored 13 points to lead Mount St. Mary's
and Mychal Kearse pulled the visitors within 56-54 with a jumper at the 2:53
mark.
In many respects it was a forgettable first half for Monmouth and not just
because the Hawks trailed when Will Holland nailed a 3 in transition at
the buzzer.
Monmouth reached the break with just five assists and 12 turnovers.
Seven were by Youngblood who
several times stepped on the sidelines or baseline, had te ball glance off
his hands, or watched his passes disappear into spaces just vacated by a teammate.
At one stretch in the half Monmouth had more turnovers (11) than shots (nine)
but stayed in he game behind 12 points, six rebounds, and a block by Bunch.
The Mount hit five of 12 from deep with Vann sinking two on his way
to a team high eight points.
e-mailtonygsports@aol.com
visit Tony Graham's blog at www.app.com
STAFF WRITER
WEST LONG BRANCH - The man they call "Big John" was huge Saturday night
for the Monmouth University men's basketball team.
""When I get started early the game comes to me more quickly,'' said 7-2,
320 pound senior John Bunch.
Bunch established career highs with 23 points and 12
rebounds (six offensive) in leading the Hawks to a, 62-56, over Mount St. Mary's in a Northeast Conference game before a season high crowd of 2,057 at Boylan Gym.
Monmouth concluded a six-game home stand with its fourth victory in a row.
""I was making my free throws (five-for-seven) and the shots were just
falling in,'' said Bunch who also blocked four shots including sending a
a 3-point attempt into the first row of seats in the final two
minutes.
No shot Bunch took was more telling than his basket with 1:38 left that
provided Monmouth (7-8, 2-1) a 56-52 lead over the Mount (3-11, 2-1).
Senior Dejan Delic, who scored 21 points and grabbed four rebounds, dumped
the ball into Bunch who deposited a mini hook for the four-point advantage.
""I was kind of tired to be honest,'' said Delic. ""And they were all over
me so I didn't want to force anything.
""I know Bunch was having a phenomenal game so that was my first option to
throw row the ball into the big man.
" "I'm proud of him,'' said Delic. ""We've been waiting for this break out
game from him now for a while and we finally got it.
""I told him as soon as he gets the ball close to the basket it's
more likely he's going to score. He struggled early in the season I think
because he wasn't getting good position and today he was getting great
position and he had a phenomenal game.''
For a fourth consecutive game Monmouth allowed less than 60 points
and improved to 17-4 dating back to last year when limiting the opposition to
under 30 points in the first half.
Monmouth fell behind at the half Saturday night, 29-25, but took the
lead for
for good, 34-32, on a right corner trey by Whitney Coleman with 15:14
remaining.
"'Defense won us the game obviously,'' said Monmouth coach Dave Calloway.
""We did a very good job, especially in the second half I thought.""
Monmouth held the Mount to 39 percent shooting in the second half and most
importantly 2-for-12 from downtown.
""I don't think our offense was anything special tonight,'' said Calloway.
Sophomore Alex Nunner, a 6-3 guard, though failing to score, pulled down a career high
eight rebounds.
""I thought he rebounded great,'' said Calloway. ""He went after the ball
and the shots he took just didn't fall.''
It was a long night for Monmouth's outstanding rookie Jhamar Youngblood who battled
foul trouble and ended with one assist, nine turnovers, and two steals.
""He played a like a freshman,'' said Calloway. ""He hadn't been playing
like a freshman.''
Monmouth had 14 assists and 21 turnovers in the game. ""Twenty one is
obviously way too many,'' said Calloway. ""But it's a victory and we'll definitely take it.''
Monmouth never led by more than eight points in the second half and was
in front 54-47 when Youngblood swished a 3 with 4:08 left.
Junior guard Chris Vann scored 13 points to lead Mount St. Mary's
and Mychal Kearse pulled the visitors within 56-54 with a jumper at the 2:53
mark.
In many respects it was a forgettable first half for Monmouth and not just
because the Hawks trailed when Will Holland nailed a 3 in transition at
the buzzer.
Monmouth reached the break with just five assists and 12 turnovers.
Seven were by Youngblood who
several times stepped on the sidelines or baseline, had te ball glance off
his hands, or watched his passes disappear into spaces just vacated by a teammate.
At one stretch in the half Monmouth had more turnovers (11) than shots (nine)
but stayed in he game behind 12 points, six rebounds, and a block by Bunch.
The Mount hit five of 12 from deep with Vann sinking two on his way
to a team high eight points.
e-mailtonygsports@aol.com
visit Tony Graham's blog at www.app.com
posted by Tony Graham at 10:03 PM
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