Lyons downed in NEWMAC play by defending champ Coast Guard, 74-61

January 19, 2008

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College men's basketball team lost for the third time in four games, dropping a 74-61 decision to United States Coast Guard Academy in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday at Emerson Gymnasium. The Lyons, who were looking to avenge a league tournament loss to last year's eventual champion, fell to 10-4 overall and 1-2 in the NEWMAC. The Bears, who had lost three of four, are 11-3 and 2-2.

Junior Craig Johnson (Medford, OR/South Medford) carried Coast Guard early, scoring eight of his team's first 10 points, and helped the visitors push a 6-5 edge to 15-5 by 13:20 of the opening period before the Bears went cold, missing 10 of 12 shots during one stretch as the Lyons rallied. Freshman Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown) hit two free throws for Wheaton at 10:55, the hosts' first points since 18:03, to spark a 16-6 jaunt over a 5:52 span. Coppola capped the run with a three-pointer at 5:03, knotting the contest at 21. The Lyons missed 10 straight shots after starting 2-of-3 but finished the half by hitting six of their final 13 attempts.

A Coppola breakaway lay-up with 3:25 to go tied the game at 24, but Coast Guard tallied six of the next eight points before halftime to forge a 30-26 advantage. Each of the Bears' final four scoring plays came in increments of three, as sophomore Stefan Lewis (Warner Robins, GA/New Mexico Military Institute) canned a three-pointer and made three free throws on a pair of possessions, and two other Coast Guard players hit threes. The Bears' final two-point bucket of the half came at 9:12.

At 17:20 of the second half, Wheaton trimmed an eight-point deficit to 37-32 after sophomore Jaxon Leo's (Leesburg, VA/New Hampton School) three-point play, but the Bears responded with an 18-4 run over 4:13, as senior Grant Johnson (Grayson, GA/Parkview) had 11 points during that time, including three three-pointers.

Down 55-36, Wheaton tallied 12 straight points, with the first eight coming on a trio of buckets assisted by freshman Bud Gaffney (Berkley, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School). Classmates Bobby Perry (East Providence, RI/East Providence) and Ryan Sasso (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) nailed back-to-back threes, and senior Brent DiGiovanna (Hanover, MA/Hanover) scored off a Gaffney inbounds pass before hitting two free throws. Gaffney then laid in a hoop of his own to make it 55-48 with 9:02 to go.

Wheaton still trailed just 57-49 at 6:57 on a Sasso free throw, but two three-point plays by senior Jeff Prebeck (Columbus, IN/Naval Academy Prep) in 1:49 capped a 9-2 Coast Guard run, and the Bears stretched their lead to as many as 16 points in the waning minutes.

Leo led the Lyons with 16 points, while nine additional players broke into the scoring column. Coppola had nine points and three assists, Gaffney finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists, and Perry snagged a season-high eight rebounds. Wheaton shot 13-of-16 on free throws but went 8-of-30 from three-point range.

For Coast Guard, Craig Johnson had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting with 13 rebounds, while Grant Johnson and Prebeck each collected 16 points. Prebeck added eight boards while going 8-of-13 on free throws, and Lewis collected 14 points and five assists. Senior Al Sowers (Monrovia, MD/Saint John's School at Prospect Hall) added 10 points and four steals. The Bears, who received just two bench points, went 18-of-24 at the charity stripe.

Wheaton completes its two-game homestand on Wednesday against Clark University at 7:00 p.m.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 1/21/08.
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