FREDERICKSBURG, VA-The York College men's
basketball team saw their 2008-09 season come to an end as they
fell to the University of Mary Washington 83-76 in the quarterfinal
round of the Capital Athletic Conference tournament on Tuesday
night in Fredericksburg, VA. The Eagles, who improve to 14-11,
advance to face second-seeded Wesley College in the tournament
semifinals on Thursday night. The Spartans end their campaign with
a mark of 9-17.
The Spartans did have one highlight during the evening as junior
Nick Brady (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) became
the 19th member of the York College men's basketball 1,000
career point club. Brady canned a pair of free throws with 5:11
remaining in the game to reach the milestone.
The Spartans jumped out to an early lead only to have the Eagles
tie the game and take a 14-7 lead courtesy of a 10-0 run. The Mary
Washington lead quickly grew to 11 at 22-11 midway through the
opening 20 minutes of play. The Eagles maintained the lead between
seven and 12 points over the next seven minutes until the Spartans
used a 7-0 spurt to cut the Eagle lead to 34-30 just 30 seconds
before the half. The Eagles got a huge three pointer from Matt Hale
just two seconds before the half as the hosts took a 37-30 lead to
the break.
The Spartans trimmed the Eagle lead to three just a minute and a
half into the second half on a Brady three but Mary Washington
wasted little time in responding, as they fashioned an 11-4 run to
push their lead to 49-39 with 13:23 left in regulation. The Mary
Washington lead vacillated between seven and 11 points over the
next four minutes. The Spartans then got to within six on a pair of
Paul Kouvaris (Baltimore, Md./Cardinal Gibbons)
free throws with 7:21 left. The Eagles again responded with a 7-0
spurt that pushed the lead up to 13 at 69-56. York made one final
run, cutting the lead to eight but Mary Washington scored the next
five points to push the lead back to double figures. The Spartans
would not get closer than their final seven-point deficit.
Brandon Altmann gashed the Spartan interior as he notched a
double-double with a game-high 26 points and 17 rebounds. He was
9-for-16 from the floor and 8-for-13 from the line. Altmann also
had three blocked shots in the game. The Eagles had three players
add 13 points each. Hale added four assists, two steals and two
rebounds while Tad Dickman chipped in with three assists and a
rebound. Keirnan Whitworth was the other Eagle with a double-double
as he pulled in 11 rebounds to go with his 13 points.
Brady led the Spartans with 17 points and eight rebounds. The
junior was 5-for-12 from the floor, 3-for-4 from three, and 4-for-4
from the line. Kouvaris added 16 points and six rebounds in the
final game of his freshman season. Kouvaris closed out a very
strong first campaign in the green and white as he was 7-for-10
from the floor and 2-for-3 from the stripe. Junior Jeremy
Keefer (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) was the third Spartan in
double figures with 14 points and two rebounds.
The Eagles finished the game shooting 45.5% from the floor but
held a significant 16-8 edge in offensive rebounds. The Spartans
shot 49.1% from the floor including 53.5% (8-for-15) from three.
The Eagles went just 6-for-18 (33.3%) from three but held a
huge 39-20 edge in free throw attempts. Mary Washington converted
27 off their attempts at the stripe while York shot 70%, making 14
of their 20 attempts.
Mary Washington ended the game holding a 38-29 edge on the glass
and a 26-14 margin in points in the paint. The Spartans did have a
27-13 advantage in bench points for the game.
The two Spartan seniors, forward Pat Kelley
(Davidsonville, Md./South River) and forward Mike
Riley (Webster, N.Y. /McQuaid Jesuit), played their final
game for York. Kelley had five points and five rebounds while Riley
canned a three for his only basket late in the game.
Spartan head coach Jeff Gamber welcomes back a
very strong core of players for 2009-2010 as the Brady and Keefer
will lead a large contingent of juniors and sophomores that gained
valuable experience this season. Gamber will have nine letter
winners returning to Wolf Gymnasium next October.
GAME BOX
