Men's Basketball: Season opener ends in tourney title
By: Amanda Bernardin
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: Sports
With two players named to the all-tournament team, DePauw opened its 2009 season with a record of 2-0 at the Albion College Basketball Classic and a tournament title.
Junior guard Steve Lemasters was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after scoring 35 points over the course of the weekend. Sophomore guard Sean Haseley was also named to the all-tournament team after scoring 28 points.
The team had a slow start Friday night against Bluffton University. The team was down 15-20 at the end of the first half. But the Tigers rallied together and increased its shooting percentage from just 19.4 percent in the first half to 48.3 percent in the second half. The team came back to win their first contest of the year 50-45.
"Our focus and execution on the defensive end was great this weekend," Haseley said. "I think we also rebounded the ball well."
The Tigers held a 40-30 advantage on rebounds over the Beavers. The team also forced twice as many turnovers it committed - eight compared to Bluffton's 16.
With the win Friday, the Tigers advanced to the tournament final against host Albion College. The Tigers did not fall behind as they had in the previous game. After holding a 44-26 lead at halftime, the Tigers extended their lead to 20 points at one point in the second half.
"We worked together and did a great job of lifting each other's spirits throughout the weekend," said freshman guard Tyler Lewers. "We kept each other motivated to win."
The Tigers finished with a 78-73 win over the Albion Britons and the tournament trophy. The team finished with a 46.7 shooting percentage and shot 14-of-25 from the three-point range.
Up next, the Tigers play Washington & Jefferson College Saturday in the Community Versus Cancer Challenge. The tip-off the home season Saturday at 6 p.m. at Neal Fieldhouse in the Lilly Center.
"We're looking forward to competing," Lewers said. "We're going to run our sets like we do everyday in practice and make sure that we're tough and compete with a high level of intensity."
Junior guard Steve Lemasters was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after scoring 35 points over the course of the weekend. Sophomore guard Sean Haseley was also named to the all-tournament team after scoring 28 points.
The team had a slow start Friday night against Bluffton University. The team was down 15-20 at the end of the first half. But the Tigers rallied together and increased its shooting percentage from just 19.4 percent in the first half to 48.3 percent in the second half. The team came back to win their first contest of the year 50-45.
"Our focus and execution on the defensive end was great this weekend," Haseley said. "I think we also rebounded the ball well."
The Tigers held a 40-30 advantage on rebounds over the Beavers. The team also forced twice as many turnovers it committed - eight compared to Bluffton's 16.
With the win Friday, the Tigers advanced to the tournament final against host Albion College. The Tigers did not fall behind as they had in the previous game. After holding a 44-26 lead at halftime, the Tigers extended their lead to 20 points at one point in the second half.
"We worked together and did a great job of lifting each other's spirits throughout the weekend," said freshman guard Tyler Lewers. "We kept each other motivated to win."
The Tigers finished with a 78-73 win over the Albion Britons and the tournament trophy. The team finished with a 46.7 shooting percentage and shot 14-of-25 from the three-point range.
Up next, the Tigers play Washington & Jefferson College Saturday in the Community Versus Cancer Challenge. The tip-off the home season Saturday at 6 p.m. at Neal Fieldhouse in the Lilly Center.
"We're looking forward to competing," Lewers said. "We're going to run our sets like we do everyday in practice and make sure that we're tough and compete with a high level of intensity."
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