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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Cornelio Guibunda's nickname is Lio.
It's pronounced like the astrological sign.
It's doubtful anyone on hand at Knott Arena in Emmittsburg, Md. for last night's 59-46 road win over Mount Saint Mary's had reason to think they'd learn Cornelio Guibunda trivia when the night began.
The nickname is not in the media guide, though even if it were, what are the odds of anyone looking up a guy who had not even played in two of AU's first five games. Guibunda only played 12 total minutes in the three games he got in, and had yet to make a field goal or grab a rebound. His career stat line looked like this: 0-0 FG, 0-0 3P, 2-2 FT, 0 R, 2PF, 2 Pt., 1 TO, 2 B, 1 St.
Yet here it was, after the game, and the kid's name keeps coming up again and again in conversation.
"Lio changed the game," said AU's senior guard Andre Ingram, who changed it a little, too. Ingram finished with a game-high 15 points, with 7 rebounds and 2 steals.
Ingram had quite a night, but it was Guibunda who stole the show with his 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots performance. Guibunda only played 14 minutes, but those minutes were key minutes in the game, minutes that went American's way. Minutes when Guibunda was the answer for what ailed American in each half.
It almost didn't happen. If Brayden Billbe and Paulius Joneliunas had not picked up their second personals seconds apart, midaway through the first half, Guibunda would probably not have seen as more (14) minutes than he had played all season. Certainly even had he gotten in, Guibunda would have quickly found himself back sitting at the far end of the bench had either of AU's starting big men been available to re-enter the game when Guibunda blew a defensive assignment just after entering the game.
American coach Jeff Jones called a quick timeout and spent most of it right up in Guibunda's face. He got the sophomore Georgetown-transfer's attention. In the space of less than three minutes towards the end of the first half, Guibunda came alive, scoring three quick layups, grabbing three rebounds -- two offensive -- and blocking a shot. His ability to get out and finish on the break was a key to the 12-0 AU run at the end of the first half that proved to be decisive.
"I don't think he thought he was going to play. After our conversation he figured out maybe he was going to play," said AU coach Jeff Jones.
Guibunda's play in the first half allowed Jones to keep Billbe and Joneliunas on the bench so they would not risk picking up a third foul in the first half.
"He gave us a big lift in the first half. Lio helped us pull away," Ingram said.
In the second half, Guibunda stepped up again, playing three badly needed solid minutes of defense that helped stem any thought of a Mount comeback.
When Guibunda checked in at the 13:47 mark of the second half, AU's lead had been sliced to 35-31. Mount Saint Mary's was taking advantage of rebounding and some AU turnovers to get out in transition for easy buckets. Guibunda's athleticism helped stop all that. First he blocked Will Holland's runner. Then at the other end of the floor, Guibunda grabbed the rebound of his own missed layup and put it back in.
After Mount's Jeremy Goode drained a trey to make it a three-point game, Arvydas Eitutavicius missed a three, which MSM rebounded, giving them the ball with a chance to make it a 1-point contest when Goode headed to the bucket for a layup. But there was Guibunda again, picking up his third block.
"Lio did a solid job anchoring our defense. He did a good job on the boards," said Jones.
While Guibunda did contribute a few layups on the offensive end, it was Ingram who led the AU attack. Looking more confident of being able to let the game come to him than last season, when he seemed to force things on offense, Ingram went 5 for 13 from the field, including 2 of 5 from the arc..
Also in double figures for AU was point guard Derrick Mercer, who scored 9 of his 11 points at the foul line, including 5 of 6 in the last 52 seconds.
Although Jones complained about the way AU played it in certain stretches, overall the Eagles defense was solid. In the first half they held Mount Saint Mary's to 6 for 24 (25 percent) from the field. The Mount finished at 30.4 percent from the field after a slightly better 11 of 32 (34.4 percent) shooting second half.
The win pushes AU's record to 4-2, with a chance for win 5 when they host New Jersey Institute of Technology Wednesday night in Bender.
Gameblog notes
Andre Ingram postgame interview (audio)
It's pronounced like the astrological sign.
It's doubtful anyone on hand at Knott Arena in Emmittsburg, Md. for last night's 59-46 road win over Mount Saint Mary's had reason to think they'd learn Cornelio Guibunda trivia when the night began.
The nickname is not in the media guide, though even if it were, what are the odds of anyone looking up a guy who had not even played in two of AU's first five games. Guibunda only played 12 total minutes in the three games he got in, and had yet to make a field goal or grab a rebound. His career stat line looked like this: 0-0 FG, 0-0 3P, 2-2 FT, 0 R, 2PF, 2 Pt., 1 TO, 2 B, 1 St.
Yet here it was, after the game, and the kid's name keeps coming up again and again in conversation.
"Lio changed the game," said AU's senior guard Andre Ingram, who changed it a little, too. Ingram finished with a game-high 15 points, with 7 rebounds and 2 steals.
Ingram had quite a night, but it was Guibunda who stole the show with his 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots performance. Guibunda only played 14 minutes, but those minutes were key minutes in the game, minutes that went American's way. Minutes when Guibunda was the answer for what ailed American in each half.
It almost didn't happen. If Brayden Billbe and Paulius Joneliunas had not picked up their second personals seconds apart, midaway through the first half, Guibunda would probably not have seen as more (14) minutes than he had played all season. Certainly even had he gotten in, Guibunda would have quickly found himself back sitting at the far end of the bench had either of AU's starting big men been available to re-enter the game when Guibunda blew a defensive assignment just after entering the game.
American coach Jeff Jones called a quick timeout and spent most of it right up in Guibunda's face. He got the sophomore Georgetown-transfer's attention. In the space of less than three minutes towards the end of the first half, Guibunda came alive, scoring three quick layups, grabbing three rebounds -- two offensive -- and blocking a shot. His ability to get out and finish on the break was a key to the 12-0 AU run at the end of the first half that proved to be decisive.
"I don't think he thought he was going to play. After our conversation he figured out maybe he was going to play," said AU coach Jeff Jones.
Guibunda's play in the first half allowed Jones to keep Billbe and Joneliunas on the bench so they would not risk picking up a third foul in the first half.
"He gave us a big lift in the first half. Lio helped us pull away," Ingram said.
In the second half, Guibunda stepped up again, playing three badly needed solid minutes of defense that helped stem any thought of a Mount comeback.
When Guibunda checked in at the 13:47 mark of the second half, AU's lead had been sliced to 35-31. Mount Saint Mary's was taking advantage of rebounding and some AU turnovers to get out in transition for easy buckets. Guibunda's athleticism helped stop all that. First he blocked Will Holland's runner. Then at the other end of the floor, Guibunda grabbed the rebound of his own missed layup and put it back in.
After Mount's Jeremy Goode drained a trey to make it a three-point game, Arvydas Eitutavicius missed a three, which MSM rebounded, giving them the ball with a chance to make it a 1-point contest when Goode headed to the bucket for a layup. But there was Guibunda again, picking up his third block.
"Lio did a solid job anchoring our defense. He did a good job on the boards," said Jones.
While Guibunda did contribute a few layups on the offensive end, it was Ingram who led the AU attack. Looking more confident of being able to let the game come to him than last season, when he seemed to force things on offense, Ingram went 5 for 13 from the field, including 2 of 5 from the arc..
Also in double figures for AU was point guard Derrick Mercer, who scored 9 of his 11 points at the foul line, including 5 of 6 in the last 52 seconds.
Although Jones complained about the way AU played it in certain stretches, overall the Eagles defense was solid. In the first half they held Mount Saint Mary's to 6 for 24 (25 percent) from the field. The Mount finished at 30.4 percent from the field after a slightly better 11 of 32 (34.4 percent) shooting second half.
The win pushes AU's record to 4-2, with a chance for win 5 when they host New Jersey Institute of Technology Wednesday night in Bender.
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