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Saturday, March 10, 2007
(Originally posted Sat. at 7:05 p.m., latest update at 9:25 a.m. to add links and fix audio link)
Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas combined for 51 points to lead Holy Cross to the Patriot League championship.
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
For Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons, their time has finally come. After three years watching their season end at the hands of the Bucknell Bison, twice in the league championship, Holy Cross' two seniors willed their team to a 74-66 win over their arch nemesis from Lewisburg and into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their storied careers.
When Simmons and Thomas graduate in May, they will leave behind a lengthy list of accomplishments -- a combined five all-league selections, a player of the year and a defensive player of the year and a host of entries in the Holy Cross record books. But what Crusader fans will remember the most will be the show the two seniors put on in their last game in the Hart Center.
Simmons poured in 23 points, nailing down the tournament MVP award in the process, and Thomas added 28 to carry the Crusaders back to the big dance for the first time since 2003.
"I'm so happy for our two seniors, who have been on the cusp of this for a few seasons," said Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard.
Thomas and Simmons were a combined 11 for 22 from the field, helping Holy Cross to shoot 22 for 41 (53.7 percent) for the game. It was their shooting from the free throw line, though, that made the difference in the end. After building a 19-point lead early in the second half, Holy Cross watched it disappear in the wake of a 26-7 Bucknell run that culminated when Bucknell's Darren Mastropaolo tied it at 53-53 on a putback with 5:51 to play.
Holy Cross managed just one field goal the rest of the way. Matter of fact, that bucket, a huge three by Thomas that rebuilt the Crusaders lead to 60-53, was the only field goal the Crusaders would score in the final 9:45. The rest of Holy Cross' points in the last five minutes came from the foul line, all at the hands of Simmons and Thomas, who went a combined 16 for 16 from the stripe to ice the win.
"We were fortunate, we had the right guys going to the line," said Willard. "It comes down to the seniors making plays."
There was more to the Crusaders good fortune than that, though. After Bucknell tied the game, Holy Cross came up with three straight stops -- the first coming when Bucknell's Abe Badmus missed a pair of free throws that might have changed the complexion of the final stretch by putting Bucknell in the lead. That defense, along with four Simmons free throws and Thomas' big three, gave the Crusaders enough cushion to carry them down the stretch from the foul line.
"When they made their run and tied it, we stayed in the moment," said Simmons. "We got rebounds, we got stops, we made free throws and we were able to push it back up."
The rebounding was a key. Bucknell finished with 13 offensive rebounds, leading to a 17-4 edge in second chance points. But in the last five minutes, Bucknell got just one offensive board, and the Bison were unable to convert that one.
That Thomas three was also huge.
"I knew Castleberry was going to go underneath the screen. Tim (Clifford) did a good job burying him. I just had to lock and load," Thomas said.
That screen was not Clifford's only big play. Although the 6-10 junior finished with just 8 points and 4 rebounds, his six blocked shots, all in the first half, were a key to Holy Cross establishing its big lead. WIth Chris McNaughton on the bench most of the final nine minutes of the first half after picking up two fouls, Bucknell seemed unable to get anything going offensively. Lacking Bucknell's force in the middle to keep them at home, Holy Cross' guards were able to get out and pressure Bucknell's shooters, knowing Clifford was there to erase any mistakes should they get beat off the dribble.
"It gets dark in there, You just can't see. (Clifford) is so big," Flannery said.
Bucknell had just two field goals in the final nine minutes of the first half while Holy Cross stretched a 5-point lead to a 35-22 halftime margin.
"One of the things that hurt us was Chris' second. We got down in the first half when Chris got his second and they were able to stretch it a little bit," said Flannery.
McNaughton scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, helping key Bucknell's rally. But when he picked up his fourth personal with 6:10 to play, it took some wind from Bucknell's sails. The Bison tied it while he was on the bench, but before Flannery could get him back on the floor, Holy Cross had used Simmons' four free throws to regain control. McNaughton played just 25 minutes before fouling out in the final 25 seconds.
John Griffin led Bucknell with 15 points, including four three-pointers. Brown finished with 11 and Castleberry had 10.
In the end, though, Holy Cross' pair of seniors was a hand that beat Bucknell's four double figures scorers.
Holy Cross will find out Sunday where it is headed for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bucknell now will have to wait and see if the NIT sends them an invite.
NOTES: The win closes out Holy Cross' home slate with a perfect 14-0 record in the Hart Center . . . HC has now won 18 straight in Hart . . . Thomas, who set a Holy Cross record for minutes played in a season during Sunday's semifinals win over American, added another 40 minutes to that mark in the final . . . Simmons played 39 minutes for HC . . . Holy Cross finished the game 23 of 26 from the foul line, Bucknell was 18 for 21 . . . Even though Bucknell reached the double bonus 2:40 before the Crusaders, HC ended up taking 25 free throws in the second half to 16 for the Bison . . . The loss snappeed a 14-game win streak for Bucknell . . . Joining Simmons on the All-Tournament team were Thomas, Clifford, Brown, McNaughton and Andre Ingram of American
Box score | Gameblog | Postgame audio (Willard, Simmons, Thomas; Flannery, Brown, Castleberry) | Daily Item | Sun-Gazette | Telegram & Gazette (gamer) | Telegram & Gazette (sidebar) | Boston Herald | The Sports Network
Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas combined for 51 points to lead Holy Cross to the Patriot League championship.
By CHRIS A. COUROGEN
For Torey Thomas and Keith Simmons, their time has finally come. After three years watching their season end at the hands of the Bucknell Bison, twice in the league championship, Holy Cross' two seniors willed their team to a 74-66 win over their arch nemesis from Lewisburg and into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their storied careers.
When Simmons and Thomas graduate in May, they will leave behind a lengthy list of accomplishments -- a combined five all-league selections, a player of the year and a defensive player of the year and a host of entries in the Holy Cross record books. But what Crusader fans will remember the most will be the show the two seniors put on in their last game in the Hart Center.
Simmons poured in 23 points, nailing down the tournament MVP award in the process, and Thomas added 28 to carry the Crusaders back to the big dance for the first time since 2003.
"I'm so happy for our two seniors, who have been on the cusp of this for a few seasons," said Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard.
Thomas and Simmons were a combined 11 for 22 from the field, helping Holy Cross to shoot 22 for 41 (53.7 percent) for the game. It was their shooting from the free throw line, though, that made the difference in the end. After building a 19-point lead early in the second half, Holy Cross watched it disappear in the wake of a 26-7 Bucknell run that culminated when Bucknell's Darren Mastropaolo tied it at 53-53 on a putback with 5:51 to play.
Holy Cross managed just one field goal the rest of the way. Matter of fact, that bucket, a huge three by Thomas that rebuilt the Crusaders lead to 60-53, was the only field goal the Crusaders would score in the final 9:45. The rest of Holy Cross' points in the last five minutes came from the foul line, all at the hands of Simmons and Thomas, who went a combined 16 for 16 from the stripe to ice the win.
"We were fortunate, we had the right guys going to the line," said Willard. "It comes down to the seniors making plays."
There was more to the Crusaders good fortune than that, though. After Bucknell tied the game, Holy Cross came up with three straight stops -- the first coming when Bucknell's Abe Badmus missed a pair of free throws that might have changed the complexion of the final stretch by putting Bucknell in the lead. That defense, along with four Simmons free throws and Thomas' big three, gave the Crusaders enough cushion to carry them down the stretch from the foul line.
"When they made their run and tied it, we stayed in the moment," said Simmons. "We got rebounds, we got stops, we made free throws and we were able to push it back up."
The rebounding was a key. Bucknell finished with 13 offensive rebounds, leading to a 17-4 edge in second chance points. But in the last five minutes, Bucknell got just one offensive board, and the Bison were unable to convert that one.
That Thomas three was also huge.
"I knew Castleberry was going to go underneath the screen. Tim (Clifford) did a good job burying him. I just had to lock and load," Thomas said.
That screen was not Clifford's only big play. Although the 6-10 junior finished with just 8 points and 4 rebounds, his six blocked shots, all in the first half, were a key to Holy Cross establishing its big lead. WIth Chris McNaughton on the bench most of the final nine minutes of the first half after picking up two fouls, Bucknell seemed unable to get anything going offensively. Lacking Bucknell's force in the middle to keep them at home, Holy Cross' guards were able to get out and pressure Bucknell's shooters, knowing Clifford was there to erase any mistakes should they get beat off the dribble.
"It gets dark in there, You just can't see. (Clifford) is so big," Flannery said.
Bucknell had just two field goals in the final nine minutes of the first half while Holy Cross stretched a 5-point lead to a 35-22 halftime margin.
"One of the things that hurt us was Chris' second. We got down in the first half when Chris got his second and they were able to stretch it a little bit," said Flannery.
McNaughton scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, helping key Bucknell's rally. But when he picked up his fourth personal with 6:10 to play, it took some wind from Bucknell's sails. The Bison tied it while he was on the bench, but before Flannery could get him back on the floor, Holy Cross had used Simmons' four free throws to regain control. McNaughton played just 25 minutes before fouling out in the final 25 seconds.
John Griffin led Bucknell with 15 points, including four three-pointers. Brown finished with 11 and Castleberry had 10.
In the end, though, Holy Cross' pair of seniors was a hand that beat Bucknell's four double figures scorers.
Holy Cross will find out Sunday where it is headed for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bucknell now will have to wait and see if the NIT sends them an invite.
NOTES: The win closes out Holy Cross' home slate with a perfect 14-0 record in the Hart Center . . . HC has now won 18 straight in Hart . . . Thomas, who set a Holy Cross record for minutes played in a season during Sunday's semifinals win over American, added another 40 minutes to that mark in the final . . . Simmons played 39 minutes for HC . . . Holy Cross finished the game 23 of 26 from the foul line, Bucknell was 18 for 21 . . . Even though Bucknell reached the double bonus 2:40 before the Crusaders, HC ended up taking 25 free throws in the second half to 16 for the Bison . . . The loss snappeed a 14-game win streak for Bucknell . . . Joining Simmons on the All-Tournament team were Thomas, Clifford, Brown, McNaughton and Andre Ingram of American
Box score | Gameblog | Postgame audio (Willard, Simmons, Thomas; Flannery, Brown, Castleberry) | Daily Item | Sun-Gazette | Telegram & Gazette (gamer) | Telegram & Gazette (sidebar) | Boston Herald | The Sports Network
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