The Collegian

Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson

Media Credit: Charles Grimmet Senior Evan Steward charges down the court against Wayne State University. The Charger men won 60-58

Though the Charger men's basketball team (12-10, 10-8) still holds fourth place in the GLIAC and the tiebreaker against Ferris State University for that spot, last week did not go according to plan.

With pink apparel spotting the bleachers in honor of breast cancer awareness, the men won a gritty game in overtime Thursday against Wayne State University, 60-58. Unfortunately, Saturday's hard-fought game produced a different result - a 71-61 loss to Northwood University.

"That was a really disappointing loss for us," head coach John Tharp said. "I thought we played a good defensive game in the first half. In the second half we struggled attacking their 2-3 zone."

Senior captain and center Tony Gugino reiterated Tharp's feelings about the team's offense against the zone.

"The first half we did fine with it," Gugino said. "We hit some shots. Then we came out in the second half - I don't know what they did differently. I think it was just us. We didn't make the zone move."

Gugino has battled through a severely sprained ankle the last couple weeks but said it is not causing a problem - it can't.

"It's 95 percent," he said. "It's still a little swollen, but it's fine. It's going to be that way. I don't have time to sit our or anything right now. It's good. I'm all set."

Tharp said he realizes the heart his talented center is playing with while dealing with the injury but also knows this is crunch time for the team.

"He really, really sprained his ankle pretty bad," Tharp said. "If it was the beginning of the season, we would have shut him down for about two weeks, but in this stretch run we haven't been able to do that."

In the midst of that stretch run, the win against Wayne State Thursday was big.

Guguino said the team finished the way they needed to.

"Wayne State had beaten us in overtime before, so we kind of owed them one," Gugino said. "We made some great plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor and held on. We made our free throws and finished out the way you want to."

The Chargers will look for a similar result this week as they head north to face Northern Michigan University Thursday and Michigan Technological University on Saturday.

Having won in the teams' earlier meeting this season, assistant coach Dan Evans is confident his guys can do so again when they face Northern.

"They're kind of a tricky team to match up against. But we'll prepare as best we can. If we come out and compete as a group, we can certainly win."

Gugino said the upcoming opponents share some common characteristics - including the fact that both present important, winnable opportunities for a win.

"I think they're both similar," Gugino said. "Size and ability wise. It's going to be up to us this week. Whether we tighten up and get it done, or if we don't and get an outcome like last Saturday."

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