Men defeat Lake State in overtime thriller for fifth straight 'W'
Andy Buss
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Sports
The Charger men's basketball team has now won five in a row and six of its last seven games. There's no place like home. After a hard-fought, 61-57 victory over Saginaw Valley State University Thursday, the men were battle-tested and ready for more. They got all they could handle against Lake Superior State University Saturday but were able to claw out the 'W' in overtime, 77-74, thanks to some big plays in the final minutes.
"We had a refuse-to-lose mentality, and it showed," head coach John Tharp said.
Tharp said the team's streak is in large part due to his players better grasping the team's offensive identity and clinging to the defensive ideals that bring wins. The Chargers have also received a major boost from their best scorers when it has mattered most.
"We've had some great clutch play down the stretch in both games," head coach John Tharp said. "The three's he [sophomore Brent Eaton] hit in the last few minutes allowed us to win that basketball game. And then [sophomore Tyler] Gerber-the three he hit and the strip and lay-up in overtime was clutch."
Senior guard Tyler Brand said it was only fitting that Eaton and Gerber came through in crunch time.
"It's up to big-time players to make big-time plays," he said. "Like with Eaton's three's on three possessions and Gerber's play late was just huge. That's the staple of good teams is having players who down the stretch say, 'Hey, I'm not gonna let my team lose,' and just will the team to win."
Tharp said Eaton fits the bill when it comes to that go-to guy.
"He is such a great shooter and we all have such confidence in him," he said. "When he gets in rhythm and we hit him coming off screens."
The fourth and fifth consecutive wins keep Hillsdale rolling and climbing up the conference standings. Currently the Chargers sit at third in the GLIAC's South Division and seventh in the conference overall.
"There's a lot of basketball left to play," assistant coach Dan Evans said. "We realize that the way we put ourselves in a better position is worrying about things game-to-game and week-to-week."
"We had a refuse-to-lose mentality, and it showed," head coach John Tharp said.
Tharp said the team's streak is in large part due to his players better grasping the team's offensive identity and clinging to the defensive ideals that bring wins. The Chargers have also received a major boost from their best scorers when it has mattered most.
"We've had some great clutch play down the stretch in both games," head coach John Tharp said. "The three's he [sophomore Brent Eaton] hit in the last few minutes allowed us to win that basketball game. And then [sophomore Tyler] Gerber-the three he hit and the strip and lay-up in overtime was clutch."
Senior guard Tyler Brand said it was only fitting that Eaton and Gerber came through in crunch time.
"It's up to big-time players to make big-time plays," he said. "Like with Eaton's three's on three possessions and Gerber's play late was just huge. That's the staple of good teams is having players who down the stretch say, 'Hey, I'm not gonna let my team lose,' and just will the team to win."
Tharp said Eaton fits the bill when it comes to that go-to guy.
"He is such a great shooter and we all have such confidence in him," he said. "When he gets in rhythm and we hit him coming off screens."
The fourth and fifth consecutive wins keep Hillsdale rolling and climbing up the conference standings. Currently the Chargers sit at third in the GLIAC's South Division and seventh in the conference overall.
"There's a lot of basketball left to play," assistant coach Dan Evans said. "We realize that the way we put ourselves in a better position is worrying about things game-to-game and week-to-week."
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