Basketball
Opens 2008-09 Season With a 77-55 Win Over Westminster
The
Behrend Lions men's basketball program has turned over its roster a bit.
With the graduation of five seniors that led the program to the most
successful four-year run in the history of the program, new faces needed to
step up and in tonight's opener, Coach Dave Niland's squad produced a very
familiar result for the Behrend fans.
After posting a perfect 15-0 mark on the Junker hardwood last season, Behrend opened the season with a 77-55 win over Westminster on Saturday, November 15.
The blue and white sprinted out to a 13-0 run after a pair of free-throws by freshman guard Steve Piotrowicz (Erie/Cathedral Prep) with eight minutes off the game clock.
Behrend which led all of Division III in scoring defense last season put pressure on the Titans during the first part of the half, forcing multiple turnovers and limiting Westminster to a handful of good looks. The Titans did rally and tied the contest at 22 all before consecutive three point plays expanded the lead to 31-25 entering the break.
The senior play of Drew Seker (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) and Tom Newman (Girard/Northwestern) led the blue and white to the finish line in the twenty-two point route. Seker had a stellar game working for 11 points, a team-high eight rebounds and five assists in thirty minutes of action. Newman was all over the court and chipped in nine points, six boards and passed out four assists.
Also in double figures were Adam Potter (Pittsburgh/Mt. Lebanon) and freshman Pat St. Andrews (State College/State College) with 15 apiece, while Adam Kaiser (Erie/Cathedral Prep) added 14 as the Behrend Lions balanced offensive attack shot 45% from the field while making a dozen from downtown.
Westminster (0-1) was led by Rob Briggs who led all scorers with 17 points, and hauled down 10 rebounds.
Next up the blue and white will travel to Fredonia State for an 8:00 p.m. game on Tuesday, November 18.