Mens Basketball Set Up for Good Season with Early Wins Against Bentley, Franklin Pierce
By Gregory W. Wallace
The Saint Anselm Hawks basketball team has opened the season with a 3-1 overall record. The Hawks have won two straight of late, including a win against Bentley University who is ranked #5 in the NCAA Division II College Basketball Poll.
The Hawks began the season with a win on the road at Holy Family 95-78. Junior captain Thomas Baudinet (Watertown, Conn) led the way with a team high 27 points. Freshman Quinn Woodhouse (Gaylord, Mich) had a solid debut with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Then, they followed up with a loss to cross town rival Southern New Hampshire 62-51, when Senior captain Greg Vetrano (Andover, Mass) led the way with 15 points as the Hawks struggled to get the offense going.
With the Hawks seeking their first NE-10 win, they took on #5 Bentley at home. The game went down to the wire but a late shot by Vetrano and two free throws by Baudinet sealed the 72-69 win and Saint Anselm's first NE-10 win of the year. Baudinet led the way with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Sophomores Hakeem Williams (Spring Valley, NY) scored 10 points while Jack Keough (Owego, NY) scored 11. The Hawks then went on the road to take on a 4-1 Franklin Pierce squad where a late surge at the end of the second half helped the Hawks prevail against the Ravens 71-66. Captains Baudinet and Vetrano scored a team high 16 points. Senior Branimir Zeko (Mississauga, Ontario) pulled down a team high 13 rebounds.
Saint Anselm is coming off a 17-13 campaign and a playoff berth in 2008, but a loss to Assumption in the NE-10 Quarterfinals has the Hawks looking for bigger and better things this year. "We want our squad this year to win the conference championship as we look to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament", said Coach Keith Dickson.
"We have a mature team in all aspects of the game, we are looking to the leadership of the upperclassmen as we try to make our run," Dickson said. Baudinet stresses that the team has one main objective this year: "to get back to the NCAA Tournament this year," says Baudinet. But the one main fault that seemed to hold back last year's squad may be the one obstacle that this year's team must face: last year's defense had trouble in tough games late down the stretch. "Our biggest question mark is can we improve defensively over the course of the year, and I feel that through hard work we can," says Coach Dickson.
With wins against Franklin Pierce and #5 Bentley, the Hawks have a good building block for the long season ahead. The team looks forward to getting back to the NE-10 Tournament and returning the program back to the success of the past.
The Hawks began the season with a win on the road at Holy Family 95-78. Junior captain Thomas Baudinet (Watertown, Conn) led the way with a team high 27 points. Freshman Quinn Woodhouse (Gaylord, Mich) had a solid debut with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Then, they followed up with a loss to cross town rival Southern New Hampshire 62-51, when Senior captain Greg Vetrano (Andover, Mass) led the way with 15 points as the Hawks struggled to get the offense going.
With the Hawks seeking their first NE-10 win, they took on #5 Bentley at home. The game went down to the wire but a late shot by Vetrano and two free throws by Baudinet sealed the 72-69 win and Saint Anselm's first NE-10 win of the year. Baudinet led the way with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Sophomores Hakeem Williams (Spring Valley, NY) scored 10 points while Jack Keough (Owego, NY) scored 11. The Hawks then went on the road to take on a 4-1 Franklin Pierce squad where a late surge at the end of the second half helped the Hawks prevail against the Ravens 71-66. Captains Baudinet and Vetrano scored a team high 16 points. Senior Branimir Zeko (Mississauga, Ontario) pulled down a team high 13 rebounds.
Saint Anselm is coming off a 17-13 campaign and a playoff berth in 2008, but a loss to Assumption in the NE-10 Quarterfinals has the Hawks looking for bigger and better things this year. "We want our squad this year to win the conference championship as we look to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament", said Coach Keith Dickson.
"We have a mature team in all aspects of the game, we are looking to the leadership of the upperclassmen as we try to make our run," Dickson said. Baudinet stresses that the team has one main objective this year: "to get back to the NCAA Tournament this year," says Baudinet. But the one main fault that seemed to hold back last year's squad may be the one obstacle that this year's team must face: last year's defense had trouble in tough games late down the stretch. "Our biggest question mark is can we improve defensively over the course of the year, and I feel that through hard work we can," says Coach Dickson.
With wins against Franklin Pierce and #5 Bentley, the Hawks have a good building block for the long season ahead. The team looks forward to getting back to the NE-10 Tournament and returning the program back to the success of the past.
This article was published on 12/11/09 in the Sports section.
Be the first to comment on this story