Joe Flacke

Tim Apuzzo

November 20, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart basketball team opened the 2004-05 season with a convincing 81-67 victory over Keuka tonight in Bristol Gym. The Statesmen’s starting front court of senior Joe Flacke (Schenectady/Schenectady, N.Y.) and junior Tim Apuzzo (Greely/Cumberland, Maine) combined to shoot 20-of-25 from the floor for 43 points.

Hobart seemed to sleepwalk through the first nine minutes of the contest. But with the score tied at 14, the Statesmen roared out of their slumber. The Statesmen went on a 19-2 run in which Apuzzo scored eight of his 20 points on the night.
Hobart led 37-18 at the break.

The Statesmen defense limited the Storm (0-1) to just two field goals in the final 11 minutes of the opening stanza. Keuka shot just 31 percent from the floor in the first half.

After the break, Hobart ballooned its lead to as many as 25 on a Flacke layup at the 11:44 mark. He finished with a game and career-high 23 points and eight rebounds.

Keuka managed to close to within 12, 79-67, but with just 43 seconds remaining in the contest it was too little too late.

Sophomores Mike Manning (Center Moriches/Mastic, N.Y.) and Mike Mastro (Jericho/Westbury, N.Y.) each contributed 12 points for the Statesmen. Junior transfer Joe Virgilio (Wheatley/East Williston, N.Y.) was outstanding in his Hobart debut, recording eight points, eight assist, and five steals.

Senior forward Kyle Reagan (Santa Cruz/Santa Cruz, Calif.) and sophomore guard Todd Lincoln (Watkins Glen/Watkins Glen, N.Y.) paced Keuka with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Hobart shot 55.4 percent from the floor for the game, including 64.5 percent in the second half. Keuka shot just 42.9 percent and made 27 turnovers.

The Statesmen return to the hardwood at 7 p.m., on Nov. 30, at RIT.