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Mike Manning posted a double-double in Hobart's win over Ithaca. (Photo by Kevin Colton) |
December 3, 2005
GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart basketball team blocked 12 Ithaca College shots en route to a 73-67 win over the Bombers. Junior guard Mike Manning (Center Moriches/Mastic, N.Y.) paced the Statesmen with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while senior forward Tim Apuzzo (Greeley/Cumberland, Maine) led the block party with five.
Defense was the theme of the first half. Hobart (2-3) limited Ithaca (0-4) to 20 percent shooting from the floor, including just 1-of-10 from beyond the three-point arc. The Statesmen also blocked nine shots before halftime. Hobart’s 12 rejections are believed to be the most since 1978 (15 vs. Utica, the single game record).
The Statesmen led 32-21 at halftime. Senior guard Joe Virgilio (Wheatley/East Williston, N.Y.) led all scorers at the break with eight. He finished with 14, including an 8-for-8 showing at the free throw line.
In the second half, Hobart led by as many as 15, but the Bombers refused to go quietly. Ithaca shot much better after the break, connecting on 51.4 percent (18-35) of its shots. Chipping away at their deficit, the Bombers pulled within three, 68-65, on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Brian Joe (Southside/Elmira, N.Y.) with 1:14 remaining.
Senior guard Adam Frederic (Holy Cross/Flushing, N.Y.) hit a pair of free throws 30 seconds later to put Hobart in front by five and Apuzzo recorded the last of his blocks on Ithaca’s next possession to put an exclamation mark on Hobart’s plan to keep the lead. Apuzzo’s five blocks are the most by a Statesman since Josh Ryan ’00 rejected six against Ithaca on Dec. 7, 1999.
Senior guard Colby Feane (Weedsport/Weedsport, N.Y.) also reached double digits for the Statesmen, finishing with 12 points.
Senior guard Jim Bellis (Bloomfield/Bloomfield, N.Y.) led Ithaca with 17 points, while Joe and junior forward Sean Stahn (Ardsley/Scarsdale, N.Y.) each contributed 14 points.
Hobart is back in action at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7, when the Statesmen host Rochester in Bristol Gym.