alvin Sports Report for Saturday, December 15, 2001
MEN’S BASKETBALL
DEFIANCE, OH – Kevin Vande Streek received an early Christmas gift
from his youthful Calvin men’s basketball team as the Knights recorded
their first road win of the year with a 77-73 victory at non-conference
rival Defiance Saturday afternoon.
Saturday’s contest was a rematch of a first round NCAA III Tournament
game from a year ago and a rematch of former MIAA rivals as the Yellow
Jackets were members of the MIAA from 1998-to-2000.
Ranked 19th in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, Calvin (7-3) tied
the game at 73-73 on a baseline jumper by sophomore Phil Visser of Unity
Christian High School with 1:25 left in regulation. The Knights then
used a key defensive stop in the closing seconds to pull out the win as
junior Jeremy Veenstra (Kalamazoo Christian) blocked a shot in the lane
by Defiance senior Eric Viney with six seconds remaining. Calvin
sophomore Josh Berghuis of Unity Christian High School was able to
corral the rebound and in the battle for the loose ball, Berghuis was
fouled with 3.5 seconds left on the clock.
Berghuis then swished both ends of a double-bonus situation at the free
throw line to give the Knights their first lead of the second half.
Calvin was able to regain possession moments later on a Defiance
turnover and sophomore Chris Prins (Escondido, CA) followed with a pair
of free throws to seal the come-from-behind win for the Knights.
“We know that whenever we play Defiance, the key is matching their
toughness,” said Calvin men’s basketball coach Kevin Vande Streek.
“In the first half, Defiance was the tougher team but we found a way
to turn the tide in the second half and in the final five minutes, our
guys were just outstanding. This was a great win for our team to pull
out and I am extremely proud of my guys.”
Calvin gained early momentum in Saturday’s contest at the Defiance
Weaner Center as the Knights were able to build a 22-14 lead first half
lead after a three-pointer by Visser. Defiance (6-4) roared back with
11 unanswered points, taking the lead 25-22 on a three-pointer by
sophomore Mylan Betts. Calvin answered with a 13-6 spurt capped off by
a jumper from sophomore Kevin Broene (Grand Rapids Christian) that put
the Knights up 35-31 with under two minutes left in the half. Defiance
scored the final seven points of the half however to take a 38-35
halftime lead.
The Yellow Jackets then ran their lead to eight points on three
occasions in the second half including a 65-57 advantage with just over
five minutes remaining. Veenstra then converted a three-point play to
pull the Knights to within 65-60 and Calvin junior Rob Dykstra
(Tri-unity Christian) followed with his second three-pointer of the game
to pull the Knights to within two at 65-63 with 4:45 left on the clock.
“Dykstra’s three-pointer with just under five minutes left was
absolutely huge for us,” said Vande Streek. “That shot provided a
big energy boost for our team and really sparked our final run down the
stretch.”
Calvin then used a 6-0 spurt capped off by a layin by Veenstra with two
minutes left to pull to within 72-71. A free throw by Viney put
Defiance up 73-71 with 1:42 to go but Veenstra was able to find Visser
for an open baseline jumper that set up Calvin’s last-minute heroics.
The Calvin victory was its ninth win against Defiance in 11 attempts
and its fifth consecutive win over the Yellow Jackets. Saturday’s
loss was the third straight defeat to a nationally-ranked opponent for
Defiance who had previously dropped games to nationally-ranked Hanover
(IN) and Ohio Northern.
Veenstra led Calvin with a season-high 28 points, and 15 rebounds to go
along with five assists and a career-high seven blocked shots.
Veenstra’s effort on Saturday marked his 18th career double-double and
stretched his double-figure scoring streak to 29 games. Visser was next
for Calvin with a career-high 13 points off the bench while Broene and
Prins added 10 points apiece. Dykstra also had a strong game for the
Knights with eight points and nine rebounds.
Defiance was led in scoring by senior Mike Kurdziel who tallied 24
points including four three-point shots. Viney and Betts were also in
double-figures for Defiance with 13 points apiece.
Both teams shot 41.5 percent from the floor with Calvin holding a 43-41
rebounding edge.
Calvin will now break until December 28 when it faces Milwaukee School
of Engineering in a tournament hosted by Palm Beach Atlantic College in
West Palm Beach, Florida.
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