From: Jeff Febus (jfebus@calvin.edu)
Date: Sat Jan 11 2003 - 17:45:34 EST
CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR JANUARY 11, 2003
MEN’S BASKETBALL
OLIVET, MI – Life on the road this year has been an up-and-down experience for the Calvin men’s basketball team. On Saturday, an inspired effort in the opening 10 minutes of the game insured that the Knights would remain on top as Calvin rolled to a 94-72 victory over the Comets of Olivet.
Using a swarming defensive effort, Calvin outscored the host Comets 31-7 in the opening 10 minutes of the game and widened the margin to as many as 30 points in the first half before settling on a 47-26 halftime score.
With Calvin holding a 65-38 advantage with 13:14 remaining, Olivet (8-6 overall, 0-1 MIAA) Olivet reeled off a 26-14 run to close to within 15 at 79-64 with 5:48 left on the clock. The Comets would get no closer however as the Knights (9-5 overall, 2-0 MIAA) collected their second straight victory including their fourth in the last five games.
"I thought we came out with great intensity and enthusiasm in the first half, particularly on defense," said Calvin men’s basketball coach Kevin Vande Streek. "The question with our team this year has not been whether we have it in us but rather, whether we have it every day. It was great to see us came out with an inspired effort for the second game in a row."
Senior Jeremy Veenstra (Kalamazoo Christian HS) came up with one of his finest efforts of the year as he scored 21 points along with five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Veenstra also held Olivet senior Michael Dyson to seven points, 11 points below his scoring average.
"That might have been one of the best defensive performances of Veenstra’s career," said Vande Streek. "He was outstanding today. Dyson is one of the top players in our conference without a question and for Veenstra to hold him to seven points says something about the kind of defensive effort he put in."
Veenstra was one of five Calvin players to reach double-figures in scoring as junior Kevin Broene (Grand Rapids Christian HS) popped in 16 points off the bench on the strength of four three-point field goals while freshman Joel Hoekstra (Unity Christian HS) collected a career-high 11 points off the bench. In addition, senior Rob Dykstra (Tri-unity Christian HS) and freshman Jeremy Burgin (Chisago Lakes, MN) chipped in with 10 points apiece.
Olivet was led in scoring by That Mitchner who recorded 15 points with De’Andre Pruitt scoring 13 points and Will Lee adding 11.
As a team, Calvin shot a season-high 56.7 percent from the floor (34-of-60) while also hitting 47.8 (11-of-23) percent of its three-point attempts. Olivet shot 40.8 percent (29-of-71) overall but just 30 percent (12-of-40) in the first half.
Calvin also held a 42-29 rebounding advantage. The Knights are 9-0 this year in games that they outrebound their opponents.
Calvin will now turn its attention to a big Wednesday night matchup at Albion which posted its eighth straight win with a 72-63 victory over Adrian Saturday afternoon. The Britons are 12-2 overall and like Calvin, 2-0 in the MIAA. A year ago, Albion handed Calvin a pair of regular season defeats before the Knights came back to edge the Britons in the MIAA Tournament semifinals.
OTHER MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL SCORES Saturday
Albion 72, Adrian 63
Kalamazoo 89, Alma 66
MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 1-11 GAMES
Albion 2-0
Calvin 2-0
Hope 1-0
Kalamazoo 1-1
Olivet 0-1
Adrian 0-2
Alma 0-2
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
After a tough league loss during the week, Calvin bounced back in winning form, downing the visiting Olivet Comets 67-60. The Knights improve to 1-1 in the MIAA while the Comets fell to 0-2.
After building a 31-30 halftime lead, Calvin came out of the locker room cool and composed, rattling off a 25-13 run, giving it a 56-43 advantage. Olivet would answer with a run of its own as a jumper by Emily Fix (Comstock Park HS) found the bottom of the net and pulled the Comets to within three, 63-60 with 1:07 left in regulation. The Knights would make their free-throws down the stretch, however, connecting on 4 of 6 in the last 24 seconds to seal the victory.
Calvin was paced by senior forward Emily Beard (Southfield Christian) who tossed in 19 points and collected seven rebounds. Fellow classmate Tricia Dyk (Western Michigan Christian) added 12 points along with six steals and four assists. Junior Andrea MacDonald (Allendale) notched her third double-double of the season scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Olivet was led by senior Louisa Grill who scored 24 points on 10-15 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Knights return to action on Wednesday, January 15, when they host Albion College at 7:30 p.m.
OTHER MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCORES Saturday
Albion 76, Adrian 61
Alma 83, Kalamazoo 71
Hope 90, St. Mary's 73
MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 1-11 GAMES
Alma 2-0
Hope 2-0
Albion 1-1
Calvin 1-1
Kalamazoo 1-1
St. Mary's 1-1
Adrian 0-2
Olivet 0-2
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