CSR (Men's Basketball Advances to Select Bank Tourney Final With Win Over C-Stone)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2003

MEN'S BASKETBALL

For the fifth time in five tries, the Calvin men's basketball team has advanced
to the championship game of the Select Bank Tournament.

The Knights advanced to the title tilt with a 95-81 victory over Cornerstone
University in a first round game of the Thanksgiving Weekend tournament held at
the Van Andel Arena. Calvin (2-2) will face Grand Valley State (3-0) in the
final Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m. while Cornerstone will meet Hope in the
consolation final at 6:00 p.m.. Grand Valley advanced to the championship
final with a 71-58 victory over Hope in Friday's other first round game.

The Calvin-Grand Valley State game will feature the second time the two schools
have met in the tournament's championship game with Grand Valley winning the
previous meeting 89-79 in the 1998 tournament final.

In its win over Cornerstone (5-2), ranked 14th in the latest NAIA Division II
poll, Calvin used a collective effort as six players reached double-digits in
scoring. Junior Dan Aultman (Mason County Central HS) led the way with 16
points while junior Ricky Shilts (Kalamazoo Central HS) and sophomore Jeremy
Burgin (Lindstrom, MN) pumped in 15 points apiece with Shilts notching a Calvin
career scoring high in the process. Senior Kevin Broene (Grand Rapids
Christian HS) was next with 12 points while senior Chris Prins (Escondido, CA)
and sophomore Brian Rooney (Denver, CO) added 10 points each.

Calvin led 45-42 at halftime and took control of the game with a n 8-3 spurt to
build a double-digit lead of 75-64 with 8:32 remaining on the clock. Shilts
was a catalyst in the run as he connected on a pair of three-point field goals
in a Cornerstone would get no closer than eight points the rest of the way as
the Knights held on for the win.

Cornerstone was led in defeat by senior Keith Wurn who collected a game-high 27
points while sophomore Andy Bronkema had 16 and sophomore Josh Liggins 13.

Both teams shot 47 percent from the floor but the Knights connected on nine
more field goals than the Golden Eagles including one more three-point basket.
Calvin shot 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from beyond the arc and also hit 77.3
percent (17-of-22) of its free throw attempts. Cornerstone shot just 59.5
percent (22-of-37) from the line.

Calvin's bench also played a pivotal role as it outscored Cornerstone's
reserves 30-15. Turnovers also played a factor as the Golden Eagles turned the
ball over 22 times compared to Calvin's 11.

Calvin is now 12-3 against Cornerstone lifetime including 3-1 in the Select
Bank Tournament.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Nov 28 17:18:59 2003