CSR (Men's Basketball Takes Third at HOF Tourney/Women's Basketball Falls to Thomas More)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR November 29, 2008

Men's Basketball Takes Third In Hall of Fame Classic With OT Win Over
Cornerstone; Women's Basketball Falls To Seventh-Ranked Thomas More

MEN’S BASKETBALL
Calvin 85, Cornerstone 82 (OT)

HOLLAND- John Mantel (Chelsea HS) said Calvin needed to have a statement game
against Cornerstone in Saturday’s Grand Rapids Hall of Fame Classic
consolation game at Hope College.

Mantel did just that as he led the Knights with a career high 27 points as
Calvin held off Cornerstone 85-82 in overtime. Mantel drained two clutch free
throws with 10 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Matt Veltema’s
(Calvin Christian) eight-footer with 39 seconds left in overtime was the
difference.

“The statement we made today was perseverance,” said Mantel who was named
to the all-tournament team. “Not everything is going to go right 100-percent
of the time. We need to learn to work through that and we need to learn to
persevere through those runs that opponents go on. Tonight we did a really nice
job as a team of doing that.”

Calvin led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but Cornerstone
exploded on a 22-3 run. Corbin Donaldson had back to back buckets to give the
Golden Eagles a 67-64 lead with 3:48 remaining. It was Cornerstone’s first
lead since the opening minutes of the game.

“It was a game of runs,” coach Kevin VandeStreek said. “We just
couldn’t make a shot down the stretch. We had some good looks and it
seemed like any one of those could have ended the run. We just couldn’t get
it in. (Cornerstone) stayed after it; that’s what good teams do.”

Mantel scored his career high 27-points on 10 of 17 shooting and hit two of
four from three-point range. Mantel was five of five from the free-throw line
and had nine rebounds, one shy of a career high. Mantel’s previous career
high was a 22-point effort in a loss to Albion on January 19, 2007.

“John’s had a really good year from a practice stand point,” VandeStreek
said. “We were a little disappointed with some things last night, but we
really challenged him today to get to the offensive board better. He did that
and obviously made some huge baskets down the stretch.”

Mantel had to battle through an early ankle injury and was Calvin’s only
production in the post.

“I got hit so much today,” Mantel said. “I’m used to it because in
practice we just kill each other. One of our big game plans is to get the ball
in the post. We have so many options when we put the ball in the post.”

Caleb Veldhouse (Sioux Falls Christian), who sat the final 10 minutes of the
first half with three fouls, scored 15 points, including seven straight to give
Calvin a 44-35 lead to open the second half. His fourth double-digit effort of
the year moves him past Holland Christian coach Mickey Phelps (1970) and Tom
Newhof (1958) and into seventh place on the all-time Calvin career scoring
chart.

Veltema added 10 points, including the game winner. Veltema is third on the
team in scoring, averaging 11 points per game. A year ago, he averaged just six
points per game. Calvin led by as many as nine points in the first half, and
led 37-35 at halftime.

Cornerstone’s Kelvin DeVries hit five three-pointers and shot six of six
from the free-throw line to lead the Golden Eagles with a 21-point effort.
DeVries fueled Cornerstone’s 22-3 second half run with two three-pointers,
including one to cut Calvin’s 16-point lead to two points with five minutes
remaining.

“They would float him out to the backside all the time,” VandeStreek said.
“What they really do well is penetrate. If they beat you off the dribble, you
have to come up to help or you’re going to give up the layup and he’s
waiting for the three.”

Cornerstone led 71-69 with under two minutes to play before Trent Salo hit his
only three-pointer of the game to give Calvin the lead with 1:19 to play.
DeVries answered with two free throws and Dominic Allen also added one from the
charity stripe to give the Golden Eagles a 74-72 lead with 30 seconds
remaining.

As Salo tried to create an open look for the equalizer, Mantel was fouled away
from the ball. He hit both free throws to force overtime. Mantel scored the
first five points of overtime to give Calvin a 79-75 lead. DeVries hit a
three-pointer and Caleb Simons, who had 14 points, hit a jumper to give
Cornerstone a three point lead with 1:40 remaining.

Danny Rodts, who had a nine points, and Dustin Smith, who had eight points,
each hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 82-81. Veltema’s jumper put
Calvin in front and Dustin Smith’s free throws gave the Knights a three-point
lead. DeVries missed two three’s in the final 15 seconds.

Calvin is now 11-9 all-time in the Hall of Fame Classic. The Knights entered
the consolation game with a 78-73 loss to Aquinas in Friday’s first round
game. It marked just the second time in Calvin’s ten appearances in the
annual Thanksgiving weekend tournament that the Knights missed the championship
game.

In Saturday’s championship game, Aquinas defeated Hope 58-46 to claim the
tournament title for the second consecutive year. Aquinas also joined Calvin as
one of only two teams to defeat Hope inside the DeVos Fieldhouse.

Calvin and Hope will represent the MIAA in the CCIW/MIAA challenge next
weekend at Wheaton College. Calvin will face Wheaton at 8 p.m. CST/9 p.m. EST
on Friday. The Knights will take on Carthage at 1 p.m. CST/2 p.m. EST on
Saturday.

NOTES: Caleb Veldhouse is seventh on the all-time Calvin career scoring list
with 1,377 points… Veldhouse needs 380 points to pass Chris Knoester (1994) and
move into sixth on the all-time scoring list… Coach Kevin VandeStreek gets win
248 and is six wins away from tying Ed Douma on the all-time Calvin career wins
list…Calvin is now 9-13 in its last 22 overtimes games and 3-3 in overtime
games over the last four years.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thomas More 73, Calvin 60

CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY -- Calvin suffered its first defeat of the year, falling
73-60 to seventh-ranked Thomas More College Saturday afternoon in the second
round of the Julie Costello Memorial Classic.

Thomas More (4-0) jumped out to a 33-23 halftime lead and bumped its lead to
12 before Calvin rallied with back-to-back triples by senior Kristi Brummel
(South Christian HS) cut the lead to five at 49-45 with 9:37 left to play.
Thomas More responded with a 9-0 run however and the Knights (5-1) never
threatened again.

Senior Marcia Harris (Grand Rapids Christian HS) led Calvin in defeat with 26
points on 10 of 18 shooting while Brummel had 11 points, four assists and four
steals. Junior Amber Benthem (McBain Christian HS) chipped in with eight points
while freshman Courtney Kurncz (St. Johns HS) had seven. Jayme Thiem led Thomas
More with 20 while Nicole Dickman had 16 and Gabby Johnson 14.

Thomas More shot 50 percent from the floor and held a 33-27 rebounding
advantage. For their efforts over the weekend, Harris and Brummel were both
named to the all-tournament team.

Calvin will now break until next Saturday when it travels to Saint Mary's for
a 3:00 p.m. contest.
 

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Sat Nov 29 23:35:50 2008