Men’s basketball travels to the U.S. Virgin Islands
The Saint Joseph’s University men’s basketball team traveled to Saint Thomas to compete in the Paradise Jam Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands. Over the course of the three-day tournament, the Hawks came away with one win and two losses.
St. Joe’s began the tournament on Nov. 18 with a 71-57 win over the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers. Sophomore Lamarr Kimble led the Hawks in scoring with 26 points; junior guard Shavar Newkirk also chipped in with 20 points. Freshman Charlie Brown led the team with six rebounds and contributed nine points.
The Hawks maintained the lead for all but one minute, as the Ramblers’ baskets were answered by Kimble and Newkirk. Though St. Joe’s came away with the win, Head Coach Phil Martelli noted that the team still has room to improve.
“[Kimble and Newkirk] were experienced players playing against experienced players,” Martelli said. “We have to have better balance than that…we’re going to have to play a whole lot better the rest of the season.”
With the win, the team moved on to play the University of Mississippi Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 19, a game the Hawks lost 81-68.
Newkirk led the Hawks with 21 points and six assists, while Brown and Kimble added 13 and 10 points respectively. The Hawks struggled at the foul line, making just 10 of 22 shots—a disappointing result for Martelli.
“We’re walking out of here as a Division I team 10-for-22 from the foul line,” Martelli said. “It’s my fault.”
The Rebels only led the Hawks by four points at the end of the first half with a score of 41-37, but Ole Miss opened the second half quickly with a 12-5 run to take their biggest lead until that point, 53-42.
The Hawks were eventually able to cut the Rebels’ lead to 8 points, 60-52, but Ole Miss would answer back with a 13-5 run to increase their lead to 73-57 with a little over five minutes remaining in the game.
“We knew we had to keep them off the glass,” Martelli said. “They hit a big bucket at the end of the half to put them up four after we had missed a four-footer. Then the spurt at the beginning of the second half, but we missed six of seven free throws and we can’t do that.”
The loss put the Hawks in position to play for third-place against the North Carolina State University Wolfpack on Nov. 21, where they suffered a 73-63 loss.
The Hawks started the game strong leading 20-9 a little over 10 minutes into the first half. North Carolina State answered quickly with a 13-0 run and took the lead, 22-20, with about four minutes left in the first half.
The game remained close but in the second half, the Hawks fell 73-63.
Newkirk led the Hawks again with 23 points, making it his third consecutive 20-plus point game, while also contributing six rebounds and five assists. Brown added 14 points.
St. Joe’s, now 3-2, will have a chance to prove themselves after the Thanksgiving break in a Big 5 game against the Temple University Owls at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Hagan Arena.