Since The Hawk is unable to bring our readers our typical sports coverage due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to reflect on sports highlights from years past. This weekly series looks back at some of the most accomplished and memorable teams in SJU Athletics history. Key game highlights published by former Hawk staff members are republished here. This week’s edition highlights important moments from the 1996-97 men’s basketball team’s season.
The 1996-97 St. Joe’s men’s basketball team is the only Hawks’ team to win a regular season conference title, conference tournament and make the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. The team, picked to finish in the bottom half of the Atlantic 10 (A-10), earned a fourth-seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, and finished the season ranked No. 12 in the country in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll. The 1996-97 season marked Phil Martelli’s second year as head coach. The season’s pivotal moments are recapped below:
No. 10 Duke University, Nov. 20, Cameron Indoor Stadium, L 89-60:
For the first game of the season, the Hawks traveled to Durham, North Carolina to take on the No. 10 Duke University Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Hawks kept the score close during the first half. Junior guard Rashid Bey picked up his third foul with Duke leading 17-14. The Hawks went into halftime down 12 points, 37-25. At the start of the second half, St. Joe’s clung to a nine point deficit before Duke superstar Trajan Langdon sparked a 21-2 run over a six minute span. Duke went on to win the game 89-60, making this the Hawks’ worst loss in seven years. This year’s nonconference schedule was the hardest in the 87 year history of the program, according to Martelli.
Aaron Bracy ’98, sportswriter:
“For the Hawks, junior forward [Harold] Rasul (’98) was the biggest surprise. The transfer from Colby County Community College [Kansas] scored a team high of 18 points to go along with nine rebounds. Another bright spot was the play of [freshmen guard] Arthur Davis. He scored 12 points in his debut.”
George Washington University, Jan. 15, Charles E. Smith Center, W 55-53:
The Hawks (7-4) defeated A-10 preseason favorite George Washington University on a game-winning layup from senior center Nemanja Petrovic with 24 seconds left in the contest. The Hawks shot only 22% from the field in the first half, and had just two more baskets (18) than turnovers (16) the whole game. Senior guard Terrell Myers led the Hawks with 12 points and assisted on the game-winning layup. It was the Hawks’ first win in the Charles E. Smith Center since 1989.
Phil Martelli, head basketball coach:
“I think that we’re going to try to get out of [Washington, D.C.] under a cloud of darkness, so that we don’t get arrested. What we did tonight was pure, out and out larceny.”
No. 17 Xavier University, Feb. 8., Michael J. Hagan Arena ’85, W 79-65:
St. Joe’s (15-5) defeated Xavier University (16-4) on their home court, 79-65. The Hawks raced out to a 51-28 halftime lead and forced the Musketeers to 14 first half turnovers. Junior guard Rashid Bey led the Hawks with 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Defensive stopper Duval Simmonds, a junior forward, scored three early baskets to catapult the Hawks to a 14-3 lead to start the contest.
Joseph Navitsky ’98, sports editor:
“Rarely in life does anything on Earth deserve to be described as heavenly, and if it does receive the ultimate compliment, more often than not, it is not truly warranted. But, to more than 3,200 spectators crammed into [Hagan Arena] last Saturday, a piece of heaven had indeed descended on Hawk Hill, at least for one precious and unbelievable first half of basketball.”
A-10 Tournament Championship, University of Rhode Island, March 8., The Spectrum Arena, W 61-56:
After convincing wins over Saint Bonaventure University and George Washington University in the quarterfinal and semifinal, the No. 19 Hawks (24-6) defeated the Rhode Island Rams 61-56 for the program’s first A-10 Tournament Championship since 1986. The tournaments Most Valuable Player Rashid Bey, a junior guard, scored 17 points, and freshman guard Arthur Davis chipped in 14 points and 5 assists.
Mark DeFabio ’97, sportswriter:
“Victory 24 was won just like the other 23: the Hawks played a solid team game. Rashid Bey described his team’s performance as ‘A team effort – we executed our plan, our [defense] D held.’ Of the team’s defensive tenacity, Bey said, ‘We take D personally; it’s a challenge.’ Well, this time the D was the deciding factor as the Hawks made all the big stops on D.”
NCAA Tournament Round of 32, fifth-seed Boston College, March 15., Jon M. Huntsman Center, W 78-74 (OT):
In an overtime thriller between two Jesuit institutions, the fourth-seeded Hawks (26-6) defeated the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles 78-74 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1981. Junior guard Rashid Bey scored 10 of the Hawks’ 12 overtime points. St. Joe’s trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half, but battled back behind a barrage of 3-point shots. The Hawks shot 42 3-point shots in the game which, at the time, was the second most attempts in an NCAA tournament game.
Joseph Navitsky ’98, sports editor:
“Facing Big East champion Boston College was akin to taking a look into a mirror. The Eagles have everything the Hawks have, and last Saturday afternoon they brought to the table more than just a similar game plan. For 40 minutes, the Hawks and their northern Jesuit brethren acted as if they were Siamese twins joined at the hip.”
In Review:
In the Sweet Sixteen, the Hawks (26- 7) fell 83-68 to first-seeded University of Kentucky, which advanced all the way to the tournament final and lost to the Uni
versity of Arizona. The 1996-97 team was led in scoring by Rashid Bey, Arthur Davis and Terrell Myers, respectively. Myers, along with Dimitri Domani, Nemanja Petrovic and Bob Delvescovo made up the team’s se- niors. Martelli described the 1996-97 team as hard-nosed, tough and always playing with an attitude.
“Martelli never made any promises, except that his teams would play with heart.” – Joseph Navitsky ’98
