2002-03 Season
Titans' rally falls short in sectional
Early deficit proves too much to overcome as IWU ends season at 22-6
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
ASHLAND, Va. -- High on Illinois Wesleyan's checklist of things to do Friday in the NCAA Division III sectional semifinals was handle the basketball.
When it didn't, No. 4-nationally ranked Hampden-Sydney handed the No. 13 Titans a 76-68 setback in front of 1,680 at Randolph-Macon College's Crenshaw Gymnasium.
The Tigers, who came in forcing 20.7 turnovers per game, pestered IWU into 20, all but three of which came as they took a 36-22 halftime lead. Hampden-Sydney grew the gap to 20 points with 12:02 left, but a furious Titan rally cut the deficit to four when the magic finally ran out with 57 seconds remaining.
IWU thus closed the season at 22-6, the 12th team in school history to win at least 22 games.
"We beat a heck of a basketball team tonight," said Hampden-Sydney coach Tony Shaver. "One thing we knew about them, if we got up or not, they would not give up. They are famous for that."
Hampden-Sydney (27-2) advanced to the Elite Eight for the third time where it will face No. 15 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a 53-47 upset winner over No. 1 Randolph-Macon (28-2) Friday night. Tonight's title game is at 7 o'clock (CST).
"We dug ourselves a hole because of turnovers, plain and simple," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "We knew we had to take care of the ball."
The Titans -- who came back from a 20-point deficit to beat North Park this season -- fell behind 53-33 following a dunk by Jay Patrick, who finished with a game-high 17 points.
"I knew we weren't done," said Seth Hubbard, who led IWU with 15 points and shared the team rebound lead with John Camardella at nine. "I just knew our careers were on the line.
"I thought we put ourselves in a great position in the last few minutes of the game. We didn't get some shots to fall."
Leading the way back were reserves Chris Silagi and Jim Lehan, who finished with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
"They kept us alive," Hubbard said. "We were falling apart."
Lehan scored eight of his season-high tying 11 points within a 2:31 span to pull the Titans within 58-50.
"I think they (Hampden-Syndey) would match up favorably with teams we have played," Lehan said. "I don't think they are spectacular, but they are good and they played a good game."
IWU's comeback was especially noteworthy because IWU co-captains Luke Kasten and Camardella fouled out with 11:41 and 9:08 left, respectively.
"Hampden-Sydney played a physical game," Kasten said. "They played with a lot of class. You have to give them credit for the victory, but at the same time I think it was our worst game of the year."
Kasten finished with a season-low five points, 12 below his average, and Camardella had six points, seven below his usual. The two combined were 4-of-18 from the field as part of .367 team shooting performance.
"I think it's the sign of a really good team when both of our captains can foul out that early and we can still put up a really good fight to the end," Hubbard said.
A Silagi 3-pointer pulled IWU within 69-65 with :57 left. Hampden-Sydney committed one of its 16 turnovers on the next possession, but Marty Eich couldn't capitalize on a shot Trost thought deserved a foul call.
The sequence ended with a David Willson dunk and Trost was called for a technical for protesting the non-call against Eich. Brandon Randall, who finished with 16 points, made one free throw to give the Tigers a 72-65 lead with :39.3 left.
"It was a bad time to get it (a technical), but I can't comment on the officiating," Trost said.
Silagi had one of IWU's four conventional three-point plays and three of its nine (out of 21) 3-pointers.
"I can't remember a stretch like that -- conventional three-point plays and 3-pointers," Shaver said. "I joked to an assistant coach that we should start fouling them so they would only get two points instead of three."
Six early turnovers couldn't prevent IWU from taking a 13-6 lead with 11:20 left in the first half, but it would be another 6:22 before the Titans would score another field goal.
The Tigers mounted a 17-2 surge during that time as their full-court press forced six turnovers and four missed shots by IWU.
"I thought we handled their press pretty effectively overall," Trost said. "Once we broke it is when we didn't do a good job."
After a Lehan 3-pointer made it 72-68 with :36.3 showing, the game ended on a pair of free throws by both Randall and Patrick. The Tigers shot .421 from the field and gained a 43-35 rebounding edge led by Willson's eight boards.
"We believed in ourselves to the end," Silagi said. "The one problem was digging ourselves a big hole in the beginning."
Scouting Hampden-Sydney
Starting Lineup:
#20 G Marcus Gregory (6-0/165, Sr) - 4.2 pts, 5.4 assists
#03 G Jeff Monroe (6-5/205, Jr) - 12.5 pts, 30-84 (.357) 3-pt
#00 G Brandon Randle (6-6/190, Jr) - 9.3 pts, .428 FG%, 19-65 (.292) 3-pt
#44 F Jason Holman (6-4/210, Jr) - 10.5 pts, 5.1 reb, .596 FG% - no 3's
#40 C Lane Brooks (6-8/200, Sr) - 10.6 pts, 7.1 reb, .561 FG% - no 3's
Titans treat fans to a stunner
IWU upsets Washington in playoffs
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
ST. LOUIS -- Illinois Wesleyan basketball coach Scott Trost claimed his team has the best fans in the country.
Proof disputing that assertion was hard to come by at WU Field House Saturday night where an over-caffeinated crowd of 2,190 was 65 percent green either in dress or affiliation.
The bedlam they generated lifted the Titans to a stunning, 85-73 upset of No. 2-nationally ranked Washington University in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
No. 13-ranked IWU improved to 21-6 this season and 32-14 all-time in the playoffs. The Titans advanced to Friday's sectional semifinals, at a site to be determined today, where they will face No. 4 Hampden-Sydney (26-2), a 56-54 buzzer-beating winner over the Savannah College of Art and Design.
The other sectional semifinalists are No. 1 Randolph-Macon (28-1) and No. 15 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (24-6). The sectional final is next Saturday.
Washington, which had downed the Titans 88-75 Dec. 8 at Bloomington, fell to 24-2 as its 31-game home winning streak, the second longest Division III streak in the nation, ended.
"The crowd was great," Trost said. "We've got the best fans in the country. If people don't believe that now after seeing what was on display tonight, then I don't know what they are watching."
The fans watched Luke Kasten lead IWU with a season-high 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 free throw accuracy. He also had a game-high 13 rebounds and two blocks.
"Some people can doubt Luke, but I've never doubted him," Trost said. "He stepped up huge in a big game. When Luke Kasten plays like that and we play together, then we can beat anybody."
IWU freshman Adam Dauksas added a season-high 21 points while Laban "Mr. March" Cross had nine points and John Camardella had 12 rebounds and nine points. Eric Starkey had a team-high five assists while Seth Hubbard had four assists and eight boards.
"Adam has been playing better than a freshman all year long," Kasten said. "He plays well beyond his age. He just played one great game."
Cross, who had been limited to 18 points all season because of an ankle injury, was 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
"They've been calling him Mr. March and I guess it came true," Trost said. "I give him a lot of credit because he's hung in there through a difficult season. The crowd is pulling for Laban. We're all pulling for Laban because of the experiences he's had."
Chris Jeffries paced the Bears with 20 points, only five of which came in the second half against the double-teaming Titans.
"We made sure Jeffries wasn't going to beat us by himself," said Trost, whose team coaxed the 6-foot-6 All-American into 2-of-10 shooting the second half.
"The second half we worked it out to have Seth guard him and have me come and double him," Kasten said. "As soon as he touches the ball, you've got to get it out of his hands. It worked out really well."
"I thought I had decent looks regardless of their double team," said Jeffries, who three turnovers, six assists and 10 rebounds. "I made a couple bad passes out of the double team. My shots just weren't falling the second half."
As the crowd generated an electric atmosphere, IWU made a decisive, 12-3 surge to take a 62-57 lead with 8:31 showing. The move included a pair of Cross 3-pointers and ended with a conventional three-point play by Camardella.
"I love our fans," Kasten said. "The fact they came down here and packed this place. That's the reason we played so well."
IWU won the battle of the boards, 46-41.
"Down the stretch we rebounded the ball a lot better when we had to," Cross said.
After a Kasten put-back put IWU on top 71-64, Washington found it difficult to rally as the Titans canned 14 of 14 free throws the final 1:35.
"It's tough to climb out of a hole when a team does that," said Bear guard Matt Tabash, who had eight assists.
"I thought Wesleyan played great," said Washington coach Mark Edwards. "I thought they played fearless and I thought we did, too. They found a way to score and we didn't in the middle of the second half. Every single one of their players stepped up to the challenge and hurt us at one time or another."
Only a layup in the final tenth of a second by Barry Bryant prevented IWU from taking the halftime lead as Washington went to the locker room up 38-37.
The Titans played one of their better halves of the year, shooting .516 from the field the first 20 minutes. They finished at .446 while the Bears shot .365 including .221 from 3-point range (7 of 23).
Washington's Joel Parrott, who had his top front teeth broken by Camardella in the first half, finished with 16 points. Jarriot Rook added 13 points and 12 rebounds while Dustin Tylka added 12 points.
"This is not the way I pictured us leaving," Parrott said.
Two fastbreak baskets by Dauksas sandwiched between layups by Kasten and Hubbard earned IWU an 8-2 lead. Jeffries scored 12 points the first 7:30 as the Bears went up 21-15.
"We definitely had motivation from the first game," Dauksas said.
The Titans didn't get the lead again until an 8-0 run capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Dauksas and Cross made it 37-34 with 49 seconds left before intermission.
"Laban -- it's no surprise to us. We knew it was only a matter of time before he was going to put us on his back," Kasten said. "His 3s couldn't have come at bigger moments. They were worth way more than three points."
IWU's bench outscored its counterpart, 18-6, and the Titans finished 19 of 22 at the line compared to the Bears at 12 of 15.
"Whoever they play next," Edwards said, "I hope they get to see them the way we saw them tonight."
NCAA Division III Tournament - Round Two
3:00pm - Lady Titans (20-8) @ Washington U. (24-1)
7:00pm - Illinois Wesleyan (21-5) @ Washington U. (24-1)
| Radio Coverage (Men):
WJBC, AM-1230 - Bloomington, Listen Live Radio Coverage (Women): WJBC, AM-1230 - Bloomington, Listen Live |
"Titans in Role of Underdog" - Pantagraph
"IWU women adopt can-do attitude" - Pantagraph
Review Notes from 12/8/02 Game
Men's Matchups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Washington U. | |
| G | Adam Dauksas (6'2/180, Freshman)
9.0 pts, 3.0 reb, 3.2 assists |
Matt Tabash (5'10/160 Senior).
8.3 pts, 5.64 assists, 4.7:1 assist/t.o ratio |
| G | Eric Starkey (6'2/185, Senior)
7.3 pts, 3.0 reb |
Dustin Tylka (6'3/210 Senior)
8.7 pts, 41-118, .347 3-pt% |
| F/G | John Camardella (6'4/210, Senior)
13.7 pts, 7.2 reb, 128-216 FG (.593) |
Joel Parrott (6'4/210 Senior)
11.3 pts, 49-133, .368 3-pt% |
| F | Luke Kasten (6'7/215, Senior)
16.9 pts, 6.8 reb, 168-325 FG (.517) |
Chris Jeffries (6'6/185 Senior)
20.5 pts, 7.0 reb, 198-318, .623 FG% |
| C | Seth Hubbard (6'7/220, Senior)
12.3 pts, 4.2 reb, 112-181 FG ( .619) |
Jarriot Rook (6'8/210 Senior).
9.6 pts, 7.8 reb, 99-217, .456 FG% |
| Bench | Chris Silagi (6'2/190 Senior, G) - 8.6 pts, 2.4 reb
Marty Eich (6'7/215 Senior, F/C) - 3.6 pts, 2.9 reb Jim Lehan (5'11/165, Junior, G) - 2.8 pts, 1.3 assists Laban Cross (6/2, 185 Senior, G) |
Barry Bryant (6'2/180 Junior, G) - 6.1 pts
Anthony Hollins (6'5/195 Soph, F) - 4.5 pts, 3.2 reb Rob Keller (6'4/220 Soph, G) - 3.5 pts, 2.0 reb Nick Geurts (6'8/235 Senior, C) - 3.1 pts |
Team Averages:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Washington U. | |
| Points Scored Per Game | 77.4 |
84.6 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 67.7 |
62.8 |
| Field Goal % | .506 |
.472 |
| Opponent's Field Goal % | .417 |
.377 |
| 3-point % | .397 |
.336 |
| Opponent's 3-point % | .313 |
.287 |
| Free Throw % | .739 |
.640 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 35.6 |
42.3 |
| Rebounds Allowed Per Game | 31.0 |
38.1 |
Heavy-hearted Titans win
Mourning team rallies around teammate Silagi in playoff victory
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- Chris Silagi has been there for his Illinois Wesleyan basketball teammates through good times and bad for four years.
When it was his turn to face the bad following the Wednesday death of his father, Rich, Silagi wasn't alone.
The senior from Oswego -- buoyed by the support of teammates and a Shirk Center crowd of 2,700 -- helped the Titans get past Blackburn, 79-59, in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs Thursday.
In a game that was preceded by a moment of silence for his father, Silagi ignited a deafening roar when his 18-foot jumper beat the halftime buzzer to spot IWU a 38-30 lead. He pointed heavenward as a wave of applause swept him to the locker room.
The No. 13-nationally ranked Titans (21-5) will head to St. Louis for a 7 p.m. game Saturday at No. 2 Washington University (24-1) with grief and joy pulling their hearts in opposite directions.
Silagi, who IWU officials said was unavailable for post-game interviews, will be with the Titans Saturday. His father's visitation is Sunday and the funeral Monday.
"When you have such a traumatic event in your life, it really puts everything in perspective," said Titan co-captain Luke Kasten, who scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. "There wasn't one single guy on this team thinking about basketball today.
"This game was important to Chris. It showed how important this team is to Chris just by him showing up today. Chris' class showed today. He's a hero of mine."
Silagi's loss was especially poignant for IWU co-captain John Camardella, whose own father died in 1999.
"My mind the whole day was on Mr. Silagi," said Camardella, who scored 10 points. "Having gone through it and knowing what it feels like, my heart goes out to Chris and his family. It's something you can't really talk about unless you've gone through it.
"Chris showed how much he cares for this team in that he drove all the way back (from Oswego) to play this game. Tonight was Chris Silagi's night, and I know his dad was with him the whole night."
Silagi finished with seven points, three rebounds and an assist in 20 minutes. Seth Hubbard added 13 points and Adam Dauksas chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Eric Starkey had nine points and two blocks.
"Chris -- I give him all the credit in the world," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "For him to go through what he has gone through the last 24 hours and then come out here and perform the way he did is a true testament to his character.
"Chris is a very important member of the Illinois Wesleyan community. We'll be there to support him in any fashion we can."
Blackburn (15-10) never led, but it hung tough early, forcing three ties, the last of which was at 18-18 with 8:47 left in the half.
Starkey sparked a 9-0 IWU run with a conventional three-point play that included 3-pointers by Camardella and Dauksas.
The Titans' offense sputtered at times as they committed eight of their 13 turnovers the first 19 minutes.
"We were just not clicking in the first half, but I thought we played a better second half," Trost said.
The Titans opened the second half with an 18-8 surge to go up 56-38 with 12:24 left. Blackburn never got closer.
"We played with a little more urgency, and I thought we did a better job of communicating (the second half)," said Trost, whose team gained a 39-23 advantage on the boards.
IWU shot 56.4 percent from the field with help from 7-of-14 3-point accuracy. The Fightin' Beavers shot 43.9 percent while getting 14 points apiece from Jon Tipton and Doug Sumner. Cory Waters added 11 and Luke Hennings 10.
Blackburn was outscored in the paint, 38-18, during its NCAA Tournament debut.
"I thought the times they could hurt us the most were when they could back their way in deeper than we wanted them to be," said Blackburn coach Joe Ramsey, who battled IWU for 21 years as Millikin's coach. "What that does is make your defensive help have to come further off of the men they are guarding."
Blackburn sixth man Kyle Madix of Clinton, who had one rebound and one assist, thought his team represented itself well.
"We knew it was going to be a real dogfight, and it was for a long time," said Madix, whose team was playing in front of its biggest crowd of the year. "It was just a great atmosphere to play in. We played real hard throughout the game. We never gave up. That's how our season went."
2003 CCIW Chat Awards
(Voted on by the contributors to the "CCIW Chat" message board on D3Hoops.com.)
1st Team
Joel Kolmodin (Jr - Wheaton)
Luke Kasten (Sr - Illinois Wesleyan)
Drew Carstens (Jr - Augustana)
Antoine McDaniel (Sr - Carthage)
Rob Garnes (Sr - Carthage)
2nd team
John Camardella (Sr - Illinois Wesleyan)
Wayne Bosworth (Jr - Elmhurst)
Sneed Deaderick (Sr - North Park)
Nate Collord (Sr - Wheaton)
Theo Powell (Jr - Carthage)
3rd Team
Seth Hubbard (Sr - Illinois Wesleyan)
Steven Holder (Sr - Elmhurst)
Mike Wilson (So - North Central)
Shaun Clements (Jr - Augustana)
Jon Nielson (So - Wheaton)
Coach of the Year: Scott Trost, Illinois Wesleyan
Freshman of the Year: Adam Dauksas, Illinois Wesleyan
Newcomer of the Year: Mike Wilson, North Central
Best Defensive Player: Bart Fabian, Carthage
Most Improved Player: Wayne Bosworth, Elmhurst
Most Outstanding Player: Joel Kolmodin, Wheaton
Titans earn title share
Victory qualifies Titans for NCAA Division III playoffs
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- Senior Nights in the basketball world are by definition memorable for the participants.
Saturday night's overflow crowd of 3,000 at Shirk Center saw a Senior Night that was the definition of meaningful.
No. 14 nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan clinched a conference title share as well as an NCAA playoff berth with a 73-65 win over Elmhurst in the final regular season game for both teams.
IWU, which earned its 15th NCAA Division III playoff berth since 1984, improved to 20-5 overall and 11-3 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Augustana and Carthage also shared the title, but lost the playoff tie-breaker criteria. Playoff pairings will be announced at 8 o'clock tonight on the "NCAASports.com" Web site.
The title was IWU's first in five years and 25th since the league was formed in 1946-47. The 20-win campaign was the Titans' 15th in the last 38 years.
"This is unexplainable," said Titan senior Chris Silagi, voicing a recurring theme in the post-game jubilation. "We seven seniors got together before the season for dinner and talked this over that we were going to do it -- no excuses. We had the talent. We had to put trust in ourselves and go out and do it and here is the end result."
Elmhurst, which had beaten the Titans 74-72 Feb. 5, ended the season 11-14 and 6-8.
"I'm extremely excited," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "I'm proud of the guys. They fought hard all year in a great league. To be champion of this league is special. I couldn't be happier for the seven seniors."
Senior John Camardella led the way with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 34 acrobatic minutes.
Fellow seniors Seth Hubbard and Luke Kasten added 14 and 11 points, respectively, to go with 11 points from freshman Adam Dauksas.
"I thought Camardella played an outstanding game," said Elmhurst coach Mark Scherer. "We feel he's the engine of their team. When he's getting to the offensive glass, they're a team that can play with anybody. I thought Seth Hubbard had a good game as well. He's an unsung hero of their team. He's an outstanding team player and passer."
Among the biggest keys to the game was the ability of Silagi and Eric Starkey to hold Elmhurst star Wayne Bosworth to seven points. He scored 26 points in the first meeting and came in averaging 17.7. His 3-point field goal percentage of .528 ranks second nationally.
"Eric and Chris busted through screens all night," said Camardella, who watched Bosworth go 3 of 9 from the field and 1 of 7 from 3-point range. "That's a testament to their defense."
"We weren't going to give any help off of him," added Trost. "I thought Silagi and Starkey gave him no space. We didn't want to give him any good looks."
Adam Ackerman and Steven Holder led Elmhurst with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
A Hubbard hook shot broke a 13-13 tie and put IWU in the lead for good with 9:50 left in the first half. He scored eight points as the Titans took a 39-32 halftime lead.
The last of Camardella's 10 first-half points came on an offensive rebound at the buzzer after he fell hard trying to retrieve a miss moments earlier. He kept the crowd buzzing when his dunk gave IWU a 45-35 lead with 16:41 left to play.
A Camardella rebound basket and a Dauksas layup later pushed the gap to 52-37. Elmhurst closed to within 57-52 with 7:20 remaining, but a 7-0 surge earned IWU a 64-52 lead and some breathing room.
"I thought we executed better," Trost said. "John played huge. He's been there all year. What can you say? John's a winner."
Another 7-0 run capped by a Kasten 3-pointer gave IWU its biggest lead at 71-54 with 2:35 left. That gap gave Trost a chance to take out the seniors to thunderous applause down the stretch.
"I couldn't be happier," said Hubbard, who was 7 of 10 from the field and had six rebounds. "It was hard to focus after the Senior Night ceremony. We are coming together well for a good tournament run."
The Titans shot .452 from the field the first half and finished at .519 while Elmhurst shot .429.
"I wish Wayne Bosworth had made a few shots in the first half," said Scherer, whose star didn't score until 12:46 was left. "I think that would have helped us mentally. They double-teamed him coming off all the screens.
"I have to give them all the credit. They are a senior-laden team and those are the type of teams that win these games. When they needed a bucket they got one."
Titans set tone for season with early success
by Bryan Bloodworth, Pantagraph, 3/2/03
(Bryan Bloodworth is the sports editor of The Pantagraph. He can be reached via e-mail at bbloodworth@pantagraph.com)
The defining moment for this year's Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team came in the season-opening tournament at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind.
The Titans defeated DePauw, 77-64, then turned back the host school, 78-64, in the championship contest.
"That was a big weekend for us," said second-year coach Scott Trost. "It got us all on the same page and it showed everybody we could trust and believe in each other. Trust is such a big issue and I'm not sure we had that last year."
Trost will be the first to admit that his first year at the helm wasn't the easiest. He inherited a veteran team that enjoyed success under legendary coach Dennie Bridges. That team finished with a very disappointing 12-12 record.
"It took me awhile to get to know the players and it took the players time to get to know me," added Trost. "I'm not sure we ever felt comfortable with each other last year. But I think last year prepared us for this year."
With virtually the same players, the Titans rebounded for a 20-5 record and earned the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Comfort zone
"I feel much more comfortable this year," said Trost. "I feel I know the players. I know what motivates them and makes them tick. And they know where I'm coming from. When I came here, I tried to conform a little bit to the way they had done things.
"But ultimately I had to go home and look at myself and say 'is this me.' This year I've been myself. I'm much more at ease with myself and I'm much happier. It's a much better feeling than it was a year ago."
Probably the biggest change Trost made this year was at the offensive end of the court.
"The year before I got here they were so successful on offense, so I thought why should I change things," Trost continued. "That offense didn't work for me because I didn't have a knowledge of it. I could look at it on paper, but I couldn't teach it.
"I'm more of a motion offense guy. I like to have my guys coming off staggered screens and rely on more dribble penetration. There are a lot of ways to play basketball and I had to do something I felt comfortable in."
Trost knew it would be difficult to replace Bridges.
"When I took the job I said the hardest part would be replacing him," Trost continued. "I don't think you can ever be prepared for something like that until you go through it.
"It takes time for adjustment and I think we've weathered it and I look forward to many years here. It's a great job with a lot of positives. It's what I thought and more."
Trost has also seen a number of underclassmen, whom he didn't recruit, leave the program. This year's junior class, the last one recruited by Bridges, is down to Jim Lehan and John O'Brien.
"The guys who left the program did so because they wanted to play," said Trost. "I think they saw the handwriting on the wall, that they weren't going to play as much as they wanted to play.
'Good kids'
"That's fine. I harbor no ill feelings toward them. They are all good kids. We have a really good freshman class this year that's going to play. And they are going to play, not because they are my players, but because they are good."
Trost, who served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan, said the biggest difference between Division I and III players is size and athleticism.
"From a coaching standpoint, the difference is you coach more here and you teach more here," added Trost. "From a skill standpoint, the guys can shoot the ball at this level as well as guys at the Division I level. They are just a half-step slower or might not be as big.
"We've got post players here who are just as skilled, if not more skilled, than we had at Michigan. They're just not 6-10 or 6-11. That's the biggest difference."
7:30pm - Illinois Wesleyan (19-5, 10-3) vs Elmhurst (11-13, 6-7)
2:00pm - Lady Titans (18-8, 11-3) vs Wheaton (19-6, 9-5)
| Radio Coverage (Men):
WJBC, AM-1230 - Bloomington, Listen Live (pregame, 7:05pm) Radio Coverage (Women): WESN, FM-88.1 - Bloomington, Illinois WETN, FM-88.1 - Wheaton, Illinois Listen Live on Net |
Pantagraph - "Titans Take Title Shot on Senior Night"
Pantagraph - "IWU to Meet Wheaton For Crown"
Men's Matchups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Elmhurst | |
| Guard | Adam Dauksas (6'2/180, Freshman)
8.9 pts, 2.8 reb, 3.1 assists |
Garnett Kohler (5'10/155, Junior)
4.3 pts, 2.1 reb, 2.0 assists |
| Guard | Eric Starkey (6'2/185, Senior)
7.4 pts, 3.1 reb |
Wayne Bosworth (6'1/185, Junior)
17.7 pts, 4.3 reb, 74-143 3-pt (.517) |
| Forward | John Camardella (6'4/210, Senior)
13.6 pts, 7.2 reb, 116-196 FG (.592) |
Steven Holder (6'3/175,
Senior)
13.4 pts, 9.0 reb, 98-198 FG (.495) |
| Forward | Luke Kasten (6'7/215, Senior)
17.3 pts, 6.9 reb, 160-305 FG (.525) |
Gabe Kirstein (6'6/200, Junior)
6.3 pts, 2.8 reb, 13-31 3-pt (.419) |
| C/F | Seth Hubbard (6'7/220, Senior)
12.2 pts, 4.1 reb, 101-162 FG (.623) |
Adam Ackerman (6'3/195, Senior)
7.0 pts, 3.7 reb, 18-39 3-pt FG (.462) |
| Bench | Chris Silagi (6'2/190 Senior, G) - 8.6 pts, 2.4 reb
Marty Eich (6'7/215 Senior, F/C) - 3.6 pts, 2.9 reb Jim Lehan (5'11/165, Junior, G) - 2.8 pts, 1.3 assists Laban Cross (6/2, 185 Senior, G) |
Reuben Slock (6'6/200 Soph, F) - 10.1 pts, 3.8 reb
D.J. Cooper (6'0/160 Jr., G) - 2.7 pts, 2.2 assists Evan Arnold (6'3/180 Soph, F) - 3.7 pts, 2.7 reb |
Team Averages:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Elmhurst | |
| Points Scored Per Game | 77.5 |
70.0 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 68.1 |
70.6 |
| Field Goal % | .503 |
.420 |
| Opponent's Field Goal % | .416 |
.340 |
| 3-point % | .389 |
.420 |
| Opponent's 3-point % | .316 |
.340 |
| Free Throw % | .739 |
.686 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 35.7 |
35.6 |
| Rebounds Allowed Per Game | 31.3 |
34.5 |
Women's Probable Starting Lineups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Wheaton | |
| Guard | Elisa Ettner (5'7 Senior, Marengo
H.S.)
12.1 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.5 assists |
Sarah Clark (5'5 Junior, Madison,
Miss.)
7.8 pts, 3.6 reb, 4.0 assists |
| Guard | Hannah Meharry (5'5 Sophomore,
Tolono-Unity)
5.6 pts, 2.8 reb |
Claire Bennett (5'7 Junior, Harrison,
Ark.)
7.5 pts, 4.6 reb, 74-143 3-pt (.517) |
| Forward | Katie Cantrell (5'10 Senior, Normal
H.S.)
17.1 pts, 4.7 reb, 75-211 3-pt (.355) |
Jennifer Clum (5'10 Senior, Wheaton
Academy)
9.4 pts, 4.2 reb |
| Forward | Brooke Bailey (5'11 Junior, Byron
H.S.)
10.7 pts, 7.2 reb |
Caroline Nelson (6'0 Fresh, Fort Wayne, In.)
4.6 pts, 3.8 reb |
| Forward | Jessie Freiburg (5'11 Junior,
Quincy-N.D.)
6.3 pts, 5.5 reb, 58-114 FG (.509) |
Erin Wingerter (6'0 Soph, Avon, In.)
11.6 pts, 5.3 reb |
Titans survive Millikin
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
DECATUR -- The Illinois Wesleyan basketball team has discovered playing arch rival Millikin is like gazing into a cracked mirror -- it's hard to look pretty.
The Big Blue gave IWU, ranked 14th nationally by "D3hoops.com," fits before bowing to the Titans, 70-62, Wednesday night in front of 754 at Griswold Center Gymnasium.
IWU overcame a 58-52 deficit with 5:08 left to take a step closer to its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title since 1997-98.
"I was embarrassed for awhile," said Titan forward Seth Hubbard, who scored a game-high 20 points. "We've got to improve a lot to get where we want to be. A championship team doesn't come out and play like that."
"We keep saying a win is a win, but at some point we've got to stop saying that," said Titan co-captain Luke Kasten, who scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Eric Starkey's 16 points and John Camardella's 10 helped the Titans improve to 19-5 overall and 10-3 in the league heading into Saturday's 7:30 p.m. regular-season finale against Elmhurst at home. A win Saturday will guarantee IWU an NCAA Division III playoff berth.
Millikin dropped its eighth straight game to fall to 7-17 and 2-11.
"We didn't execute very well, but when we did execute, we got some good looks," said IWU coach Scott Trost, whose team outshot Millikin from the field, .481 to .412. "We took too many threes. We settled for the three."
IWU was 4 of 20 from 3-point range (.200), well below its .398 season accuracy mark.
The ulcer-producing second half featured eight lead changes, the last of which saw a Hubbard layup off a Camardella assist put IWU on top, 61-60, with 1:42 left.
Hubbard, who was 7 of 9 from the field, kept the 9-0 run going with an inside hoop before Adam Dauksas added a free throw, Camardella two free throws and Hubbard two more charity tosses to make it 68-60 with 12 seconds left.
"Somehow we saved ourselves tonight," said Hubbard, whose 6-of-6 free throw accuracy was part of a 16-of-19 team effort. "I don't know what our problem was. We lost our minds and didn't get them back, but somehow found a way to win.
"We wanted to use this as a springboard into the playoffs and get some momentum. I thought we could have played a lot better."
IWU led at halftime, 29-28, despite committing 13 of its 16 turnovers.
"That's inexcusable," Trost said. "It's like a hot potato. When teams try to speed you up, you've got to slow down."
"It was a big game, obviously, and I think everyone had some nerves coming in," said Starkey, whose team was called for charging four times. "In the CCIW when you're on the road, it's hard to win no matter who you play."
Millikin could have done more with IWU's miscues. The Titans took a 20-12 lead into one three-minute, five-turnover stretch and came out the other end with a 24-17 advantage.
IWU won the battle of the boards, 35-27, with 15 rebounds coming on the offensive end.
"We played well on our initial defense, but we just couldn't finish the possession," said Millikin coach Tim Littrell.
Among the biggest offensive rebounds came when Kasten corralled a wayward Dauksas shot, put it back in and was fouled. His free throw pulled IWU within 58-55 with 4:45 left.
After two Hubbard free throws made it 58-57, Starkey hoisted an air ball which Camardella turned into an alley oop layup and a 59-58 IWU lead.
"I think I'd like to count that as a pass," quipped Starkey, who finished 7 of 11 from the field for his second highest scoring night of the year. "John was right there to pick it up. He made a great play."
During IWU's 18-4 surge to end the game, Millikin was 1 of 7 from the field. The six misses included two air balls and one Camardella blocked shot. The Big Blue also committed two of their 13 turnovers in the final 2:48.
"We've had trouble finishing games," said Littrell, whose team also forced IWU into an "ugly" 69-54 win Jan. 15. "I thought our kids played with a lot of heart and a lot of determination."
Jason Fisher led Millikin with 18 points and Phil Schneider added 13.
"(Senior Night) Saturday is going to be a great atmosphere," Starkey summarized. "We're playing for a CCIW championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. What more could you ask for in your last game?"
Carthage cools off Titans
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
KENOSHA, Wis. -- The bounces and breaks which had gone Illinois Wesleyan's way during a three-game basketball winning streak were kidnapped by Carthage Saturday night in front of 2,665 witnesses.
The No. 25-nationally ranked Redmen downed No. 13 IWU, 75-64, by outscoring their guests from 3-point range by 12 points at the Carthage P.E. Center.
Carthage kept its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title hopes alive while improving to 10-3 in the league and 18-6 overall. The Redmen, 10-1 at home this year, avenged a 64-62 loss at IWU Jan. 22.
IWU, which fell to 9-3 and 18-5, can still earn the league's automatic NCAA playoff berth by winning at Millikin Wednesday and at home against Elmhurst March 1.
It didn't take Titan coach Scott Trost long to cite the differences between this game and the earlier meeting with Carthage.
"We gave up second-chance points and missed free throws at critical times," he said after the Redmen collected 11 offensive rebounds to win the battle of the boards, 35-32. IWU was 11 of 16 at the line following its national record 35-of-36 performance Wednesday at North Park.
The Titans were led by Luke Kasten's 20 points, 11 of which came in the first half as IWU shot .467 from the field. It finished at .472 compared to Carthage at .423. Kasten fouled out with 4:10 left and his team trailing, 64-57.
"It was a big turning point when Kasten went out," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic.
Kasten felt the home court advantage played a big part in tipping the statistical chart in Carthage's favor.
"Every team plays better at home with your fans behind you," he said. "We had a lot of great, loyal fans here to support us. They made some plays and knocked down their shots."
Reigning CCIW Fred Young Most Outstanding Player Antoine McDaniel and three-time first team all-star Rob Garnes each scored 25 points. In Bloomington they combined for 31.
McDaniel was 12 of 12 at the line and Garnes 9 of 13 as Carthage outscored IWU at the charity stripe, 24-11. Garnes had a game-high 15 rebounds including six offensive.
"McDaniel is probably the best player we've played against along with Joel Kolmodin of Wheaton," said IWU forward John Camardella, who had 10 points, a team-high nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
IWU's Seth Hubbard scored eight of his 16 points during a 3:23 span to give the Titans a 55-54 lead with 6:27 remaining. Tim Shorts followed with a 3-pointer to put Carthage ahead to stay.
"If these teams played 10 times, there might not be 10 points difference between them at the end," said Djurickovic, whose team has won six straight games. "There is a lot of parity there."
The Titans led most of the first half after Kasten's conventional three-point play put them ahead 9-7. Kasten's spin move in the paint gave IWU its biggest lead of the half at 21-15.
In the eight minutes before intermission, Carthage sank three 3-pointers, and the last by McDaniel gave the Redmen a 35-31 halftime edge. McDaniel scored 14 points the first 20 minutes.
"We tried to limit their touches," said IWU guard Eric Starkey of McDaniel and Garnes. "They can get their shots up."
Carthage stretched its advantage to 49-38 with help from two McDaniel free throws at the 16:47 mark after a technical foul was called against Trost while IWU had the ball. The Titans bounced back with a 7-0 run.
IWU played a zone defense, which gave Trost most of what he hoped for.
"It made them shoot shots they aren't comfortable shooting," he said. "I thought it was effective for us, but you've got to rebound out of it."
"We were trying to get the game moving faster and they were trying to get the game going slower," said Djurickovic, whose team was 7-of-22 from 3-point range compared to IWU at 3-of-16. "They did a good job of slowing us down. We've been a pretty good zone team.
Illinois Wesleyan (18-4, 9-2) @ Carthage (17-6, 9-3)
Saturday, February 22 - Kenosha, Wisconsin - 7:30pm
(Lady Titans vs Lady Reds, 5:15pm - playing for CCIW regular season championship)
| Radio Coverage (Men):
WJBC, AM-1230 - Bloomington, Listen Live (pregame, 7:05pm) WRJN, AM-1400 - Racine, Wi., Listen Live Radio Coverage (Women): WGTD, FM-91.1 - Kenosha, Wi., Listen Live |
Pantagraph - "IWU in CCIW driver's seat"
Pantagraph - "IWU women in CCIW title showdown"
Matchups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Carthage | |
| Guard | Adam Dauksas (6'2/180, Freshman)
9.3 pts, 3.0 reb, 3.3 assists |
Antoine McDaniel (6'2/179, Senior)
17.8 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.7 assists |
| Guard | Eric Starkey (6'2/185, Senior)
7.1 pts, 3.2 reb |
Bart Fabian (6'2/182, Senior)
6.9 pts, 2.8 reb |
| Forward | John Camardella (6'4/210, Senior)
14.0 pts, 7.2 reb, 110-185 (.595) FG |
Rob Garnes (6'4/205, Senior)
16.3 pts, 7.6 reb, 152-278 (.547) FG |
| Forward | Luke Kasten (6'7/215, Senior)
17.3 pts, 7.0 reb, 147-27985-171 (.527) FG |
Kevin Menard (6'6/210, Sophomore)
7.4 pts, 3.4 reb, 24-60 (.400) 3-pt |
| Center | Seth Hubbard (6'7/220, Senior)
11.7 pts, 4.2 reb, 87-144 (.604) FG |
Theo Powell (6'7/225, Junior)
13.5 pts, 7.4 reb, 117-190 (.616) FG |
| Bench | Chris Silagi (6'2/190 Senior, G) - 9.3 pts, 2.4 reb
Marty Eich (6'7/215 Senior, F/C) - 3.7 pts, 2.9 reb Jim Lehan (5'11/165, Junior, G) - 2.7 pts, 1.3 assists Laban Cross (6/2, 185 Senior, G) |
Ryan Hargesheimer (6'7/195 Jr, F)- 3.7 pts, 1.8 reb
Johnny Meier (5'11/175 Soph, G) - 1.7 pts Mark Morrison (6'6/205 Fr, F) - 2.7 pts, 1.3 reb Tim Shorts (6'1/160 Sr, G) - 2.1 pts |
Team Averages:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Carthage | |
| Points Scored Per Game | 78.5 |
74.8 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 68.1 |
62.1 |
| Field Goal % | .505 |
.503 |
| Opponent's Field Goal % | .416 |
.437 |
| 3-point % | .406 |
.397 |
| Opponent's 3-point % | .312 |
.358 |
| Free Throw % | .737 |
.645 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 35.9 |
33.5 |
| Rebounds Allowed Per Game | 31.3 |
29.0 |
Titans Pull Off Miracle Comeback at North Park, Set New Division III Free Throw Record
by Bob Quillman
Boxscore with full play-by-play
CHICAGO — Behind a record setting free throw performance, No. 13 Illinois Wesleyan rallied from 20 back with 8:33 to play to defeat North Park in double overtime. The Titans maintained their slim half-game lead in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin race, improving to 9-2 (18-4 overall) in the league. IWU is two wins away from clinching the CCIW’s automatic bid to the tournament. North Park fell to 2-9, and 12-10 overall.
Illinois Wesleyan set a Division III record for free throw percentage in a game (minimum 30 made), by connecting on 35 of 36 attempts from the charity stripe, 97.2%. The previous mark was 97.1% by Rochester Tech (34 of 35), in a Feb. 16, 1980, contest versus RPI.
North Park, which started the season 9-1 before losing their first seven CCIW games, dominated the first half. The Vikings led 23-9 at the 10:17 mark in the opening stanza, and held a commanding 48-26 advantage at halftime. Seniors Sneed Deaderick and Irving Richardson paced North Park, each scoring 11 points in the half. Illinois Wesleyan was held to 25.8% from the field, as the Titans connected on just 6 of 24 attempts. North Park was 17-for-31 (54.8%) in the first half. IWU senior Chris Silagi led the Titans with eight points.
It was more of the same for the first 11 minutes of the second half. The Titans were able to cut it to 16 at the 17:15 and 16:04 marks, but two Richardson free throws pushed the Viking lead back up to 20 points, 65-45, with 8:33 to play in the game.
That’s when Illinois Wesleyan began its furious charge.
A Jim Lehan 3-pointer cut the lead to 12 with 6:49 on the clock, and Adam Dauksas pulled the Titans to within single digits, 71-62, with a long one at 4:50. Illinois Wesleyan then went on a 10-2 run -- 8 points coming from senior John Camardella -- to pull within a point, 73-72, with 2:01 to play.
After missed shots on both ends, Titan senior Luke Kasten was fouled, and made two free throws to give IWU its first lead of the game, 74-73, with 39 seconds remaining. Camardella nudged the Titan lead to two with a free throw at the 0:20 mark, but missed the second offering –- IWU’s only missed free throw of the evening. On the ensuing possession, North Park went to Deaderick, who was fouled with 16 seconds to play. He made both free throws to knot it at 75. IWU missed a shot at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
There was just as much drama in overtime, as Illinois Wesleyan erased an 86-82 North Park lead with 1:17 to play and tied it at 86 at the :54 mark. Richardson was fouled with 13 seconds to play, and calmly made both free throws to put North Park up two. Dauksas, a freshman, went coast to coast for the Titans and laid it in, however, sending the game to double overtime at 88 apiece.
North Park gained a 95-90 advantage in the second overtime, but the Titans still wouldn’t go away. Dauksas made a 3-pointer, and after a Deaderick bucket put the Vikings back up four, he scored again. IWU trailed 97-95 with 58 seconds left. Deaderick then lost the ball out of bounds near halfcourt, giving the ball to the Titans.
After a timeout, Kasten found fellow senior Eric Starkey on the right baseline, 17 feet from the basket. Starkey penetrated and scored, and was fouled. The free throw put IWU up 98-97 with just five seconds left. Deaderick missed a long 3-point shot at the buzzer.
Illinois Wesleyan shot 21-for-33 (63.6%) from the field in the second half and overtime combined, finishing at 47.4% for the game. North Park shot 13-for-32 (40.6%) after the first half to finish 47.6% from the field.
Irving Richardson scored 31 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Vikings. Sneed Deaderick tallied 26 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Javier Sanchez also had a strong game for North Park, with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Four seniors scored 15 or more points for Illinois Wesleyan -- Chris Silagi (19), John Camardella (19), Seth Hubbard (15), and Luke Kasten (15). Adam Dauksas finished with 17 points in his first game at North Park. Camardella pulled down 10 rebounds for the Titans, and Eric Starkey dished out six assists. Hubbard (9-for-9) and Kasten (7-for-7) led the way at the foul line.
IWU travels to Kenosha, Wis., on Saturday to face No. 25 Carthage (9-3, 17-6) in a pivotal CCIW contest. The Titans’ final two games are a road contest versus Millikin (2-9, 7-15) Wednesday, and a home date with Elmhurst (5-6, 10-12) on Saturday, March 1. North Park travels to North Central (2-9, 6-16) and Elmhurst before wrapping up the season by hosting Augustana (9-3, 18-5).
Titan fans, below are two posts I made in CCIW Chat today. An absolutely amazing and courageous performance by the Titans last night!
- Bob
By Titan Q (chcgil2-ar7-4-42-041-111.chcgil2.dsl-verizon.net - 4.42.41.111) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:24 pm:
"I am honestly not sure what to say. That was simply one of the most amazing college basketball game I’ve ever seen. The Titans had to pull off about 3 near miracles to win that game – 1) Coming back from 20 down with 8:32 to play, 2) Coming back from down 4 with 1:17 to play in the first overtime, and 3) Coming back from down 4 with 1:59 left in double overtime.
And, 35 of 36 from the free throw line????? Absolutely amazing.
As I must have said 10 times on the radio, you have to give all the credit in the world to North Park. They came into that game 2-8, with absolutely nothing but pride on the line. They played as hard, and as well, as a team could possibly play. And even when IWU made the 30-10 run in the final 8:32, they did not give up. They kept hitting big shot after big shot in both overtimes.
Deaderick and Richardson were incredible. How North Park is 2-8 with those guys is beyond me. Javier Sanchez was also great, as was really the whole Viking rotation.
What the Titans did last night is beyond words. That was a senior-led team that absolutely just refused to lose. Talk about being hungry for a CCIW title.
I have seen more than 250 Titan games over the course of the last 14 years, and I just can’t think of a more thrilling game. It was incredible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Titan Q (chcgil2-ar7-4-42-041-111.chcgil2.dsl-verizon.net - 4.42.41.111) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:49 pm:
Here is the boxscore, with the full play-by-play.
IWU's point production during "the comeback" (the 30-10 run in the final 8:32 of regulation):
John Camardella: 11
Adam Dauksas: 5
Luke Kasten: 4
Jim Lehan: 3
Chris Silagi: 3
Eric Starkey: 2
Seth Hubbard: 2
And here is IWU's OT/2OT scoring:
Dauksas: 9
Silagi: 5
Starkey: 3
Hubbard: 2
Lehan: 2
Kasten: 2
Adam Dauksas scored 14 of his 17 points in crunch time. He went coast to coast and scored with :06 left just to get the game into double OT.
The great thing is that you cannot pick just one hero for the Titans last night. In addition to what freshman Adam Dauksas did --
* John Camardella, a warrior, led the comeback. The best example you'll ever see of why John is such a tremendous leader.
* Jimmy Lehan hit a huge 3 during the run to make it a 12 point game, and then knocked down two clutch free throws at the end of the 1st OT.
* Chris Silagi scores 5 of IWU's 13 points in OT #1.
* Luke Kasten hits a turnaround jumpshot to get IWU on the board in the second OT, and pulls down 3 big rebounds from the 8:32 mark in regulation on.
* Seth Hubbard scores with 1:03 to play in the first OT, to cut into North Park's 4 point lead.
* Eric Starkey makes the game winner.
Nothing foul about Titan win
IWU sinks 35 of 36 free throws, rallies to win two-OT thriller
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
CHICAGO -- The miracle that was Illinois Wesleyan's 98-97 double-overtime victory against North Park Wednesday night was actually made up of several mini-miracles.
Exactly which one was the most important is hard to say, but each was necessary and created an electric atmosphere as a half-IWU crowd of 1,111 looked on.
Among the miracles was IWU's 30-10 run to overcome a 65-45 deficit with 8:32 left in regulation. Another was the Titans' 35-of-36 free throw accuracy (.972) after shooting .717 for the season.
"Thank God it happened tonight," said a drained IWU coach Scott Trost while sitting on the floor outside the locker room. "We had to have them. It says a lot about our character."
The last bit of good fortune was Eric Starkey's conventional three-point play with 5.4 seconds left in the second overtime to end the scoring. His driving shot from 4-feet came on a broken play.
"We just wanted to get the ball to the rim," Trost said. "We wanted to get an inside touch, and they took that away. Eric made a great play. That wasn't drawn up that way."
"I had no idea there were only five seconds left," said Starkey, who had a team-high six assists to go with five points. "Luke (Kasten) passed me the ball. He made a great pass."
Preceding all the post-intermission wonders was probably the worst half IWU has played this season as it fell behind 48-26 while shooting 25 percent from the field and committing 11 of its 20 turnovers.
"I didn't recognize that team," Trost said. "North Park really pestered us. We dropped balls and missed layups. We stood around and were indecisive. I give North Park a lot of credit for that. We've got to be more composed."
The great escape helped No. 13-nationally ranked IWU improve to 18-4 overall and 9-2 alone atop the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin heading to Carthage Saturday. The Titans' all-time CCIW record at North Park improved to 22-19.
North Park fell to 12-10 and 2-9 with its second loss of the season to IWU, which has won 21 of the last 25 meetings between the teams. The Vikings have led at halftime in nine league games this year.
"It was the worst half I've been a part of in four years of college," said IWU co-captain John Camardella, who challenged his teammates at halftime.
They responded while shooting 58.3 percent from the field the second half and making 7 of 9 shots in overtime to finish at 47.4 percent compared to North Park's 47.6 percent.
IWU's performance fell in the category of a complete team effort as five players scored 15 or more points. Camardella and Chris Silagi each had 19 followed by Adam Dauksas with 17, Kasten with 15 and Seth Hubbard with 15.
Camardella also had 10 rebounds, four blocks and two assists before fouling out with 2:00 left in the second overtime. Silagi was 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
"Everybody stepped up and made plays," Trost said. "It wasn't one person."
The tool the Titans used to dig out of its 20-point hole the final 8:32 of regulation was a full-court press, which they rarely use.
"It's amazing," Trost said. "We did something that we haven't worked on. We just had to run and jump a little bit and trap the ball. It worked. I think it forced them to speed up. I give our kids credit for adjusting like that."
IWU, which fell behind 9-0 to open the game, never led until Kasten sank two free throws with 45 seconds left in regulation to make it 74-73. The Titans could have won it in regulation, but Camardella could only make one of two free throws with :28 to go.
That left the door open for Sneed Deaderick, who finished with 26 points, to make two free throws with :16.3 left to tie it at 75 and force overtime.
IWU never led in the first overtime and needed a layup by the freshman Dauksas with :04.9 showing to force a second extra period.
IWU was trailing by five in the second overtime when Dauksas drained a 3-pointer to pull his team within 95-93 with 1:40 left. Deaderick made it 97-93 before another Dauksas layup resuscitated IWU with :58 remaining.
"The team surrounded each other and just go it done," Camardella said.
North Park set the stage for Starkey's game-winner with an unforced over-and-back violation with :30.1 left. North Park's final shot was a missed 15-footer by Deaderick.
Irving Richardson led the Vikings with 31 points and Javier Sanchez added 13.
"Wesleyan was pretty lucky tonight," said North Park coach Rees Johnson, whose team made 30 of 41 free throws (.732). "They made a lot of free throws."
Johnson didn't fault his team's effort nor could he blame the loss on too much halftime confidence.
"They knew what they had to do," he said. "They just didn't get it done in the second half."
Wheaton snowed under by Kasten, No. 15 Titans
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- The Wheaton College basketball team can relate to the snow shovelers among us whose driveway, once cleared, is soon sealed shut by the snow plow.
The Thunder dug themselves out of trouble several times at Shirk Center Saturday night only to be denied by Illinois Wesleyan during an 80-75 Titan triumph.
The No. 15 nationally ranked Titans improved to 17-4 overall and 8-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in front of 2,000 fans on hand despite an eight-inch snowfall.
No. 24-ranked Wheaton's second loss of the year to IWU dropped it to 16-5 and 7-3. The Thunder have lost 22 of their last 24 games in Bloomington. The outcome combined with Augustana's loss to Carthage left IWU alone atop the CCIW with four games remaining.
"We control our own destiny," said IWU coach Scott Trost, whose team is pursuing its first CCIW title since 1997-98. "If we win the games we're supposed to win, we'll be in great shape. We've got to get on the road and win some games."
Wheaton played without head coach Bill Harris, who accidently severed a fingertip at 10 o'clock Friday night while closing his garage door. He underwent surgery at 3 a.m. to have the tip of his right ring finger reattached. Filling in for Harris was assistant coach Paul Ferguson.
"I thought it might be a rallying point for them," Trost said. "I feel bad for Bill. He is the ultimate professional."
"The key thing for our guys is to trust their preparation and I think they did that tonight," Ferguson said. "Our guys were ready to play. Our guys rallied. Give all the credit in the world to Illinois Wesleyan. They are a good basketball team."
IWU wasn't at full strength either after Eric Starkey sprained his ankle with 13:52 left in the first half.
"Eric's our best perimeter defender," Trost said. "I don't know the extent of his injury."
The Titans were led by Luke Kasten, who sank 12 of 19 shots from the field on his way to a season-high 28 points. John Camardella added 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Chris Silagi had 12 points.
"Wheaton is a great ballclub," Kasten said. "They are out there to win. It was about time we came out and put together 40 minutes of basketball. We've been lackadaisical the second half of our last few games."
Wheaton was led by 6-foot-8 Joel Kolmodin, a five-time CCIW player of the week, who had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate Nate Collard added 21 points. CCIW assist leader Jon Nielson had two assists and 10 points.
"I'm proud of our guys," Trost said. "Our seniors stepped up. They all made some plays."
Among the things Trost was happy about was his team's turnover total of 12, which was 13 less than in Wednesday's win over North Central.
"I told the guys before the game 'we can't turn the ball over,'" he said. "We needed to get back to defending the way we're capable of. I thought we did a decent job."
Camardella and Kasten each scored 14 points the first half as IWU shot 64 percent from the field. The Titans finished at 59.6 percent compared to Wheaton at 47.5 percent. The Thunder really stubbed their toes at the free throw line, missing 7 of 17 attempts for 45.0 percent.
The Titans expanded on a 45-44 advantage with 10-2 run, which included six points from Kasten to make it 55-46 with 14:30 left. The gap grew to 69-58 following a Kasten 15-foot jump shot with 5:00 to go, but Wheaton answered with a 7-0 run.
A 3-pointer by Nielson with 2:00 left pulled Wheaton within 72-70, but IWU made all eight of its free throws the final 1:38 to seal the win.
"We always have trouble matching up with them," Ferguson said. "We match up better with Augustana and Carthage. Their inside combination of (Seth) Hubbard and Kasten is hard for us to guard."
IWU sank seven of its first eight shots to take at 16-11 lead, but Wheaton's Collard nailed three consecutive 3-pointers to put the Thunder on top, 20-16.
The teams played to a 27-27 draw with 6:31 left before intermission. Camardella ignited a 15-9 run to the halftime buzzer. Marty Eich's rebound basket narrowly beat that buzzer to give IWU a 42-36 advantage.
IWU returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against North Park at Chicago in the first of three straight road games.
Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton Square Off in Another Big One
by Bob Quillman, 2/14/03
Saturday's meeting between 7-2 (16-4) Illinois Wesleyan and 7-2 (16-4) Wheaton in Bloomington will certainly not be the first time these two programs have hooked up in a game with CCIW championship implications. The Titans and Thunder (formerly "Crusaders") have been the cream of the CCIW crop over the course of the last decade, combining for 6 league titles in the 10 seasons since 1993.
Last 10 Years (1992-93...2001-02)
| School | CCIW Record | Winning Percentage |
| Illinois Wesleyan | 106-34 |
.757 |
| Wheaton | 88-52 |
.629 |
| Augustana | 79-61 |
.564 |
| Elmhurst | 73-67 |
.521 |
| Carthage | 70-70 |
.500 |
| Millikin | 57-83 |
.407 |
| North Park | 48-92 |
.343 |
| North Central | 39-101 |
.279 |
Probably the game all Titans fans remember is the January 14, 1996 contest at the Shirk Center. Both teams came in 12-0 on the season. Wheaton was ranked #1 in the country and IWU #2. The Crusaders, led by Jason Senik, Matt Nadlehoffer, and Wesley Pitts, led the Titans 67-65 in the closing seconds, with IWU on the free throw line. The Titans made the first free throw, but missed the second. Somehow point-guard Brady Knight got the long rebound and found All-American Chris Simich open under the basket for a reverse layup. IWU won 68-67, in what was one of the best games played in the 8+ season history of the Shirk Center.
Illinois Wesleyan/Wheaton games are always hard-fought and exciting. Tomorrow's should be no exception.
Crunch Time in CCIW Race
Augustana is the third team tied for the league lead in the loss column, with an 8-2 mark coming into this weekend's play. The Vikings are probably in the best position at this point however, with three home games remaining, and a road contest at last place North Park. Augustana owns a sparkling 19-1 record at the Carver Center over the course of the last two seasons.
So with absolutely no margin for error in the 2003 CCIW title race, it is obvious that Saturday's contest at the Shirk Center is very important for both teams.
"For us, this game is big because it is at home," said Wesleyan head coach Scott Trost. "You have to defend homecourt -- it is very hard to win on the road in this league."
IWU won the first meeting, in Wheaton, 62-55 behind 16 points from Seth Hubbard and 10 from Luke Kasten. The Titans led by 9 and halftime and by as many as 15 in the second half.
Seniors Lead the Way for Titans
The Titans feature the best frontcourt in the CCIW, with 6-4 senior John Camardella (13.3 points, 7.1 rebounds), 6-7 senior Luke Kasten (16.9 points, 7.0 rebounds), and 6-7 senior Seth Hubbard (11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds) anchoring their attack. The trio is shooting 308-549 from the field on the season - an impressive 56.1%.
Camardella missed IWU's game against North Central Wednesday, due to a severe case of the flu. He is expected to play Saturday, but the Titan skipper is worried about his co-captain's condition. "With as sick as John was, you worry about his stamina…so we'll see. John is a warrior and will give us everything he has," said Trost.
Trost points to the overall efforts of Seth Hubbard as a big reason for Illinois Wesleyan's success this season. "Seth has been solid for us all year long," said Trost. "He gives us the low post presence we need, he is a great passer, and he is just the consummate team player."
6-3 freshman Adam Dauksas, IWU's starting point-guard, leads the team in assists, with 70 on the season. Dauksas scores 9.2 points per game, behind 33-74 (.446) shooting from 3-point range. Eric Starkey is the other Titan starting guard. Starkey, a senior from Milford, will once again draw the defensive assignment on Wheaton sharp-shooter Nate Collord. Starkey held Collord to 5 points, on 1-9 shooting from the field in the January 18 contest in Wheaton.
Senior Chris Silagi averages 8.7 points off the bench for the Titans. On the season, Silagi is 31-73 (.425) from beyond the arc. 6-7 senior Marty Eich averages almost 13 minutes per game in relief of Kasten and Hubbard, contributing 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Junior Jim Lehan backs up Dauksas at the point, and senior Laban Cross can play a guard or small forward spot.
Scott Trosts says it is possible that 6-6 freshman Keelan Amelianovich will to join the Titan rotation down the stretch. "Keelan has been working hard, and has prepared himself in the event we need him," said Trost. "I have all the confidence in the world in Keelan.." Amelianovich saw early action against North Central on Wednesday, knocking down an open three from the left wing.
Inside/Oustide Combo Paces Thunder
Wheaton travels to the Shirk Center, with two very dangerous weapons in particular - 6-8, 230 pound junior Joel Kolmodin (Borculo, Michigan) and 5-10 senior guard Nate Collord. Kolmodin looks to be running away with the 2003 CCIW "Most Outstanding Player" award, averaging 23.4 points and 10.5 rebounds on the year. In Wheaton's 9 league games, Kolmodin is averaging 23.7 points and an amazing 12.6 rebounds per contest. Those numbers are even more impressive, considering Kolmodin had to sit out almost all of last season with knee problems. He has now had 5 knee operations for torn cartilage since his junior year in high school. Kolmodin was the subject of a D3Hoops.com feature story this week.
"Joel is one of the elite players in the CCIW," Trost said. "He is very difficult to defend, because he can beat you down low and also score from outside." Kolmodin has shot 75 3-point field goals this season, making 29 (.387).
Trost knows his squad won't be able to shut Kolmodin down, but he says they have to do a good job on him. "We just have to put pressure on him and not let him go off for 30." Illinois Wesleyan held Kolmodin to 17 points in the first meeting. With Hubbard guarding him, he was 6-19 from the field.
Collord is the all-time leader in 3-point field goals made in Wheaton College history. This season he has connected on 57 of 122 attempts from long-range - 46.7%. Collord averages 13.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest.
"We cannot give Collord good looks," said Trost. "He is a great shooter…we have to make him put it on the floor."
6-0 sophomore guard Jon Nielson (Wheaton Academy), 6-3 sophomore forward Martin Trimiew (Tenn. - Chattanooga Christian), and 6-5 junior forward Will Landry (N.Y. - Arlington H.S.) round out the Thunder starting lineup. Nielson leads the team in assists, averaging 4.0 per game. Trimiew, possessing a vertical leap that matches the likes of Rob Garnes and John Camardella, is very active on the boards. Landry is coming off a 14 point, 15 rebound performace in a win Tuesday over Millikin.
IWU Keys
Scott Trost says there are two keys to a Titan victory Saturday. "We have to play outstanding defense against Wheaton, without letting them get to the (free throw) line a ton of times," he explained. "Second, we cannot turn the ball over. We have been very sloppy with the ball lately." IWU committed 25 turnovers vs North Central, 21 at Augustana, and 15 at Elmhurst.
The JV game starts at 5:15pm, and the varsity at 7:30. A combination of ice and snow is expected in the Bloomington-Normal area Friday evening and Saturday morning, so travelers will want to budget plenty of time.
IWU's tale of two halves ends well
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- The Illinois Wesleyan basketball team wanted to give the 1,900 at Shirk Center Wednesday night two things: 40 minutes of quality play and a victory.
The Titans made good on the latter, but they may have given their followers a stomach ache worse than the one which sidelined co-captain John Camardella when they allowed a 30-point halftime lead to shrink to four.
No. 15-nationally ranked IWU stopped the bleeding in time to secure an 81-67 win over North Central.
"I'm never going to apologize for a victory," said Titan coach Scott Trost, whose team won its seventh consecutive home game to improve to 16-4 overall and 7-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
"It definitely feels like a win," said IWU co-captain Luke Kasten, who had 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field to go with three blocks, three assists and two steals. "In the CCIW, I'm not going to be picky about wins. I'm going to take wins any way I can get them.
"Am I proud of this win? No. It was a disappointing effort in the second half. Every game is going to be a dogfight from here on out."
The Titans offset their second half swoon with an unbelievable first half. They sank 13 of their first 15 shots while zooming to a 36-8 lead with 8:03 left in the half.
IWU shot 72.7 percent (16 of 22) from the field in the first half to take a 49-19 lead while North Central stumbled to 14.3 percent.
"I think we started counting our chickens before they were hatched," said IWU guard Chris Silagi, who started in place of Camardella and scored 18 points thanks to 5-of-6 3-point accuracy.
In the second half, it was North Central's chance to be unbelievable as it made a 27-3 run to pull within 52-46 with 13:10 remaining.
The Cardinals' trapping press squeezed 15 second-half turnovers out of the Titans, who finished with a season-high 25. Those extra possessions helped North Central take 26 more shots than its host.
"They turned the pressure up the second half," Trost said. "We didn't execute against it. We've got to work against pressure defenses (in practice). They forced us to do some things we can't do."
North Central forces 4.5 more turnovers than it commits to lead the CCIW.
"Not too many teams in our conference play like we do," said Cardinal coach Benjy Taylor, whose squad fell to 6-15 and 2-8 with its fifth consecutive loss. "I thought in the first half we were feeling sorry for ourselves."
Taylor found out at noon that his leading scorer, Mike Wilson (18.8 ppg), wouldn't play because of a hip injury.
"It had a big affect on us," said North Central senior Ricky Hildreth, a University High School graduate who posted six points and four steals in his third start. "Mike is one of our emotional leaders."
IWU could have used Camardella as well.
"Anytime you lose an emotional leader on the floor, you take a hit. Everybody on the team has to rise to the occasion," said Kasten, who was joined in double figures by Adam Dauksas with 13 points and Eric Starkey with 11.
The Titans shot 50 percent the second half to finish at 63.9 percent compared to North Central, which warmed up to 55.9 percent the second half and finished at 37.1 percent.
"We should have been expecting a run and they made a good one at us," Silagi said. "That's a lesson to be learned. We can't let that happen again."
After North Central pulled within 60-56 with 7:12 left, IWU made a 7-0 surge as a Silagi 3-pointer was sandwiched between a Starkey layup off a Kasten assist and two Starkey free throws. The gap was never below eight the rest of the way.
"We did get a little tired," said Hildreth, whose team made 2 of 8 shots the final 2:52. "We dug too big of a hole the first half."
Dauksas' six rebounds led IWU to a 34-30 advantage on the glass. Starkey had a team-high five assists.
Steve Gilbert led North Central with 12 points. Ray Vicario added 11 and Monte Williams 10.
Carstens, Augustana top Titans
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
ROCK ISLAND -- Guarding Augustana College basketball star Drew Carstens can be like guarding a phantom.
At Carver Center Saturday night, the 6-foot-2 junior was sometimes in two places at once or merely a vapor trail from the spot he just left on his way to scoring 28 points in an 80-75 victory over Illinois Wesleyan.
No. 5-nationally ranked IWU fell to 15-4 overall and 6-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. It was the Titans' fourth consecutive loss in Rock Island. Augustana improved to 16-4 and 7-2 as its largest crowd of the year, 2,750, looked on.
Wheaton's loss to North Park created a three-way tie for the league lead in the loss column between Wheaton, IWU and Augustana.
Carstens, who scored 16 points in a 66-62 loss at IWU Jan. 11, converted 13 of 16 free throws to go with 6 of 13 shots from the field.
"Drew is a good player," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "He's going to get his shots. He's hard to defend when he puts his shoulder down and forces his way to the glass."
"He's really active," said Augustana coach Grey Giovanine of Carstens, who averages 17.6 points. "I think a guy who can shoot the ball and is quick going to the hole is a hard guy to guard."
Complementing Carstens was Shaun Clements, who poured in 25 points, 18 more than in the January war with IWU when he was hampered by foul trouble.
"We knew he was a good player," Trost said. "He made some tough shots."
Augustana's press coaxed IWU into 21 turnovers and, more importantly, upped the game's tempo.
"We had a press-breaker and they got us in the corner," Trost said. "I didn't think we were strong with the ball and the opposite guy is supposed to break to the middle and they didn't break to the middle.
"It forced us into turnovers. We knew it was coming. We didn't execute against their press."
Giovanine was hoping his press would make IWU press.
"We want to play fast," he said. "We want to play in the open court. Our press, in one juncture, turned the game."
Luke Kasten scored 17 points to lead IWU followed by Seth Hubbard with 16, Chris Silagi with 11 and Adam Dauksas with 10. John Camardella's eight rebounds paced IWU to a 36-25 advantage on the glass.
The game was tied at 60 with 5:38 to go, but then Augie made seven of eight free throws to go up 67-60. The Titans never cut the gap below five the rest of the way.
The Vikings made 14 of 21 free throws the final 5:38 and finished at 26 of 38, outscoring IWU at the line by nine.
"I didn't think we executed very well," Trost said. "Our whole thought process is to get the ball inside. We didn't get it inside. I can't get any more point blank than that."
Hubbard, the CCIW field goal percentage leader at .584, scored 11 of his 16 points the first half as the Titans shot 41.7 percent from the field. They finished at 51 percent compared to 49 percent for the Vikings.
Augustana went up 7-1 before the Titans came alive with a 13-0 run, which included seven unanswered points by Camaradella. IWU then suffered through a scoreless 5:20 stretch as the hosts went up 15-14.
The final 8:37 of the first half ended with four lead changes and three ties, the last of which sent the teams into the locker room knotted at 30 apiece.
Augie broke from the gate in the second half with an 11-7 push. Baskets by Marty Eich and Kasten tied the contest at 41 with 14:00 left.
The see-saw battle tipped in the Vikings' favor when Joe Baumann's 3-pointer sparked an 11-4 surge, but IWU had an 8-0 answer -- which included six points by Silagi -- to tie it at 60 with 5:38 left.
"The press quickened the game and we have great confidence in our depth," Giovanine said. "We had hoped to get into their legs a little bit. Kasten and Hubbard played big minutes. You hoped that that might factor in late."
Illinois Wesleyan (15-3, 6-1) @ Augustana (15-4, 6-2)
Saturday, February 8 - Rock Island, Illinois - 7:30pm (JV game, 5:15pm)
| Radio Coverage:
WJBC, AM-1230 - Bloomington, Listen Live |
Matchups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Augustana | |
| Guard | Adam Dauksas
(6'2/180, Fresh., H-F H.S.) 8.9 pts, 2.9 reb, 3.6 assists |
Jim Thomas
(5'10/180, Junior, Wheaton North H.S.) 7.9 pts, 3.3 reb, 3.7 assists |
| Guard | Eric Starkey
(6'2/185, Senior, Milford H.S.) 7.4 pts, 3.6 reb |
Drew Carstens
(6'2/190, Junior, Downers Grove North) 17.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 99-132 (.750) FT |
| Forward | John Camardella
(6'4/210, Senior, Arlington Hts - Hersey H.S.) 13.6 pts, 7.0 reb, 31-67 (.463) 3-pt |
Joe Baumann
(6'4/175, Soph., Chicago - Carmel H.S.) 6.6 pts, 2.2 reb, 42-85 (.494) FG |
| Forward | Luke Kasten
(6'7/215, Senior, Hillsboro H.S.) 16.3 pts, 6.3 reb, 95-194 (.490) FG |
Brad Novak
(6'6/235, Junior, Rock Island H.S.) 8.0 pts, 5.6 reb |
| Center | Seth Hubbard
(6'7/220, Senior, Normal - U High) 11.7 pts, 4.3 reb, 73-117 (.624) FG |
Shawn Clements
(6'6/220, Junior, Lake Zurich H.S) 13.2 pts, 6.7 reb, 101-178 (.567) FG |
| Bench | Chris Silagi (6'2/190 Senior, G) - 8.1 pts
Marty Eich (6'7/215 Senior, F/C) - 4.4 pts, 3.3 reb Jim Lehan (5'11/165, Junior, G) - 2.6 pts, 1.3 assists Laban Cross (6'2, Senior, G)
|
Mike Nee (6'3/200 Senior, F) - 3.4 pts, 1.6
reb
Bill Goehrke (6'6/230 Junior, C) - 4.9 pts, 5.5 reb Adam Rue (6'10/245 Senior, C) - 2.5 pts, 3.8 reb Jay McAdams-Thorton (6'3/225 Fresh, F) - 6.1 pts Rick Harrigan (6'3/220 Fresh, G) - 8.0 pts, 2.0 reb Brian Allured (5'10/168 Soph, G) - 5.9 pts, 1.2 reb
|
Team Averages:
| Illinois Wesleyan | Augustana | |
| Points Scored Per Game | 77.3 |
79.2 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 65.5 |
66.5 |
| Field Goal % | .498 |
.472 |
| Opponent's Field Goal % | .408 |
.393 |
| 3-point % | .395 |
.360 |
| Opponent's 3-point % | .309 |
.278 |
| Free Throw % | .708 |
.676 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.6 |
40.7 |
| Rebounds Allowed Per Game | 31.6 |
34.8 |
Elmhurst has IWU's number
Bluejays hang on to top No. 5 Titans for third straight time at home
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
ELMHURST -- On a night when everything seemed to be going Elmhurst College's way, Illinois Wesleyan's No. 5-nationally ranked basketball team nearly overcame it all before bowing, 74-72, as a crowd of 1,200 watched.
The Bluejays parlayed 13-of-22 3-point shooting and a defense seemingly capable of reading the Titans' minds into their third consecutive home win over IWU in three years at R.A. Faganel Hall.
"They obviously did a good job of scouting us," said IWU forward Seth Hubbard, who scored 16 points to share team-high scoring honors with Luke Kasten.
"They knew exactly what we were going to do before we did it. They over-played the passing lanes, and it was hard to initiate the offense."
That led to 15 IWU turnovers and 42.1 percent field goal shooting, which included a half-dozen layups or short shots that rolled off the rim.
The Titans fell to 15-3 overall and 6-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin as their 12-game winning streak came to an end. Elmhurst improved to 8-10 and 3-4 with its 15th win against IWU in 101 meetings.
"In order to beat a team that's senior-laden and been playing better than us, you've got to have some shots fall for you," said Elmhurst coach Mark Scherer, who received 26 points from Wayne Bosworth, 19 from Adam Akerman and 10 from Gabe Kirstein. "Wayne Bosworth had an outstanding night."
The 6-foot-1 junior, who came in averaging 16.7 points, finished 9-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point range. Many of those shots came with IWU's Eric Starkey in Bosworth's face.
"They did a good job getting him open," said Starkey, who was run through one screen after another. "I had a hard time chasing him through screens. We had hands in his face, but he was able to hit the shot."
As great as Bosworth was, it almost wasn't enough when IWU made a furious charge to come back from a 70-59 deficit in the final 3:24.
An Adam Dauksas 3-pointer followed by a Hubbard rebound basket and a Chris Silagi jumper pulled the Titans within four with 1:36 remaining. Four consecutive free throws by Ackerman seemed to clinch it for Elmhurst, but then the unexpected happened.
IWU came up with a four-point possession as Jim Lehan made a layup and was fouled. His missed free throw was tapped in by Kasten, making it 74-70 with 30 seconds left.
Two missed free throws by Elmhurst's Reuben Slock with 22 seconds left provided faint hope for a miracle, but all IWU could manage was a rebound basket by Hubbard with a second left.
"We saw something Wesleyan did in film so we targeted that to get perimeter shots, but then you've got to make them, too," said Scherer, whose team shot 59.1 percent from 3-point range.
"We knew we had to play harder (than IWU). I was pleased the guys adopted that as a motto for this game."
The Bluejays held a 25-23 lead when they went on a 12-2 run to go up by 12 with 2:17 left in the first half. IWU responded with a 11-0 run -- which started with a three-point play by Hubbard and ended with a Silagi 3-pointer -- to cut the deficit to 37-36 at intermission. Silagi finished with 10 points.
Elmhurst's first-half prowess included 7-of-11 3-point shooting for 64 percent. The contest was physical throughout and began with Camardella injuring his knee after one minute of play, but returning three minutes later. He finished with five points and eight rebounds.
A poke in the eye sent Kasten to the bench 1:38 into the game. He ended up playing 34 minutes and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Hubbard's 10 boards helped IWU gain a 44-26 rebound advantage.
"You win as a team and you lose as a team," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "They did a good job taking us out of our offense. We couldn't get the ball inside. I give them credit.
"We haven't gotten off to good starts the last couple of games. Every possession counts. We didn't start playing with a sense of urgency until late in the game."
IWU was within 45-44 when Elmhurst used four 3-pointers to go up 57-47 with 11:15 left.
"It was a tough place to win," Hubbard said, "but we didn't show up either."
Camardella lifts IWU, heavy hearts
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- The heavy hearts of 2,680 gathered at Shirk Center Saturday night looking for a lift.
After a moment of silence for those lost in the space shuttle disaster, John Camardella put everyone on his shoulders including his No. 5-nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan basketball team and took them for a high-flying, 78-51 ride past North Park.
"Every time something like this happens, it really puts things in perspective," said Camardella, who scored a career-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field.
"It's hard to explain why basketball is so important when something like this happens. I was definitely thinking about that all day."
IWU's Luke Kasten gave North Park plenty to think about while collecting a career-high 16 rebounds to go with 15 points, seven assists and two blocks.
"Luke probably played the best all-around game of his career," Camardella said.
IWU coach Scott Trost said, "I can't think of a time tonight when Luke really forced shots. He hit the open man, attacked the glass and that's what great players do. He's making everybody around him better."
The Titans' 12th consecutive victory lifted their record to 15-2 overall and 6-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. North Park slipped to 10-8 and 0-7 after losing to IWU for the 20th time in the past 24 meetings.
IWU became the first CCIW team to lead the Vikings at intermission when it earned a 40-28 advantage behind Camardella's 19 points. He finished 5-of-8 from 3-point range and had two dunks.
"John played really emotional and played with a lot of energy, but I think the whole team did," Trost said.
The most electrifying play of the game came when Kasten tipped a rebound on the baseline to Camardella, who had been knocked to his back on the floor.
Camardella's pass started a fastbreak, which he finished at the other end thanks to an assist from Adam Dauksas. That gave IWU a 67-42 lead with 5:44 left.
"It was teammates rewarding teammates," Camardella said.
North Park looked ultra-quick while taking a 16-8 lead.
"The first eight minutes we were a little sluggish executing against their zone," Trost said. "We added a little adjustment and ran a different wrinkle and we got some good looks."
Consecutive 3-pointers -- one by Chris Silagi and two by Camardella -- launched IWU on a 22-6 run to take a 30-22 lead with 3:40 left in the half.
"John has put us on his back the last couple nights," Kasten said. "His offense has improved so much in the last three years."
North Parks' 51 points were the fewest allowed by IWU this season. The Vikings shot 33.3 percent from the field.
"I challenged them after the North Central game (when IWU allowed 95 points)," Trost said. "We sat down and guarded, contested shots and were active off the ball. For the most part I thought we did a good job limiting their dribble drive."
North Park never made more than a 4-0 run in the second half while IWU was shooting 61.5 percent from the field to finish at 53.4 percent overall.
IWU had 23 assists -- five from Dauksas -- compared to 10 for North Park.
"Coach mentioned in the locker room to make the extra pass," Camardella said. "It felt good to spread the ball around."
Silagi provided 14 points off the bench on a night when IWU gained a 42-29 rebound advantage.
Trost emptied his bench over the final five minutes as IWU notched its first blowout since returning from Hawaii Jan. 3.
"They are all hard," Trost said. "This one wasn't easy for the first 25 minutes. You play against yourself and expect a lot out of yourself."
North Park received 15 points from Irving Richardson and 14 from Sneed Deaderick.
"As poorly as we played, they played that well," said Viking coach Rees Johnson. "We played about 12 minutes. When they play like that, not too many teams are going to beat them. That's the best defense they've had in years."
Titans win on road
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
NAPERVILLE -- Most figured No. 8 nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan was in for a cake walk against lightly regarded North Central Saturday night at Merner Fieldhouse, but the cake was more like quicksand.
The youthful Cardinals gave the veteran Titans all they could handle, but IWU proved it could handle plenty while winning a 103-95 shootout in front of 500.
When a pressure-packed shot or free throw was needed, the Titans had more than enough willing volunteers to expand on a 90-88 lead over the final three minutes.
"We have a bunch of seniors who are not afraid to take big shots," said IWU coach Scott Trost, who had steady freshman Adam Dauksas ignite the run-in to the buzzer with a conventional three-point play with 2:29 to go.
Seth Hubbard followed with a short jumper and Dauksas hit two free throws to make it 97-88 with 1:31 left.
"I give North Central a lot of credit," Trost said. "They played really hard. They took us out of what we wanted to do."
Trost counted himself among those surprised by the game's high-scoring nature. North Central's season-high point total was more than any IWU foe scored all year including No. 1 Washington (Mo), which scored 88.
"We kind of fell into their trap a little bit and didn't get the ball inside," said Trost, whose team got the ball inside enough for Luke Kasten to score 24 points and Hubbard 16.
John Camardella led IWU with 25 points while Dauksas added 16 and Chris Silagi 13. Kasten and Camardella each had seven rebounds. Kasten had a team-high seven assists.
"For playing good defense all year, we were pretty lackluster the first half and second half," said Camardella, who only missed one of nine shots. "We can't have that (foes scoring 95). It was good to see our offense woke up."
North Central erased a 13-point halftime deficit in a mere seven minutes and took a 70-68 lead with 11:58 left. IWU later opened up seven points of breathing room only to half the upstart Cardinals close within 83-81 with 4:55 left.
"North Central didn't do anything different," Kasten said. "We knew they would come out with a lot of energy and emotion. It's hard to match that on the road."
The Titans' 10th consecutive victory improved their record to 14-2 overall and 5-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. North Central fell to 6-11 overall, 2-4 in the league and 30-96 all-time against IWU.
The Titans' winning streak is their longest since a 13-game run in 1997-98.
"I don't believe in moral victories," said North Central coach Benjy Taylor, whose team's record includes six games decided by the final shot. "They are awfully good.
"I thought Augustana was the best team we had played all year when we played them. When we played Carthage, I thought they were the best we'd played. But Wesleyan is the best we've seen all year."
IWU never really solved the problem of North Central sophomore Mike Wilson, who scored 26 points, eight over his average. His 3-pointer pulled the Cardinals within 88-86 with 3:22 left.
"He's one of the best players in the league," Taylor said. "He takes a beating every night."
Wilson was among three Cardinals to foul out. North Central got 14 points apiece from Monte Williams and Ray Vicario and 12 from David Johnson. Former University High star Ricky Hildreth played the final minute and had one assist.
In the first half, IWU sped to a 59-46 lead for its second highest 20-minute output of the season behind a 62-point opening half against Olivet Nazarene.
"We knew we'd make a run," Taylor said. "We didn't know if we'd have enough to get over the top. We started making some dumb fouls. We ran out of gas a little bit."
The first 10 minutes were a virtual draw, but the Titans turned up the intensity during a 19-10 run to take a 43-31 lead 4:35 before intermission.
The surge ended with two free throws by Hubbard, whose 12 first-half points included 7-of-7 free throw accuracy. Hubbard scored eight unanswered points in one stretch.
IWU shot a 73.1 percent (19 of 26) from the field the first half before cooling to an overall mark of 65.3 percent. North Central opened at 50 percent and finished at 53.2 percent.
"North Central is a good team and will beat some people at home," said Trost, whose team returns to action at home next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against North Park.
Illinois Wesleyan (13-2, 4-0) @ North Central (6-10, 2-3)
Saturday, January 25 - Naperville, Illinois - 7:30pm (JV game, 5:15pm)
| Radio Coverage:
WESN, 88.1 FM, Bloomington, WJBC Netcast WONC, 89.1 FM, Naperville, WONC Live Internet Stream
|
Matchups:
| Illinois Wesleyan | North Central | |
| Guard | Adam Dauksas
(6'2/180, Fresh., H-F H.S.) 9.1 pts, 3.1 reb, 3.5 assists |
Adam Teising
(5'11/155, Fresh., Naperville Central H.S.) 4.0 pts, 2.4 reb, 2.3 assists |
| Guard | Eric Starkey
(6'2/185, Senior, Milford H.S.) 7.9 pts, 3.7 reb |
Mike Wilson
(6'3/170, Soph., Naperville Central H.S.) 18.9 pts, 3.2 reb, 21-69 (.304) 3-pt |
| Forward | John Camardella
(6'4/210, Senior, Arlington Hts - Hersey H.S.) 12.5 pts, 7.2 reb, 23-52 (.442) 3-pt |
Monte Williams
(6'3/210, Soph., Chicago - St. Francis DeSales) 10.0 pts, 4.7 reb, 53-139 (.381) FG |
| Forward | Luke Kasten
(6'7/215, Senior, Hillsboro H.S.) 16.3 pts, 6.3 reb, 95-194 (.490) FG |
Kevin Lambert
(6'3/215, Junior, Rockford - Jefferson H.S.) 4.3 pts, 4.3 reb, 27-66 (.409) FG |
| Center | Seth Hubbard
(6'7/220, Senior, Normal - U High) 11.5 pts, 4.2 reb, 63-100 (.630) FG |
David Johnson
(6'4/200, Fresh., Naperville Central H.S) 8.2 pts, 3.8 reb, 51-107 (.477) FG |
| Bench | (More than 10 minutes PT per game)
Jim Lehan (5'11/165, Junior, G) 2.2 pts, 1.5 assists Marty Eich (6'7/215 Senior, F/C) - 4.4 pts, 3.3 reb Chris Silagi (6'2/190 Senior, G) - 7.2 pts
|
(More than 10 minutes PT per game)
Ray Vicario (6'0/170, Fresh, G) - 8.1 pts Josh Wesley (6'8/265, Fresh, C) - 7.0 pts, 2.7 reb Steve Gilbert (6'5/210, Soph, F) - (4.3 pts, 4.1 reb) Luke Cerveny (6'4/190, Fresh, F) - 3.5 pts Andre Hester (6'0/195, Fresh, G) - 3.1 pts, 2.1 reb Jeremy Nixon (6'0/180, Fresh, G) Mario Alexander (6'1/195, Junior, G) - 2.6 pts, 1.7 reb
|
Team Averages:
| Illinois Wesleyan | North Central | |
| Points Scored Per Game | 75.9 |
71.7 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 63.9 |
75.9 |
| Field Goal % | .492 |
.407 |
| Opponent's Field Goal % | .399 |
.459 |
| 3-point % | .385 |
.309 |
| Opponent's 3-point % | .278 |
.352 |
| Free Throw % | .710 |
.691 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.30 |
34.9 |
| Rebounds Allowed Per Game | 32.3 |
39.9 |
Starkey's steal saves No. 8 IWU
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON -- To be the star of the game for Illinois Wesleyan's basketball team, it has reached the point where one must take a number and wait in line.
Wednesday night was no exception as the Titans -- ranked No. 8 nationally in Division III -- edged No. 16 Carthage, 64-62, at Shirk Center where 2,750 willed IWU to its 10th straight victory.
The star-of-the-game candidates ranged from freshman Adam Dauksas, who scored a season-high 19 points, to Marty Eich, who had the crowd chanting his name with an eight-point outburst in the first half.
In between there was Titan forward Luke Kasten grinding out 16 points on a gimpy knee and his fellow co-captain John Camardella soaring for 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
But IWU guard Eric Starkey's case for game-winner status was as strong as anyone's when he stole the ball from Carthage star Antoine McDaniel on the final possession.
"Eric got his hands on the ball and made a great play," said IWU coach Scott Trost, whose team improved to 13-2 overall and 4-0 alone atop the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. "I give Eric a lot of credit."
Defending CCIW champion Carthage, the league's preseason favorite, fell to 9-5 and 1-2 despite McDaniel's 21 points.
"Eric made McDaniel earn all of his points," Trost said.
Kasten agreed.
"We've been winning with our defense and that was a huge play by Eric," Kasten said. "He played great defense on Antoine, who is just a great player."
Good shooting was all the rage as both teams shot 51.1 percent from the field. IWU won the battle of the boards, 29-21.
"It was two good teams going against each other," Trost said. "They (the Redmen) thought they had their backs against the wall, but our kids were resilient."
Camardella held three-time all-CCIW first team star Rob Garnes to 10 points, five below his average.
"John did a good job on him, but our team defense is good," Trost said.
Dauksas finished 5-of-7 from 3-point range and 6-of-9 overall while blasting past his previous high of 13 points. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 12-0 run with 7:15 left in the first half to give IWU a 25-19 lead.
"Adam is not afraid to take shots," said Trost, whose team led at intermission, 36-32. "He hit some clutch shots. I'm glad he's with me for three more years."
A 10-foot jump shot by Dauksas gave IWU a 64-60 lead with 1:18 to go.
"Adam's a freshman who played with all the maturity in the world," Kasten said.
McDaniel ended the scoring with a drive through traffic at the 1:02 mark. Dauksas, who had a game-high four assists, turned the ball over on a five-second call while dribbling with 30.3 seconds left.
Carthage ran the clock down to 13 seconds before calling time to set up the last play. One option was Kevin Menard coming off a screen for a 3-pointer.
"The ball always goes back to McDaniel," said Redmen coach Bosko Djurickovic. "He's made a lot of them down the stretch through the last four years. The ball got to him a little bit late."
"We felt very confident we were going to get a good look. We had a chance for a two. We had two guys out there who are really exceptional 3-point shooters. We thought we had a look at that as well. It just didn't come out."
IWU's biggest lead was 50-38 with 12:53 left following a Camardella layup off a Kasten assist, but Carthage had an 18-5 answer to go up 56-55.
The Titans, who finished 10 of 17 at the line, made five of nine charity tosses the next four minutes to go ahead for good at 62-58.
IWU's two-point win included two fastbreak baskets, one by Eich off a Jim Lehan long bomb pass and one by Camardella off a baseball pass by Dauksas.
"We tried to push the ball," said Dauksas, who topped his scoring average by 11 points.
"That surprised me," said Djurickovic, who alternated between zone and man defenses. "Tonight he (Dauksas) was a good player in the things I wouldn't expect him to be because, even though he's a good percentage 3-point shooter, that's hardly the best part of his game."
Carthage, which received 13 points from Theo Powell, became the sixth consecutive IWU foe to score less than 63.
"We're still a good basketball team," said Djurickovic, who was an assistant coach for Trost at Elmhurst College in 1995-96.
"Our goals haven't changed. We want to compete for the conference championship. We're going to have to do it the hard way. We're capable of doing it."
Titans navigate way to victory
Hubbard leads way to ninth straight win
By Randy Sharer
Pantagraph staff
WHEATON -- The Illinois Wesleyan basketball team is finding so many ways to win this season, it should consider changing its nickname to the Trailblazers.
The path at Wheaton College's King Arena Saturday night had more obstacles than a Marine Corps training ground with the biggest hurdle being the loss of star Luke Kasten to fouls with 7:37 left.
But like so many times before, the Titans navigated through the fray for a 62-55 victory as a predominantly IWU-boosting crowd of 2,350 looked on.
"We found a way on the road and the kids competed hard," said IWU coach Scott Trost. "We made some big free throws down the stretch. We got a little bit tentative."
That may have been the case after Kasten exited with 10 points and his