| 2/5/2003 1:24:49 AM
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PITSFORD, N.Y.—The Rochester Institute of Technology men’s basketball team played for more than bragging rights, tonight’s game was for first place in the Empire 8. The Tigers outplayed the Golden Flyers to get the 81-79 victory.
Nearly three minutes went by to begin the game before either team scored. Finally Mike Stanton (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) started the scoring off a defensive rebound from Dan Cerro (Union Spring, N.Y.). Nazareth quickly answered off a 3-pointer by Lawrence Maroney (East Aurora, N.Y.). Each team fought for the lead matching each other point-for-point. The Golden Flyers took the five-point lead with 7:35 remaining in the first half led by Jake Steck (East Aurora, N.Y.). Top-notch defense held both teams scoreless for over three minutes until Steck fouled Stanton to put him at the charity stripe for two. Next time down the floor Nazareth tried to get the ball down low but on the pass Luis Villalongo (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) (Chicopee, Mass.) skied to grab the ball from Jimmy Evans (Binghamton, N.Y.) and went coast-to-coast for the layup tying the game 27-27. Strong emotions caused a double technical between Steck and Stanton to put both teams at the line. RIT capitalized on the situation to close out the first half with an eight point lead.
Hitting the hardwoods the second half the Tigers continued to dominate improving their lead to thirteen. Matt Groot (Canandaigua, N.Y.) came off the bench to go on an 11 point run in five minutes. Groot tallied 18 points for Nazareth all of which he collected in the second half. The Golden Flyers chipped away bringing the score within five with 7:49 remaining in regulation. Poor shot selection and fouls brought Nazareth within four with 2:41 remaining. Caswell Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.) took the ball from Stanton to assist Richard Orlicz (Liverpool, N.Y.) for the jumper putting Nazareth down by three. Evans would hit his first 3-pointer of game at the 1:01 mark to tie the game at 73-73. Reggie Shore (Amityville, NY/Amityville) (Amityville, N.Y.) drained a three at: 46 seconds. A foul caused by Stanton sent Evans to the line to bring the Golden Flyers with in one with: 20 left to play. Maroney subbed in only to foul Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) (Buffalo, N.Y.) giving RIT the three-point advantage. Again Evans popped a three to bring Nazareth within one with four seconds remaining but could not get a final shot off giving RIT the win and moving them into the first place in the Empire 8.
Empire 8 Rookie of the week, Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) (Buffalo, N.Y.) paced the Tigers with 23 while both Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Shore each added 10. Cerro chipped in nine and dished out six assists.
The Tigers will travel to Alfred University on Friday to face the Saxons.
