ATHENS — Seven points. That was the output of the starting five for Concord University in the first half of Saturday night’s conference game with Seton Hill.
The homestanding Mountain Lions recovered from a 22-percent shooting rate in the opening period to convert 58 percent of their shots after intermission, but lost their fifth straight game by an 85-72 score to the Griffins at the Carter Center.
After trailing 34-23 at halftime, Concord (1-8) used a 19-6 run, with three-pointers from three players, to whittle down the scoring gap to 53-50 when Cody WIllard hit a trey from the left corner with 10:31 left.
Seton Hill (5-4) then scored eight straight points and stepped up its defense and rebounding. Taking advantage of six Concord turnovers, the Griffins kept the home squad from sinking a field goal for a five-minute stretch late in the game.
Concord coach Steve Cox explained that his team is having difficulty “just being able to sustain” late in ballgames.
Seton Hill coach Tony Morocco said, “When I get them to play defense like we’re capable of, we can get some production. But they’re young kids ... Once we ever put 40 minutes together mentally, we’re good. But you’ve got to have it between the ears.”
Cox had organized the Mountain Lion defense to take away the inside game for chunks of the first two-thirds of the game, although Seton Hill came in with taller, more experienced players.
“Gentry (Shrewsbury) and (Rick) Alderman may not have scored a lot of points tonight, but they contributed a lot,” Cox said. “And Matt Parker played down there and contributed.”
Meanwhile, the visitors’ leading scorer Chris Giles had only six points at halftime. He finished with 25, above his average, and was credited with four of the Griffins’ 12 steals. Big Cody Boone added five blocks to his impressive numbers, and nine rebounds. Ivan Cosovic had 10 boards, helping Seton Hill to an overall 46-to-39 rebounding edge.
Morocco said, “This guy at Concord is a good coach. They had us in that matchup zone; it was very well run. (But) when you hit some shots, it covers a multitude of sins.”
Seton Hill did that, making half their floor attempts in the second half and shooting 45 percent in the game.
Morocco kept the win in perspective. “This isn’t the finish line,” he said. “The future’s the finish line.”
Concord put four players into double-figure scoring, with freshman Eric Bailey topping the column with 16. Nine Mountain Lions got at least one rebound, a category led by Alderman with seven boards. Willard had four steals to go with 14 points, and was 4-for-10 from three-point range.
Cox said, “We had some encouraging performances. (Willard) is just so important to us when he gets going. And Damien Tunstalle gave us a lot.”
He noted, “We ended up with 19 turnovers. That’s too many. ... We’ve got to have that cut down by about half.”
Concord’s next game is at Greensboro (N.C.) College, the first ever meeting of the schools, on Monday evening. The Mountain Lions will try for their first conference win on Thursday at Salem.
— Contact Tom Bone
at tbone@bdtonline.com
At the Carter Center
SETON HILL (5-4)
Chris Giles 9-15 6-7 25, Justin McCoy 3-8 0-0 7, Emmanuel Jackson 3-12 2-2 9, Cody Boone 5-8 2-5 12, Ivan Cosovic 6-9 5-7 17, Chris Laverty 0-1 0-0 0, Tonio Fulena 1-2 0-0 2, Nikola Radisa 0-1 4-4 4, Conor Tilow 0-3 2-4 2, Ozren Bjelogrlic 3-8 1-2 7. Totals 30-67 22-31 85.
CONCORD (1-8)
Cory Willard 5-13 0-0 14, Rustin Jessee 1-2 1-2 3, Chance Smith 2-5 0-0 4, Rick Alderman 2-4 1-2 5, Derek Lewis 0-2 0-0 0, Eric Bailey 4-10 7-7 16, Matt Parker 6-11 1-1 14, Marlin Cribbs 2-8 2-2 6, Damien Tunstalle 4-10 1-4 10, Rafee Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Gentry Shrewsbury 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 26-67 13-20 72.
Halftime, Seton Hill 34-23. Three-point goals: SH 3-13 (Giles 1-3, McCoy 1-4, Jackson 1-3, Cosovic 0-1, Laverty 0-1, Bjelogrlic 0-1), CU 7-25 (Willard 4-10, Jessee 0-1, C. Smith 0-1, Bailey 1-4, Parker 1-5, Tunstalle 1-4). Rebounds: SH 46 (Cosovic 10), CU 39 (Alderman 7). Assists: SH 13 (Jackson 4), CU 10 (Willard 3). Steals: SH 12 (Giles 4, Jackson 4), CU 11 (Willard 4). Blocks: SH 7 (Boone 5), CU 1 (Rl. Smith 1). Total fouls: SH 19, CU 24. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.
Local Sports
January 9, 2010
Poor first-half shooting dooms Concord men
- Local Sports
-
-
P-Rays greet local fans as opening night approaches
- Peery retires from diamond ‘Dogs
-
Czech-ing in: Havlicek to play for Rays
-
Local kids bowled over by Blue Jays
-
Local camp makes CASE for basketball
-
No place like home for Zak Wasilewski
If we pitch him, they will come.
-
Fans meet and greet 2013 Bluefield Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have landed.
-
Blue Jays outfielder ready for new challenge
At the age of 18, outfielder Jesus Gonzalez is the youngest ballplayer on the current roster of the Bluefield Blue Jays.
-
P-Rays to meet fans tonight
-
Former Masters champ commits to Greenbrier Classic
Golf’s two most famous left-handers will both be in White Sulphur Springs next month.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
