Men’s Basketball’s Winning Streak Ends

ESU's Rasheed Moore drives to the hoop. Photo Credit / Mitch WIlliams ESU's Rasheed Moore drives to the hoop. Photo Credit / Mitch WIlliams
ESU's Rasheed Moore drives to the hoop. Photo Credit / Mitch WIlliams
ESU’s Rasheed Moore drives to the hoop.
Photo Credit / Mitch WIlliams

By Ronald Hanaki
Sports Editor

Despite jumping out to an early 19-2 lead, ESU’s men’s basketball team fell to the Bloomsburg Huskies 91-84 in front of the Koehler Krazies last Saturday afternoon.

Senior guard Jamal Nwaniemeka scored his 1,000th point as a Warrior, but the loss ended ESU’s nine-game winning streak.

The game couldn’t start out better for the Warriors. ESU opened the game with a 10-0 lead before many of the fannies hit the seats, and the game had the makings of a blowout win for the Warriors.

However, the Huskies would slowly find their way back into the game.

At recess, the Warriors held a 43-38 lead over the Huskies.

The second half saw the Huskies pick it up on defense. Whenever ESU had the ball, Bloomsburg head coach John Sanow was seen emphatically waving his arms, and the Huskie bench was seen exhorting their teammates to play good defense.

Bloomsburg’s up-tempo defense induced the Warriors into going 15-33 from the field in the second half including an anemic 2-11 in 3-point field goal attempts.

The Huskies made the most of their opportunities on offense by shooting a blistering 15-27 for a 55.6% field goal percentage in the second half.

Free throw shooting was not the usual bête noire for Bloomsburg as the Huskies shot 22-23 from the charity stripe in the second half.

Junior forward and communications studies scholar Steve Harris had a thunderous duck to make the score 56-45 ESU at the 15:54 mark that just about blew the top off Koehler Fieldhouse, but that would be the last highlight for the Warriors.

With 5:22 to go, the game was tied 72-72, but Bloomsburg redshirt-sophomore Christian Mortellite made the second of his pair of free throws to give the Huskies a 73-72 lead that they would never relinquish.

Coming into the game, redshirt-senior guard Will Brown was 17 points shy of 1,000 points for his career, but he was limited in this game because of foul trouble and only scored 5 points.

On Monday night, ESU fell to Shippensburg, but Brown reached a milestone by scoring the 1,000th point of his career.

The Warriors (15-5, 11-5) are currently in third place in the PSAC East and return to the hardwood with a Saturday afternoon road game against Cheyney.

Email Ronald at:
rhanaki@live.esu.edu