Sports and Rants with Brett and Pants : DeAndre Dominates

The Hawks bounced back tonight after a terrible loss on Saturday. Hawks played unbelievable basketball in the second half of the game to soar to victory 68-42. The 68 points tied St. Joe’s season high for a regulation game. The team really came together tonight playing their best basketball this season. At the beginning of this game fans in attendance seemed agitated and angry that the Hawks were not playing well. However, they were able to turn around the bad play and come out completely different. DeAndre Bembry led the team with 21pts and 7 rebounds, and helped guide the team to victory. Bembry truly looked like the team’s captain and star tonight, throwing down dunk after dunk. The team played completely different tonight, getting big plays from Bembry, Wilson, Miles, and Demery.

Though the Hawks had an amazing win tonight, they did struggle early tonight. Bembry looked again like he was not ready to be the leader of this team. At the beginning of this game he seemed unsure and lacked confidence, however he turned it around completely. Coach Martelli took a timeout late during the first half and seemed to instill confidence in his struggling Forward. Bembry came back with unbelievable fire and intensity. Bembry by far was the team’s leader tonight and helped guide them to an easy victory.

Loyola dominated the paint early tonight with Freshman Cam Gregory starting out 4-4 from the field. However, the Hawks were able to keep them out of the paint in the second half. Players like Bembry, Brown and Casper kept the Greyhounds from getting the upper hand in the paint. This has been an area that the Hawks have needed work in, and if they can have the consistency that they had in the 2^nd half throughout the rest of the season they will be able to compete much better.

The final five minutes of the first half the Hawks began their turn around, and they took that fire and intensity into the second half of the game. St. Joe’s completely dominated the Greyhounds in the second half, not allowing them to take good shots or get into the paint. DeAndre completely shut down the best player on Loyola Eric Laster the entire game, never allowing him to get into a groove. The team ran the ball a lot more in the second half, and players like Demery and Bembry were able to thrive. Demery was able to throw down several times on the defense of Loyola. The Hawks Point Guards helped the team glide to victory Demery would end the game with 7pts, and Wilson with 13pts. If the team can get production from all of these pieces they will be able to compete.

Bembry played like a completely different; he played like a true future NBA player. If Coach Martelli can get the intensity and fire from Bembry and the rest of this team they will compete with any team this season. Coach Martelli seemed much happier tonight with his squad and at one point he could be seen smiling on the sidelines when Casper came into the game. If this team can stay loose and hot they will be able to make a run for the rest of this season.

-Brett