Saturday, December 19, 2015

Happy Hawks?

After two terrible wins against Ivy League opponents Princeton and Columbia, SJU needed to step up their game and prove that they can compete. The Hawks proved this last Sunday against a strong Temple team, beating them in overtime 66-65. However, this was not enough, Hawk fans everywhere needed to see more.  Today against Illinois State, we saw an offensive monster. With about 3:27 left in the 1st half, it went from a close game to a blow out.

The Hawks were able to put on an impressive showing today against Illinois State. The Hawks shot 46.6% from the field and 45.5% from long range. This was shooting that was unprecedented from any game prior. This by far was the best all around offensive showing that the Hawks have had all season. They not only impressed with their shooting ability but, with their ability on the defensive side of the ball. Though Illinois State, may not be the greatest opponent this was a much-needed win for the Hawks. There was no doubt coming into this game that the Hawks should win, but by how much was the question. SJU really proved that they do have the offensive capability to compete in the A-10.

Though there was a lot of good to take out of today’s game, there was some bad as well. The Hawks failed to hold their large lead late in the game. A lead that was hovering right around 30 for most of the 2nd half disappeared. This was mainly due to the fact that St. Joe’s best player DeAndre Bembry came out of the game. The Hawks need to learn how to adjust when their captain is not in the game. We also saw struggles from Lamarr Kimble as well, forcing Shavar Newkirk to leave the bench during the time when he should have been sitting. The Hawks need to learn how to play with only one or two starters on the court that are not named Bembry, Miles or Newkirk. Coach Martelli needs to have the team work on this before A-10 play begins.

Going into today’s game Hawk fans were shaking their heads with the recent play of their team. St. Joe’s proved that they can once again beat a bad team by a lot, however the question is now how will they fair against A-10 opponents. The Hawks face off on Tuesday with another out of conference team Virginia Tech, in what should be a hard fought game. We look forward to seeing St. Joe’s can continue their dominance on the court.

-Brett

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