The Shoremen went 1-1 in conference play this week, losing to Swarthmore College but defeating F&M College
By Jensyn Hartzell
Elm Staff Writer
Washington College’s Men’s Basketball team hosted Swarthmore’s Garnets on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Swarthmore’s team is ranked number one in the Centennial Conference, as well as nationally.
The Shoremen played extremely fast-paced and dictated the beginning of the first half as they led 21-17 after a three-pointer from junior Derrick Carter. The Garnets responded with an eight-point run to steal the lead at 25-21 with four minutes remaining.
After a layup from senior captain Austin Allen to tie the score at 27-27, followed by a three-pointer and another shot within the last minute from fellow senior captain Alec Lewis, the Shoremen would gain the lead once again heading into the second half at 32-27.
WC outscored their opponents 11-2 in the final four minutes of the half. Swarthmore returned to the court determined in the second half, tying the game at 38-38. After another jumper from Lewis at 45-43, the Garnets began a 10-0 run to give them the lead, which they were able to keep for the rest of the game.
At seven minutes left, Swarthmore took their first double-digit lead over WC, but the Shoremen went on their own nine point run, ending on a layup from junior Daniel Brown, to cut the Garnet’s lead to only 63-61.
Brown was also named Goose Nation TV Shoremen Player of the Game, in addition to having the game-high amount of points. Sophomore Tray Wright had the most assists of the game at five. The game ended at 77-66, Swarthmore.
After the game, Brown emphasized his team’s “resilience and toughness” throughout the game, adding that their more challenging games, like this one, can only “prepare them for the moments to come in February and March.”
On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Shoremen visited Lancaster, Pennsylvania to play another conference game against Franklin & Marshall. The Diplomats started the game off with a 10-2 run, but the Shoremen answered with a 7-0 run, ending on a three-pointer out of the left corner from senior captain Dallas Marshall, to cut the lead to 10-9.
The teams went back and forth the entire half, but the Diplomats would begin the second half with the advantage with the score being 21-18.
WC began the second half extremely strong; they scored the first nine points to take the lead at 27-23 with a layup from Brown. With 13 minutes remaining in the half and the game tied, Brown was able to put up another layup to spark a 17-3 run that ended with a three-point shot from junior Logan Bunch.
Sophomore Dilyn Becker put the Shoremen ahead in double-digits with his own three-pointer at 41-30. Becker was able to tie his career-best points at 15 and Bunch achieved a career-high of four blocks and the game high of six rebounds throughout the game.
“We knew we had to focus on our defense,” said Bunch after the game. “We did that, which caused Franklin & Marshall to tire themselves out and allowed us to take the game.”
WC ended victoriously with the score being 55-43.
After this week, the Shoremen are 7-12 overall and 5-7 in the Centennial Conference. They play again at home on Thursday, Feb. 6 against Haverford.