Presidential Heartbreak, Geneva Rally Comes up Short

Van Zanic

Director of Sports Information

(724) 847-6886

vgzanic@geneva.edu

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 30, 2008

PRESIDENTIAL HEARTBREAK, GENEVA RALLY COMES
UP SHORT

Washington, PA – Geneva’s men’s basketball program looked to be out of contention when it went behind by 15 points with less than six minutes on the clock on Wednesday night. The Golden Tornadoes rallied to grab the lead in the final minute, but came up on the short end of 76-75 loss to Washington & Jefferson. The loss dropped Geneva’s record to 10-9, while W & J improved to 7-11. It marked only the second two-game losing streak of the season for the Golden Tornadoes.

Geneva trailed 34-31 at halftime and briefly came back to grab a 42-40 lead on a Greg McDivitt jump shot with 17:37 left to play. The Presidents’ scored 14 of the next 16 points to open up a 54-44 lead with 11:50 on the clock. The W & J lead swelled to 70-55 on a lay-up from Wahab Owalobi with just under six minutes left on the clock.

Justin Nardi and Bryan Hill hit back to back three point field goals to cut the lead to nine. Nardi canned two more treys and Kyle Frohnapple added another from long distance to get Geneva back to within four points at the three minute mark. When McDivitt completed a three-point play at 1:25 mark, Geneva had come all the way back to grab a 75-74 lead.

Matt Drakeley drained a running one hander at the one minute mark for the final points of the game. Geneva had the ball at the buzzer but both Zac Northen and Mike Ross were unable to get shots off in the final seconds.

Geneva watched W & J grab 19 offensive rebounds, which ultimately decided the contest. Geneva was 29-56 (52%) from the field for the game, but managed just 6-8 from the foul line. Nardi led the offensive with 19 points on 8-10 shooting and three treys. McDivitt scored 17 points, while Northen added 14 in a losing cause.

Owolabi led the Presidents’ cause with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Josip Lucic-Jozak also registered a double-double with 17 points and ten rebounds.

Geneva will be happy to be back on Saturday night when it hosts Bethany College in an effort to avenge a 15-point loss in West Virginia in early December. The Golden Tornadoes will head back out on the road next Wednesday when they visit Saint Vincent College.