Van Zanic
Director of Sports Information
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2008
MILESTONE VICTORY, SANTARSIERO GETS #200
AGAINST RIVAL TITANS
Beaver Falls, PA - Geneva head men′s basketball coach Jeff Santarsiero couldn′t have written the script any better. The 12th year head coach watched his team defeat long-time rival Westminster College 67-62 on Wednesday night. With the win came victory number 200 for Santarsiero in his Geneva career. Meanwhile, Geneva improved to 10-7 on the season and won for the second time in a row for the first time since early December.
Westminster scored seven of the first nine points and opened its biggest lead of the game just 3 ½ minutes into the contest. The Golden Tornadoes quickly responded by taking their first lead at 10-9 on a Justin Nardi three-point play at the 12:54 mark of the first half. Geneva led by as many as 11 points in the first half at 28-17, but the Titans continued to hang around and went to the locker room trailing by just seven points.
The 3-14 Titans started the second half much like the first. They jumped on Geneva early and pulled within one point by scoring eight of the first nine points in half number two. Westminster took its only lead of the half when Ryne Murray nailed one of five three-point field goals with 14:41 to play to push the Titans up 39-38. Leading 46-45 with 10:04 to play, Geneva scored the next seven points to open up an eight-point advantage. Although Westminster would again get within a pair, the Golden Tornadoes would never relinquish the lead.
An average foul shooting team throughout the season, Geneva won the game with its work at the charity stripe. The Golden Tornadoes finished the game 19-26 from the line, while Westminster was just 6-7.
Greg McDivitt led Geneva with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Zac Northen added ten points and Mike Ross converted three huge second half three-pointers to finish with nine points. Murray led the Titans attack with 31 points, while Craig Hannon added 19 in a losing effort.
Santarsiero became just the third coach in school history to reach the 200 victory plateau at Geneva. He moved to within just two victories of surpassing predecessor Jerry Slocum for second on Geneva′s all-time list behind Cliff Aultman.
Geneva will return to Metheny Fieldhouse on February 2nd to host Bethany. This Saturday, the Golden Tornadoes travel to Grove City for a 3:00 pm tip with the Wolverines.
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