The Bulldogs took a 32-22 lead into break thanks in part to Eddie Ohlson’s 55-footer as time expired in the half. The Rangers had hung close for most of the half until a late spurt by DeSales gave them the ten point lead. David Cramer had seven points in the opening period hitting on all three of his shots. Steve Kriczky had 11 for the Bulldogs in the half.
The second half saw the Rangers play some of their best basketball of the season. Drew didn’t make its move until the 11 minute mark of the second half. Trailing 43-33, the rally began with a David Cramer lay-up from Bob Carella. With 9:43 remaining, Cramer fed Dave Pepperman for a lay-up and a six point Bulldog lead. After Ed Lapinski scored for DeSales, a long three from Bob Carella brought the lead to five, 45-40. Scott Miller drained a jumper and then completed a three-point play with just less than seven minutes left for the tie. Darnell Braswell promptly knocked down a three for the visitors, just their fifth point in nearly four minutes of play.
The Rangers’ defense came up big again as Cramer blocked a Sedale Walton shot before assisting on Damon DiLorenzo’s bucket to make it 48-47. Phil Stricker gave the Bulldogs a three point lead, but Carella knocked down a three point to tie the game off of a Miller feed. The Bulldogs retook the lead with a free throw from Steve Kriczky, but Carella’s baseline drive and hoop put Drew back in front. Eddie Ohlson hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left in the game as DeSales once again gained the lead. Miller drew a foul on a nice move to the hoop and coolly drilled both free throws to put the Rangers up 54-53. Ohlson drew a foul on the Bulldogs’ next possession, but missed both free throws. For the Rangers, a team that is nothing if not snake-bit, the two misses were a rare example of good fortune and they took advantage. With the shot clock running down and 20 seconds left in the game, Chris Lopez got his own rebound and drew a foul. His two free throws with 18 seconds left put Drew up 56-53.
The Bulldogs, who beat Drew inPennsylvania by forcing overtime with a buzzer beater, had two chances to tie the game, but the Rangers defense forced Matt Zwetolitz to take a difficult three with eight seconds left and on the final possession didn’t let the Bulldogs get off a shot.
Scott Miller finished with a career-high 15 points, 11 coming in the second half. Carella matched Miller with 15, including 3-4 from behind the arc all in the second half. Cramer finised with nine points, five rebounds and three assists. The Rangers shot 52% for the game and recorded 13 assists on 22 baskets.
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
DeSalesUniversityvs Drew Rangers
01/31/07 8:30 at Baldwin Gym
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VISITORS: DeSales University 15-5, 6-3
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
33 Jamie McCloskey..... f 0-2 0-1 2-2 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 26
50 Phil Stricker....... f 3-7 0-0 3-3 1 4 5 3 9 0 0 1 0 24
10 Eddie Ohlson........ g 2-4 1-2 2-4 2 1 3 2 7 3 2 0 2 33
12 Darnell Braswell.... g 2-8 1-4 0-0 0 3 3 1 5 0 0 0 1 26
23 Steve Kriczky....... g 7-12 1-6 1-2 1 3 4 3 16 0 1 0 1 29
11 Sedale Walton....... 2-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 4 0 2 0 1 21
20 Jim Malatesta....... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 3 3 3 0 1 0 0 1 10
32 Ed Lapinski......... 3-4 0-1 0-0 1 5 6 2 6 0 2 0 0 17
45 Matt Zwetolitz...... 1-3 1-3 1-2 0 1 1 2 4 0 1 0 0 14
TEAM................
Totals.............. 20-46 4-18 9-13 5 21 26 17 53 4 8 1 6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-25 48.0% 2nd Half: 8-21 38.1% Game: 43.5% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-8 37.5% 2nd Half: 1-10 10.0% Game: 22.2% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 5-5 100 % 2nd Half: 4-8 50.0% Game: 69.2% 1
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HOME TEAM: Drew Rangers 8-11, 3-6
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
15 Bob Carella......... f 6-7 3-4 0-0 0 5 5 0 15 1 3 0 1 34
33 Scott Miller........ f 5-7 0-0 5-5 1 0 1 2 15 1 0 0 0 17
35 David Cramer........ f 4-8 1-3 0-0 0 5 5 3 9 3 4 1 1 37
04 Bill Marano......... g 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 10
12 Damon DiLorenzo..... g 2-5 0-2 0-2 1 7 8 3 4 4 0 0 1 32
03 Ryan Eisner......... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
10 Chris Lopez......... 1-3 0-0 3-5 1 2 3 2 5 2 1 0 0 28
13 Gerard Mullin....... 1-4 0-2 0-1 1 2 3 0 2 2 2 0 1 15
25 Nelson Albino....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2
34 Kevin Codey......... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
42 Dave Pepperman...... 3-4 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 2 6 0 1 0 0 17
TEAM................
Totals.............. 22-42 4-12 8-14 4 23 27 14 56 13 14 1 4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 9-17 52.9% 2nd Half: 13-25 52.0% Game: 52.4% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-3 33.3% 2nd Half: 3-9 33.3% Game: 33.3% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 3-8 37.5% 2nd Half: 5-6 83.3% Game: 57.1% 2
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Officials: Riley, Banos, Perullo
Technical fouls: DeSales University-None. Drew Rangers-None.
Attendance: 300
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
DeSalesUniversity............ 32 21 - 53
Drew Rangers.................. 22 34 - 56