Sophomore Cory Szklarz Led the Cougars with Game-High 24 Points
In non-conference action, the Clark University men’s basketball team fell to Trinity College, 79-69. The Bantams opened the game with a 10-0 run in the first three minutes of the game and led 24-10 with less than 14 minutes to play after making 11-for-12 from the floor including 2-for-3 from long range. Trinity shot an impressive 54.8 percent from the floor in the first stanza and despite trailing by 15-points, the Cougars were just as impressive shooting 58.3 percent.. Trinity senior Craig Coupe (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) became the 23rd Bantam to join the 1,000-point club at Trinity with a dunk at the 10:07 mark of the first half. Coupe is the second Bantam to reach the milestone this week, senior co-captain guard John Halas (White Plains, NY/Hackley) scored his 1,000th career point on a free throw in the second half this past Monday, a 80-67 win over Colby-Sawyer. Halas is the son of Wally Halas '73, former Clark head men's basketball coach, Athletic Director, and a member of the Clark Athletic Hall of Fame. Trailing by 15-points at halftime and as many as 17-points with 18 minutes to play in the game, the Cougars chipped away slowly and used a 23-11 run to cut the Bantams lead to five with 7:52 to play. With less than six minutes to play sophomore Cory Szklarz (Worcester, MA/St. Peter Marian) converted a lay-up to pull the Cougars within three, 67-64 with 5:43 to go in the game. However, the Bantams pushed the lead back to 8-points with just under three minutes to play and used 3-of-5 free throws down the stretch to secure the 10-point victory. Szklarz paced four players in double-figures for the Cougars with a game-high 24 points including 3-for-5 from long range. Junior Tim Dutille (Sunapee, NH/Lebanon) had 17 points on 7-for-9 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the line. Trinity’s junior Tyler Rhoten (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) led four players in double figures with 23 points. Sophomore Patrick Hasiuk (Enfield, CT/Enfield) added 22 points (7-11 FG, 4-6 3FG) while Coupe and sophomore Robert Taylor III (Dorchester, MA/Newton North) each chipped in 12 points. First-year DJ Brinn (Madison, CT/Daniel Hand) added 11 points and graduate student Adam Miller (Shrewsbury, MA/St. John’s) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds to round out the double-digit scoring for Clark. The Bantams improved to 10-3 while the Cougars fell to 4-9. Cougars return to action this Tuesday, January 18 at the Kneller Athletic Center against conference opponent MIT at 8:00 pm. Clark will end their 5-game home stand against non-conference foe Nichols College on Thursday, January 20 at 7:00 pm.