TIFFIN, Ohio—The Heidelberg University men's basketball team will take a break from league action, stepping out of the Ohio Athletic Conference to host Waynesburg (Pa.) University on Thursday, Dec. 15 and Trine (Ind.) University on Saturday, Dec. 17. Tip-off against for Thursday's tilt is slated for 7 p.m., while Saturday's contest will tip at 2 p.m.
Live stats for both games will be available at http://www.heidelberg.edu/statcrew/mbb/xlive.htm.
The Student Princes (2-5, 1-3 OAC) are coming off a 64-52 win at Muskingum University last Saturday, snapping a five-game losing skid. Senior guard Darion Capers (Clayton/Trotwood-Madison) poured in a team-high 13 points and led four Student Princes who scored in double figures, including sophomore forward Victor Fortkamp (St. Henry) (11), and senior guard C.J. Powell (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Foley) and senior forward Zane Wildermuth (Botkins), who came off the bench to tally 11 points and 10 points, respectively.
Capers, the reigning OAC player of the week, has led the Berg in scoring in four of seven games this season and leads overall by averaging 15.3 points per game and is second in shooting percentage at 57.4 (39-of-68). Fortkamp is second in scoring (12.7 ppg.) and third in rebounding with 5.1 rebounds per game and is a 56.9 percent (33-of-58) shooter. Junior honorable mention All-OAC forward Nate Davis (Dayton/Stivers) nearly averages a double-double with 10.1 ppg. and 9.7 rpg., has tallied 10 or more rebounds in four games, and leads the team with a 58.3 shooting percentage (28-of-48) and 16 blocks. Junior second-team All-OAC guard Dane Givner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Harvest Prep) rounds out a list of four double-digit scorers with 10.0 ppg., is second with 5.4 rpg., and has passed for a team-high 24 assists. Sophomore guard Mike Petrie (Columbus/Beechcroft) has started the last two games and tallies 5.9 ppg. and has canned a team-high eight three-pointers.
Waynesburg (2-7, 0-3 Presidents' Athletic Conference) last played on Saturday, an 84-60 loss at Malone College, and is riding a four-game losing streak. The Yellow Jackets are led by Larry Alexander, who scores 10.4 ppg. and shoots 43.1 percent (31-of-72) from the field.
Trine (5-2) comes to Tiffin with a four-game winning streak following a 68-56 win at Purdue (Ind.) North Central. The Thunder is led by a trio of double-figure scorers in Ian Jackson (19.4), Scott Rogers (11.1) and Tim Percy (17.1).
Following the Berg's game with Trine, the Student Princes will close the non-conference portion of the 2011-12 schedule at the Mose Hole Classic, hosted by The College of Wooster, with games against Hiram College on Dec. 29 and Wooster on Dec. 30.