Written by Braidan Shea
@braedan_shea
As the Springfield College men’s basketball team made its way to the locker room in the basement of Blake Arena, the energy within the program was at an all-time high. Coming off their best run in recent memory, the Pride held a 35-24 lead against No. 18 Williams College.
Defensively, Springfield played with a tenacity and ferocity that surprised the Ephs from the opening end. In the opening minutes, no Williams pass was safe from the hands of the Brides’ rotation goalkeepers. After Springfield’s fourth forced turnover in the first three minutes of play, Williams’ entire offense faltered, looking nothing like its 8-1 record.
Through the tough defense, the Pride attack was easily opened up.
With 6:48 remaining in the first half, junior guard Trey Hodge made a perfect jump on a Williams screen, stopping the opponent in their tracks and forcing a punt. On the ensuing pass, sophomore forward Josiah Evely tossed the ball into the air, and the Ephs needed a diving tackle to keep the possession alive.
The dish was aimed at Williams’ sharp shooting guard Alex Stoddard, who looked wide open on the right wing. But just as he reached the top of his shot, Springfield forward Gary Pace Jr. jumped out of the gym, sending the 3-pointer back the way it came. Blake Arena exploded in cheers as the shot clock expired.
Williams coach Kevin App was visibly frustrated with his team’s performance, and was furious after what he believed was an offensive foul on Pace Jr. with two minutes left in the game, which resulted in a technical foul. Two possessions later, Pace Jr. rubbed salt in the wound, causing the coach to flash a grin after he dropped a faded, flawless jumper.
The Ephs shot just 33 percent from the field in the first half, 16.7 percent from three with 11 turnovers. But even as they approached halftime with great confidence, Springfield was about to face their worst enemy of the new season – the second half.
In both of the Pride’s previous games, they also entered the half with a big lead. However, in the second half, both of those leads were cut short, as they lost both matches in heartbreaking fashion by just one point each. Once again, the same ugly head showed itself for the third game in a row.
Springfield scored just one shot in the first 9:34 of the second half, losing not only the lead, but all the momentum. It was the Pride’s turn to have trouble moving the ball, but their biggest flaw was fouls. By 12:32 of the first half, Williams had already taken the bonus, entering the double bonus with 8:35 left in the first half.
After a botched three-point attempt, Stoddard hit all three free throws to cut Springfield’s lead to just two. John Paulino then proceeded to fire a pass directly at Stoddard, who came down the court and delivered a brutal two-handed dunk. Springfield coach Michael McLendon II called a timeout, and Williams’ bench exploded, as the court looked like a home game for the Ephs.
While Springfield struggled down the stretch, it was eventually too late as the Pride lost 61-56, falling to 2-5 on the season and losing by less than five in their third straight game.
“We lacked aggression in the second half,” Pace Jr. said of Springfield’s lack of success in the second half. “In the first half we go downhill and create chances for each other. But in the second half, we’re just passing the ball around the perimeter, no attacks or anything. It stagnates us a bit, so it’s difficult for us to keep going like this.”
Despite the strong performance from the Pride, Pace Jr. was a bright spot. Coming off the bench for the first time all season on the back of a slow start, the Kansas City Kansas Community College transfer had his best performance in a Springfield uniform. The forward led all scorers with 23 points on 8-13 shooting, in addition to five rebounds.
Pace Jr. was Springfield’s go-to guy, giving his team key buckets.
“I’m starting to feel like I’m playing like myself again,” Pace Jr. said. “It’s been kind of a struggle, but I’m starting to find my rhythm.”
Bess Jr. feels… Optimistic that Springfield will right the ship before the end of the season, knowing that late-game performances will be the deciding factor.
“We’ll keep practicing and working,” Pace Jr. said. “We’ll figure out how to keep the same energy from the first half to the second half and try to win basketball games.”
The Pride heads to Emmanuel College next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Nick Storlazzi
On [date], the Springfield men’s basketball team suffered a close defeat to the No. 18 ranked Williams College, with a final score of 61-56. Despite a hard-fought effort, the Springfield team was unable to secure the win against their highly-ranked opponents. The game showcased the talent and determination of both teams, but ultimately ended in a disappointing loss for Springfield. However, the team’s competitive spirit and resilience on the court is sure to make them a formidable force in future matchups.