Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team shot 54.8 percent from the floor and put five players in double digits in an 87-75 victory over Ithaca College in Bristol Gym tonight. Senior forward John Grazioli (St. Anthony’s/Melville, N.Y.) led the way with 19 points for the Statesmen.
Hobart, which began the day stuck in a five-game slide, shot 52.8 percent in the first half and improved on that mark in the second half (57.7). First-year guard Tim Llewellyn (West York/York, Pa.) registered 18 points and five assists, while first-year forward Adam Salzmann (Kingston/Connelly, N.Y.), senior Rob Genovese (Deerfield Academy/Geneva, N.Y.), and first-year guard Rob Estep (West York/York, Pa.) contributed 14, 14, and 13 points, respectively.
Ithaca junior guard Brendan Rogers (Liverpool/Liverpool, N.Y.) led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Junior guard Sean Burton (Notre Dame/Yorkville, N.Y.) added 17 points and five assists, while senior center Louis Kail (Saddle River Day School/Riverdale, N.Y.) chipped in 11 points. Junior forward Jeff Bostic (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) led the Bombers to a 42-27 advantage on the glass with a game-high 12 rebounds to go with nine points.
The Statesmen played strong perimeter defense, forcing Ithaca into a 5-for-28 performance from behind the three-point arc, negating the Bombers rebounding edge.
Ithaca (6-6) took its biggest lead of the game, 15-11, on a layup by Rogers with 11:47 remaining in the first half. An 11-2 run by the Statesmen—keyed by six points from Llewellyn—turned the tables, putting Hobart up five, 22-17. The Statesmen stayed in front, leading by as many as 11 before taking a 43-37 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, a Rogers jumper with 12:26 remaining briefly put the Bombers up 56-55. Less than 30 seconds later, first-year Mark Bruce (Fairport/Fairport, N.Y.) made his only basket of the game, sparking a 6-0 run and putting Hobart back in front for good.
Rogers’ penultimate basket of the night, cut the Statesmen’s advantage to just two, 69-67, with 6:53 to go, but Genovese drained a three-pointer at the other end of the floor to quell the threat. Hobart’s lead never dipped below four down the stretch. Genovese’s steal and breakaway dunk gave the Statesmen (5-6) their biggest lead of the night, 87-73, and sealed the victory.
Hobart is back in action on Jan. 12, when the Statesmen travel to Hamilton. Tipoff of the Liberty League opener is scheduled for 7 p.m.
