Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—Senior forward John Grazioli (St. Anthony’s/Melville, N.Y.) scored a game-high 21 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to lead the Hobart College basketball team past Clarkson Unviersity 73-62. The 21st Statesman to reach that career milestone, he also blocked a career-high six shots.
Hobart (8-9, 3-3 Liberty League) produced its best defensive effort of the season, harassing the Golden Knights (6-11, 4-2) into a 27.3 percent shooting performance, a season-low for a Statesmen foe. In addition to forcing its guest into a lot of low percentage shots (31 three-point attempts), Hobart also blocked a season-high 11 shots, the most since blocking 12 against Ithaca in 2005. Senior forward Dan O’Grady (St. Dominics/East Norwich, N.Y.) added four rejections to the block party.
On the other side of the ledger, Grazioli knocked down 8-of-14 from the floor as the Statesmen shot a respectable 42.3 percent. He was joined in double digits by the backcourt trio of sophomore Sean McHugh (Holy Trinity/Mineola, N.Y.), first-year Tim Llewellyn (West York/York, Pa.), and first-year Rob Estep (West York/York, Pa.), who had 13, 11, and 10 points, respectively. McHugh also doled out a game-high five assists.
Sophomore guard Keith Murray (St. John’s NW Mil. Academy/Queens, N.Y.) produced a team-high 15 points for Clarkson, while sophomore guard Brandon Linton (Holy Cross/Queens, N.Y.) added 14 points, 10 boards, and four assists. Junior forward Elson Pickering (Frederick Douglas Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in 11 points, while junior forward Ryan Smith (Wilson/Niagara Falls, N.Y.) collected 10 caroms. Clarkson’s woes were compounded by its bevy of second chances. The Knights outrebounded Hobart 52-35.
A close contest early on, Hobart seized control with a 16-5 run to end the first half, turning a three-point deficit into a 30-22 lead at the break. Clarkson did not make a field goal over the final 5:03.
The Golden Knights hit the first two baskets of the second half, but Grazioli answered with seven unanswered points. In the middle of his personal surge, he converted a traditional three-point play to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Grazioli now has 1,009 career points.
The Statesmen increased their lead to as many as 20 before the visitors mounted an ill-fated comeback. A 13-1 run in a span of less than two minutes, got Clarkson within six, 65-59, but Hobart went 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to secure the victory.
The Statesmen are back in action on Feb. 2, when they host St. Lawrence at 4 p.m. Live coverage of the contest can be accessed by clicking on the live coverage link on the Hobart schedule page.
