GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team extended its winning streak to three games with a 66-59 win over St. John Fisher College in Bristol Gym tonight. The Statesmen improved to 4-1 while the Cardinals fall to 4-3.
Hobart won by dominating the space in close to the basket. The Statesmen outscored St. John Fisher 34-18 in points in the paint and 13-2 in second chance points. Hobart enjoyed a 43-30 advantage on the glass, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds while limiting St. John Fisher to just five.
Sophomore forward
Jackson Meshanic led all scorers with 15 points and added seven rebounds. Senior forward
Edens Fleurizard contributed a double-double on 10 points and a game-high 11 boards. Sophomore
Dan Masino chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.
The Cardinals put four players in double figures led by junior Mark Valeriani's 13 points. Classmate Matt Asenjo added 12 points and senior Sammy Robinson scored 11 points. Senior James Leone posted 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.
In the first half, Meshanic gave the Statesmen their first lead at 6-4, but the Cardinals countered with eight straight points to build the largest lead of the first half for either team. Leone started it with a 3-pointer and Valeriani capped with another triple for a 12-6 edge. Hobart reclaimed the lead with seven consecutive points, including a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws by first-year
Andrew Lynch. The Statesmen went into halftime with a 31-28 lead.
Lynch led Hobart with eight first half points, while Asenjo also had eight points before halftime.
With back-to-back-to-back buckets by first-year
Daniel Cook, junior
Jack Lesure and Masino, the Statesmen opened up a 37-28 lead just over two minutes into the second half. Fisher tied the game at 39 with nine straight points, including five from Valeriani.
Hobart went back in front by three with a 3-for-4 effort at the line, but junior Louden Porter knotted the game at 42 with a 3-pointer. The game remained tied for more than three minutes until Meshanic broke the stalemate with a 3-pointer, kick-starting a 15-6 run by the Statesmen.
Over the final three minutes, Hobart kept the Cardinals at arm's length by making 3-of-5 field goal attempts and 3-of-5 at the free throw line. The Statesmen enjoyed a decided advantage at the charity stripe, making 17-of-27 on the night. Fisher missed both free throws it earned in the game, one in each half.
Hobart will open Liberty League play at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at Skidmore (1-3). St. John Fisher will play Wooster at noon Sunday, Dec. 15 in Dayton Beach, Fla.
