With guard Will DeBerg’s team-high 19 points leading the way, the top-ranked St. Thomas men’s basketball team cruised to a 81-46 victory against Hamline at home Saturday.
The Tommies (18-1, 13-1 MIAC) had a slow start against the Pipers (7-12, 4-10 MIAC), but went into halftime with a 33-30 edge.
Coach John Tauer said he was proud of how his team overcame its poor start.
“We were pretty flat defensively, but we made a little adjustment and I think our guys really stepped up our intensity,” Tauer said. “The last 30 minutes were really outstanding defense and our offense flowed from that.”
The Tommies dominated the second half with an opening 29-4 run, sparked by guard Marcus Alipate’s four 3-pointers. Alipate finished with 14 points.
As the Tommie lead grew, the team rotated in some of its younger reserves. Freshman Thomas Sjoberg, who had three points in the win, said he was happy he could hit some shots.
“It’s a lot of fun; we have a lot of talented guys on our team … to learn from them and then translate that onto the court is great,” Sjoberg said.
Tauer believes the experience is great for the young players and gives the team a chance to show fans what the future holds.
“Great things take some patience and take a lot of hard work, so it’s nice to see those freshman get in there,” Tauer said.
Sjoberg said he was proud of how his teammates played and supported each other.
“I was happy with the energy we had on the bench,” Sjoberg said. “Even if you’re not on the floor, we supported our brothers on the court.”
Tommie women drop third straight
Coach Ruth Sinn believes the No. 12 St. Thomas women’s basketball team is at a crossroads after its 66-56 home loss to Hamline Saturday.
“We have got to look inward and decide what kind of team we are going to be,” Sinn said. “We’re struggling in confidence: confidence in each other and confidence in our system.”
The Tommies (13-5, 11-4 MIAC) started slowly and the Pipers (8-10, 8-7 MIAC) held the lead for the entire first half. After being down 11 points midway through the opening frame, the Tommies were able to close the margin to three points going into halftime.
Guard Jenna Dockter led St. Thomas with 15 points, going 10-for-16 from the foul line.
After briefly taking the lead in the second half, the Pipers took a 10-point edge which they never relinquished. Guard Kara Poirier led Hamline with 16 points. The Tommies went almost ten minutes without a field goal in the second half.
The loss ended St. Thomas’ 23-game home court winning streak.
Center Anna Smith, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the loss, said the team has to decide where its headed for the remainder of the season.
“I think we need to have a fighter mentality … we all need to have trust in each other that we are going to score and that we will do well,” Smith said.
Alex Goering can be reached at goer8777@stthomas.edu.