By Nicholas Serrata, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Dave Maldonado cam off the bench to score a team-high 16 points against St. Lawrence, leading the Golden Eagles to a 74-49 win in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships

Golden Eagles trample familiar foes en route to Sweet 16
By Greg Parks
STAFF WRITER

The Brockport men’s basketball team got to exorcize a few demons this past weekend in walking away from St. Lawrence University with a trip to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16. 

In the first round of the tournament on Friday, March 2 they faced a Williams College team that ejected them from the tournament the last time they qualified, in the 2003-2004 season. But in 2007, it was a different story, as Brockport came from behind to beat the Ephs, 74-66.

Williams College held a five-point halftime lead, but the Golden Eagles chipped away in the second half and took the lead for good less than halfway through the stanza. Brandon Williams led the way with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and also grabbed seven rebounds. Four other players scored in double figures as the Golden Eagles spread the scoring around.

A day later, Brockport faced a St. Lawrence squad seeking retribution. The Saints lost their first game of the season in Brockport by 30 points and suffered just five losses all season.  At home in front of a raucous crowd, St. Lawrence wanted to show that the game from almost two months ago was a fluke.  But Brockport came prepared, silencing the home team in the second round of the NCAAs, 74-49.

“I think it’s great to play on the road,” Brockport guard Sherod Harris said. “We’ve always been a confident team whether we’re at home or on the road.” 

Dave Maldonado sparked the offensive outburst off the bench, as he netted 16 points, nine of which came on 3-pointers. Cantrel Parrish recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds against a tough defender in Richard Williams, who fouled out late in the game for St. Lawrence.

The Golden Eagles held the Saints to shooting just 33 percent from the field.

It was thought that St. Lawrence would hold the advantage in the second game, but Brockport came out to prove the first game was not an aberration.

“Playing them earlier in the year helped,” said Harris. “We knew what they liked to do. We knew who their shooters were. When we saw their plays and formations, we knew exactly what they were trying to do.”

Defense has been an issue at times this season for Brockport, but they clamped down when they needed to most.

“We defended probably as well as we’ve defended all year during the second half against Williams and the whole game against St. Lawrence,” said Brockport head coach Nelson Whitmore. “We’ve been able to score all year but not defend as well.”

Brockport’s Sweet 16 opponent is a familiar one, as they travel down the road to St. John Fisher, a team with which they split the season series. The team is no stranger to Whitmore, who played college ball and coached there.

“That’ll certainly be special for everybody, and for myself, a little extra,” he said.
The two teams match up on Friday night, March 9 at St. John Fisher. Game time is yet to be determined.