Brockport wins ECAC Upstate Championship
By Michael Thayer
Staff Writer

The last time the Brockport Golden Eagles squared off with the Cardinals from St. John Fisher in the post-season, it was in the NCAA Sweet 16 last season. This year, both teams missed their ticket to the big dance, but found themselves in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Upstate Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament.

The Golden Eagles, the top seed in the seven-team tournament, received a first-round bye, giving them an automatic trip to the Semi-final round. St. John Fisher had to go through Vassar College Wednesday, Feb. 5, as they topped the Brewers 68-65.

Brockport had won the last two meetings between the team, dating back to the 105-91 win in the Big Dance last season, and squeaking out an 88-87 win over the Cardinals in the first round of the JP Morgan Chase Tournament this season. Saturday night, the results were the same, with Brockport coming from behind, after giving up the lead, to top St. John Fisher 81-80.

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles was Sherod Harris with 22 points, while Justin Beigel gave the Cardinals 13 points. Beigel scored the Cardinals’ first seven points, as the offense couldn’t get started.

The Golden Eagles capitalized on St. John Fisher’s slow attack, jumping a 34-11 lead, their highest lead of the game. That lead dwindled to four at halftime. Along with a slowing Golden Eagle offense, Brockport was charged with a total of 15 personal fouls in the first half, something that didn’t set well with head coach Greg Dunne.

“There’s something wrong when your team is charged with 15 fouls in the first half,” Dunne said in a half-time interview.

When the whistles sounded the beginning of the second half, the traditional Brockport vs. St. John Fisher game came out. The scoreboard yo-yoed between the two teams, with the Cardinals finding their first lead of the game with less than five minutes left to play. The Cardinals’ lead reached a high of four points before Brockport came back.

With less than a minute left to play and down two, Dunne called a time-out to design a play to get the team back in the lead. The play was designed for Brandon Williams to get the ball underneath, shooting to tie. However, when Williams couldn’t find an open shot, he sent it back out to Harris, whose shot from the arc fell in for a one-point lead. Mychal Wilkes was fouled after a steal, sending him to the line, where he found his only two points of the game.

Matt Newman scored a lay-up for the Cardinals, but the team fell a single point short, as Brockport advanced to the championship round.

The Golden Eagles entered the Tuttle North Gymnasium Sunday to host conference opponent SUNY Cortland for the ECAC Upstate Championship final round. It seemed as if the game would be a repeat from the day before, as Shawn Harris opened up the scoring on the team’s first possession with a 3-point shot from the top of the arc.
For the first seven minutes of the game, the teams went point for point, until Brockport could fire up their offense.

The Golden Eagles headed to the locker room with a 14-point lead over the Red Dragons, 20 minutes from the championship.

Although the Red Dragons came out strong in the second half, Brockport was able to keep their lead to at least two possessions. In the end, Sherod Harris gathered a defensive rebound, and the Golden Eagles could hold for the final seconds, and crown themselves champions.

In the game, it was a slow start for the Golden Eagles traditional shooters. After 28 games this season, in the 29th, Cantrel Parrish landed his first 3-point shot on four attempts in the season. Parrish scored 10 points. Leading the way in their final games were Sherod Harris, with 18, and Williams, with 14.

Paul Oliver led the Cardinals with 20 points. Neither team had high success from beyond the arc, as Cortland went 4-21 from long range. The Golden Eagles connected on four as well, with a total of 16 attempts.

Sherod Harris was named ECAC Most Outstanding Player in a post-game award ceremony. This was the second Brockport victory over the Red Dragons.

For the Golden Eagles, the victory meant that the men’s team holds an ECAC Championship for the first time since 1974.

The Golden Eagles entered the season facing high expectations. Brockport was ranked in two preseason ranks, checking in as the third team in the nation in one, and seventh in another ranking.

Although some may say the team didn’t live up to expectations, the athletes who wear the green and gold would disagree.

Williams would be one of those, as he responded to the critics in a post-game interview. “People don’t understand how hard it is to get into an ECAC tournament,” he said, “let alone a national tournament.”

Williams, along with the other seniors on the team, will be able to leave Brockport as champions.

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