Jackets get much-needed wake-up call
Survive and advance.
The inflated eight-point difference on the scoreboard that sent the Waynesburg University men’s basketball team into the semifinal round of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament Tuesday night was much too close for everyone wearing orange, black and shades of neon, which was sported by many in the student section.
After a half hour long first half, which ended with Waynesburg leading just 22-21, shock and annoyance of Grove City’s success in its painfully slow offensive attack made many believe that an upset was in the making. It was a game predominantly controlled, literally, by the visiting Wolverines for nearly the first 30 minutes.
Grove City was satisfied with melting every second each time the basketball was in its possession. The Wolverines passed up on easy fast-break opportunities and planted themselves nearly 47 feet away from the rim, hugging the half-court line, as the clock ticked deep into their possessions. Along with dragging Jacket forwards Jason Propst and Tyler Miller into an uncomfortable area for both of them, away from the hoop. Not to mention the fact that they had to cover Caleb Knudsen, a much more athletic player in open space than the both of them combined.
Waynesburg turned in what truly looked like a lackadaisical performance on the defensive side of the ball, in what I believe was most in part due to the dull Grove City attack. The Jackets allowed the Wolverines to corral easy rebounds that led to even longer possessions and second-chance points.
But this was the kind of game the Jackets needed.
Senior Kenny Klase buried his head into his number 15 jersey after coming to the bench following his fourth foul, still with several minutes on the clock.
The frustration set in and it was blatantly obvious.
But Waynesburg turned to a player who was still hobbling on one leg this time last year.
Senior Casey Hope’s previously torn ACL had no effect when he flipped Grove City senior point guard J.T. Schwartz over top of him in a fight for a loose ball. It had no effect when he connected on a lengthy, clutch three-point shot with time winding down. It had no effect playing tenacious defense, which resulted in two timely steals.
For a majority of the game, it looked as if it could’ve been Hope’s; along with the rest of his senior teammates’ last game ever. The glimpses of being the laughingstock of the PAC a mere few years ago to heartbreaking losses that left them continuing to search for answers were going through the minds of all the fans in attendance at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse Tuesday night who have followed Jacket basketball these last four years.
A dejected Klase approached the line and coolly knocked down both his foul shots with 3:46 remaining.
The Waynesburg defense eventually tightened when it mattered most. Hope clapped emphatically as his 5-foot-8 inch frame stood over the painted yellow jacket at mid-court, with myself in the crowd hoping that he would slap the floor to state his dominance.
It was a win that brought up the memories of the three years prior, but it was a win that, more important, put those years in the rearview mirror.