FInal Look at Season Opener

Although it's a day late, here is Hawk Hill Hardwood's final look at the home opener against the Drexel Dragons and a quick glimpse into what fans can expect on Tuesday night against Holy Cross.

Chris Prescott got the game off on the right foot by scoring the opening basket. Prescott was silent in terms of scoring the ball the rest of the night, but he logged 23 minutes and pulled down 4 rebounds. More importantly, he did not turn the ball over. Something some other players struggled with.

Turnovers were a key during the course of the game, as the Hawks committed 18 and Drexel committed 23. 13 of the 19 Hawk turnovers were committed by Hawk seniors Garrett Williamson and Darrin Govens. The seniors came through at the clutch by both hitting game-tying shots in the final seconds. However, moving forward I'm sure that is something the coaching staff will be harping on with them: cutting down on costly turnovers.

Three Hawks played in their first game on Friday night: Bucknell transfer Todd O'Brien, freshman guard Carl Jones, and freshman forward Carl Baptiste. Both O'Brien and Jones played key roles in the win, both logging serious minutes. In 34 minutes, O'Brien registered 9 points and 8 rebounds. 4 of those points were crucial in the overtime period, especially the two coming on a bank-shot from the post that put the Hawks ahead to stay. Jones, in just over 30 minutes of playing time, gave Hawk fans a very positive glimpse into the future. His ability to get past his man and into the lane is something that we haven't seen here in a long time. Despite struggling from the field and missing a few chippies, Jones had 13 points on Friday the 13th. Baptiste played very sparingly, but clearly has a physique and skill set that should see increased playing time as the season progresses

Idris Hilliard was a monster in the first half, finishing the game with 16 and 7 in a team-leading 40 minutes of action.

Drexel was paced by guard Jamie Harris' 20 points.

The Hawks return to action against Holy Cross at the Hagan Arena on Tuesday evening. Holy Cross lost their season opener to Harvard by 10. They were led by 6'9 junior forward Andrew Keister, who had an impressive 22 points and 8 rebounds against Harvard. Holy Cross has defeated the Hawks each of the past two seasons. With a win, the Hawks can start off the season by avenging two of their worst losses from last season.

Thanks to Joe C for the picture.