(Enlarge) Laurel resident Leon Porter (center), shown last season playing for Pallotti, is now playing at Division II Dominican College in New York. He began his college career with three games in Alaska and led the team in scoring with 13 points per outing.(Photo by Steve Ruark)

Leon Porter figured he would get a chance to play key minutes as a freshman this season for Dominican College, a Division II program in upstate New York.

But the 2009 Pallotti High School graduate had no idea he would be leading the team in scoring after three games.

"I was very surprised. The coach tells me I should score. He gives me the green light," said Porter, a point guard who averaged 13 points in the first three games for head coach Joseph Clinton.

Porter, from Laurel, helped lead Pallotti to the title game of the MIAA B conference tournament last season, as the Panthers fell to St. Mary's at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

The 5-foot-6 Porter began his college career by playing three games with Dominican at the Alaska-Fairbanks Invitational. The Chargers won one of three games in late November as Porter played a team-high 31.0 minutes per game and made 12 of 29 shots from the field. He averaged 5.3 rebounds per game with 19 assists but also had 21 turnovers.

"It was an unbelievable experience," Porter said of playing in Alaska. Porter had never been out of the lower 48 states before the trip, and said the team was able to do a little sightseeing while in Alaska.

Porter is playing point guard for the Chargers, who have two other freshmen from Maryland: Daniel Woods, of Riverdale Baptist, and Gerald Hill, who played at Mount St. Joseph's. Porter and Hill played on the same AAU team in high school.

Other schools that Porter looked at were Seton Hill and Southern New Hampshire. "They were my main option," he said of Dominican. "They were interested in me from the start."

Other former Pallotti players with college teams include Branden Washington, who averaged 21.0 minutes and 9.0 points in his first two games for Washington Adventist of Takoma Park.

"He is doing a good job for us," said WA head coach Calvin Dunbar, who added Washington is a strong shot blocker. Washington began his college career at Widener in Delaware.

Laurel resident Jamie Newton, from Capital Christian Academy, averaged 27.5 minutes and 7.0 points in the first two games for Washington Adventist. "He is our point guard," Dunbar said. "He does a little bit of everything. He plays excellent defense on the opposing guard. He plays a big role for us."

Washington Adventist hosts St. Paul's of Virginia on Dec. 5 and Chestnut Hill on Dec. 8. The Chestnut Hill roster includes Ryan Cook (Pallotti), who averaged 24.3 minutes and 6.8 points in the first four games off the bench.

Hampton fell to 0-4 in men's basketball with a 62-61 loss Nov. 25 at William and Mary. Laurel graduate Milade Lola-Charles started for Hampton and had four points and five rebounds in 32 minutes. Guard Chris Tolson (Laurel High) came off the bench for the Pirates and had no points and one assist in 10 minutes. Hampton plays Howard on Dec. 5 in New York. Tolson had four points Nov. 29 in a win over Monmouth as Hampton improved to 2-5. "Chris gives us solid minutes off the bench as a backup shooting guard," said Hampton assistant Keith Coutreyer, the former Laurel High head coach.

Starting center Lola-Charles injured his groin before a Nov. 27 game against Pepperdine and was held out of the next three games for precautionary reasons, Coutreyer said.

Jacksonville lost, 79-47, at California on Nov. 24. Will Alston (Laurel), a sophomore, had four points and four rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench for Jacksonville. "There are a lot of correctable errors out of this game," JU head coach Cliff Warren said on the school Web site. "This wasn't Jacksonville basketball tonight. You can't let a very good team like Cal get confidence early because they can put points on us in a hurry."

It was the fewest points scored by the Dolphins under Warren, who is from Silver Spring. Alston had six points and four rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench Nov. 27 as JU lost at South Carolina, 97-93.

David Potter, who attended Laurel High, is a senior at Clemson of the ACC. Potter started the first seven games and averaged 10.7 points for the Tigers, coached by Maryland native Oliver Purnell.

user comments (1)

user arc8013 says...

In your last few publications, you have capture Laurel residents making news at college. I did not see you mention Ryan Cook from Laurel (Pallotti). He score 30 points in one game on November 27, made CACC player of the week for the week ending November 28, he tied his college and personal record for most three points in one game, on December 8, he score his third double-double, he averages 12 points a game and is one of the leading scorers on his team. Hopefully you will capture him in your next article. Chestnut Hill Men's Basketball - Game Stories 12/8/09: Griffins Punish Pioneers to End Two-Game Skid. 12/5/09: Sharp Shooting Golden Rams Bury Griffins in Men's Basketball. 12/2/09: Griffins Grab Early Lead, But Golden Bears Prevail at Sorgenti Arena. 11/28/09: Cook Serves Up 30 Points in Win over Dowling College. 11/21/09: McFadden Reaches 1,000-Point Milestone; Griffins Knock off Lakers at Doc Jacob's Classic. 11/20/09; Purple Knights Top Griffins at Doc Jacob's Classic. 11/18/09: Rams' Second-Half Surge Overcomes Griffin Defense in CACC Opener. 11/16/09: Men's Basketball Opens Season With 15-point Win over Huskies.   Griffins Punish Shock to End Two-Game Skid Takoma Park, MD – (12/8/2009) – Two points separated Chestnut Hill College and Washington Adventist University at the break with the Griffins holding the upper hand, 35-33. The contest was tight late, but a final push by Chestnut Hill College landed the Griffins an 87-71 triumph over the Shock. Sophomore guard Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md.) and freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) led the Griffins to victory; Cook recorded his third career double-double and DiRugeris Jr. cracked the 20-point threshold for the second time in his rookie campaign.  At halftime, the contest was nearly even on all fronts. Washington Adventist University (1-5) held a slight advantage in shooting (41.7%-40.7%), but Chestnut Hill College (4-4) was more successful from long range (40.0%-12.5%) and in turn they held a narrow 35-33 edge. The Griffins out-shot the Shock 53.3% to 36.1% in the closing period and their speed and athleticism eventually took over as Chestnut Hill College worked a five-point advantage, 67-62, to a 16-point win in the final four minutes.  Washington Adventist University received a double-double performance from forward Braden Washington (Laurel, Md.), but forward Khalid Martin (Lanham, Md.) led the Shock with 17 points and seven rebounds. Washington finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Three others finished in double figures.  DiRugeris Jr. was 7-of-18 (39.0%) from the floor including four, three-point baskets. He also converted three foul shots to score 21 points, a new career-high. Cook went to work in the second half totaling ten points and eight rebounds in the closing frame. He finished the evening with 17 points and ten rebounds. Freshman guard Francis Ashe (Greenbelt, Md.) provided 15 points and six rebounds, while graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) put forth a workman’s effort with 13 points, six rebounds, and four steals.  The men’s basketball team will head to Bloomsburg University to rematch the Huskies in a 7:00 p.m. contest on Thursday, December 10.  Sharp Shooting Golden Rams Bury Griffins in Men’s Basketball Philadelphia, PA – (12/5/2009) – Chestnut Hill College was out-played from the opening tip by West Chester University in this afternoon’s non-conference matchup of local rivals. The Golden Rams shot 52.5% (31-of-59) from the field, including a 50.0% (11-of-22) clip from long range to defeat the Griffins 79-49. The Golden Rams led by as many as 41 in the second half, before the Griffin reserves gave a rallying effort down the stretch. Chestnut Hill College (3-4) was able to hang around for the opening five minutes, but the accurate shooting of the Golden Rams eventually gave way to a 29-10 run leaving the Griffins down 19, 36-17, with 2:23 left in the opening period. Senior center Ralph Hegamin (Virginia Beach, Va.) led the Golden Rams to a commanding 41-22 halftime lead behind 12 points and four assists. Freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) scored eight in the first half to lead the Griffins. The Golden Rams continued to control the contest in the second frame extending their advantage to 41, 77-36, before a final push from the Griffin reserves brought the final to a 30-point differential. Hegamin finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists and led the Golden Rams’ impressive shooting display hitting 8-of-12 (75.0%) from the floor, including 2-of-2 (100.0%) from three-point territory. He also sank both of his attempts from the charity stripe. Freshman forward Harley Williamson (Lower Merion, Pa.) chipped in with 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Freshman guard Isaiah Twine (Williamsport, Pa.) provided 11 points, sophomore guard Sandy Tanner (Philadelphia, PA.) handed out six assists, and junior guard Elie Daniel (Upper Darby, Pa.) made five steals. Sophomore guard R.J. Handy (Philadelphia, Pa.) spirited the Griffins’ final run coming off the bench to score six points and grab three rebounds. Ten Griffins recorded at least a point, but none reached double-digits as DiRugeris led the way with eight points. Sophomore forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, Pa.) grabbed eight rebounds. The men’s basketball team will travel to Washington Adventist University for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday, December 8. WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY 79, CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 49 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY (7-0)  HEGAMIN, Ralph 8-12 2-2 20; WILLIAMSON, Harley 5-7 2-3 12; TWINE, Isaiah 4-9 1-1 11; FLECKEN, Tim 3-4 0-1 8; SCOTT, Sam 3-5 0-0 6; MAUGLE, Greg 2-4 0-0 5; DANIEL, Elie 2-4 0-0 5; TANNER, Sandy 1-2 1-2 4; HARRISON, Zack 1-2 0-0 3; ROBERTS, Kehinde 1-3 0-0 3; BENN, Thiel 1-1 0-2 2; BRYANT, Gerald 0-3 0-0 0; McGHEE, Isaiah 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 31-59 6-11 79.  CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (3-4) DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-10 2-2 8; RIVERS, Andre 3-7 0-4 7; PERRY, Mike Jr. 2-4 1-2 7; HANDY, R.J. 2-4 1-3 6; COMAS, Dan 2-6 1-2 5; ASHE, Francis 2-3 0-0 4; JETER, Larz 1-5 1-2 4; COKER, Kwambina 0-1 4-5 4; McFADDEN, Julian 1-5 0-0 2; COOK, Ryan 1-4 0-0 2; OLUWOLE, Christopher 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-50 10-20 49.  Points by Half                                  1         2         F West Chester University                   41       38       79 Chestnut Hill College                          22       27       49 3-point goals--West Chester University 11-22 (HEGAMIN, Ralph 2-2; TWINE, Isaiah 2-3; FLECKEN, Tim 2-3; HARRISON, Zack 1-2; TANNER, Sandy 1-2; ROBERTS, Kehinde 1-2; MAUGLE, Greg 1-3; DANIEL, Elie 1-2; BRYANT, Gerald 0-1; McGHEE, Isaiah 0-1; WILLIAMSON, Harley 0-1), Chestnut Hill College 7-19 (DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-6; PERRY, Mike Jr. 2-3; RIVERS, Andre 1-2; HANDY, R.J. 1-2; JETER, Larz 1-1; COOK, Ryan 0-1; OLUWOLE, Christopher 0-1; McFADDEN, Julian 0-3). Fouled out--West Chester University-BENN, Thiel, Chestnut Hill College-None. Rebounds--West Chester University 40 (HEGAMIN, Ralph 7), Chestnut Hill College 32 (COMAS, Dan 8). Assists--West Chester University 21 (TANNER, Sandy 6), Chestnut Hill College 10 (JETER, Larz 2; McFADDEN, Julian 2; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2). Total fouls--West Chester University 22, Chestnut Hill College 15. Technical fouls--West Chester University-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. A-156     Griffins Grab Early Lead, But Golden Bears Prevail at Sorgenti Arena Philadelphia, PA – (12/2/2009) – Seven minutes into tonight’s contest, Chestnut Hill College owned a 12-point lead over 12th ranked, Kutztown College. Unfortunately, The Golden Bears lived up to the billing as they turned the tables on the Griffins; using a 55.9% team shooting performance rally for a 92-77 victory. Senior guard Stephen Dennis (West Chester, Pa.) ignited the Golden Bears with a triple-double, 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.  Sophomore guard Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md.) and graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) got Chestnut Hill College (3-3) out to a quick start after the opening tip. Cook drained two three-pointers and Jeter muscled in two lay-ups propelling the Griffins to a 19-7 lead at 13:31. Over the next ten minutes, Dennis dominated the floor and sparked the Golden Bears on a 35-11 run. They held a 42-30 with 3:25 left in the first half, but the Griffins closed the gap to seven by the break, 44-37, on the effort of sophomore forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Cook.  Dennis was complimented by the post play of junior forward Ryan Washington (Philadelphia, Pa.), as they teamed to push the Golden Bears’ lead to 20, 70-50, midway through the closing frame (10:08). The Griffins could not keep pace, falling behind the Golden Bears due to a 55.9% (33-of-59) to 32.1% (25-of-78) shooting discrepancy. Dennis led the way with a 10-of-19 (52.6%) clip, but he also turned the ball over eight times. The Griffins held a 23-12 advantage in turnovers, but the Golden Bears won the battle on the boards 46-37. Washington grabbed 13 rebounds leading the Golden Bears on the glass; he also scored 23 points and made six blocks. Junior guard Julius Gray (Lincoln University, Pa.) added 16 points and was 4-of-6 (66.7%) from long range.  Five Griffins finished in double figures with freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) leading the way. DiRugeris Jr. scored 18 points and made four steals. Cook totaled 16 points, Jeter recorded 14 points, Comas, and senior guard Julian McFadden (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 11 each. McFadden handled the point for the Griffins with six assists. Comas collected nine rebounds and Cook hustled to six.  The men’s basketball team will welcome West Chester University to Sorgenti Arena for their next contest. A 1:00 p.m. affair on Saturday, December 5.  KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY 92, CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 77 KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY (3-0) DENNIS,Stephen 10-19 9-9 31; WASHINGTON,Ryan 8-17 7-7 23; GRAY,Julius 5-10 2-2 16; JOHNSON,Tamir 4-4 1-2 9; WELLS,Ivory 3-5 0-0 7; WHITE,Ryan 2-2 0-0 4; HANKERSON,Zach 1-1 0-0 2; COFFEY,Steve 0-1 0-0 0; CHISHOLM,Lance 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-59 19-20 92.  CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (3-3) DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 7-15 3-4 18; COOK, Ryan 6-16 2-3 16; JETER, Larz 5-10 4-4 14; COMAS, Dan 3-9 5-6 11; McFADDEN, Julian 3-11 2-2 11; WILLIAMS, Brandon 0-6 4-4 4; RIVERS, Andre 1-5 1-2 3; PERRY, Mike Jr. 0-2 0-0 0; ASHE, Francis 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 25-78 21-25 77.  Points by Half                    1     2     F Kutztown University            44   48    92 Chestnut Hill College             37    40   77  3-point goals--Kutztown University 7-14 (GRAY,Julius 4-6; DENNIS,Stephen 2-3; WELLS,Ivory 1-3; COFFEY,Steve 0-1; WASHINGTON,Ryan 0-1), Chestnut Hill College 6-21 (McFADDEN, Julian 3-5; COOK, Ryan 2-3; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 1-7; WILLIAMS, Brandon 0-3; RIVERS, Andre 0-1; PERRY, Mike Jr. 0-1; JETER, Larz 0-1). Fouled out--Kutztown University-WHITE,Ryan; WASHINGTON,Ryan, Chestnut Hill College-ASHE, Francis. Rebounds--Kutztown University 46 (WASHINGTON,Ryan 13), Chestnut Hill College 37 (COMAS, Dan 9). Assists--Kutztown University 21 (DENNIS,Stephen 11), Chestnut Hill College 11 (McFADDEN, Julian 6). Total fouls--Kutztown University 23, Chestnut Hill College 18. Technical fouls--Kutztown University-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. A-222    Cook Serves Up 30 Points in Win over Dowling College Philadelphia, PA – (11/28/2009) – Dowling College had no answer for sophomore guard Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md.), who used a 22-point second half to spur Chestnut Hill College to a 73-66 win over the Golden Lions. A team effort earned the Griffins a narrow 34-32 halftime advantage before Cook erupted in the closing frame. He totaled seven, three-point baskets in the contest, tying both personal and College records. Chestnut Hill College (3-2) never trailed in the second half feeding Cook to a career performance. Cook scored the Griffins’ opening nine points of the second half to help the home team extend their two-point halftime lead to a 46-39 edge with 14:36 left to play. The Griffins led by as many as ten points, 51-41, but Dowling College (2-4) cut that lead down to four, 62-58, with just more than five minutes remaining (5:10) on the play of junior guard Mike Hill (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior forward Josh Lowe (Hauppauge, N.Y.). Hill and Lowe scored 16 and 13 points, respectively, but at the end of the day it was not enough to catch the Griffins. Hill and Lowe grabbed seven rebounds apiece while senior guard David Seagers (Bronx, N.Y.) handed out seven assists. Cook scored 30 points in the affair leading all scorers and reaching a new career-high. In the process, Cook also tied the College and personal record with seven, three-point baskets. Cook was 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the field including his seven long-distance buckets; he also grabbed ten rebounds in the contest for his second career double-double. Graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 13 points and made two steals, while freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) pitched in with ten points. DiRugeris and freshman guard Francis Ashe (Greenbelt, Md.) each totaled four assists. The men’s basketball team will next host Kutztown University in a 7:00 p.m. contest on Wednesday, December 2.  CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 73, DOWLING COLLEGE 66  DOWLING COLLEGE (2-4) Mike Hill 8-13 0-3 16; Josh Lowe 5-10 1-2 13; Sean Smith 3-9 2-2 8; John Merchant 3-5 0-0 8; David Seagers 3-8 0-2 7; Josh Malone 2-4 0-0 5; Damir Hamza 2-6 0-1 4; Beijon Warrington 2-2 0-1 4; Kadeem Nicholas 0-2 1-2 1; Keith Nandin 0-0 0-0 0; Angel Gonzalez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-59 4-13 66.  CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (3-2) COOK, Ryan 11-18 1-3 30; JETER, Larz 5-10 1-2 13; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-9 4-4 10; WILLIAMS, Brandon 3-5 1-2 8; COMAS, Dan 1-3 4-4 6; ASHE, Francis 1-1 1-3 3; McFADDEN, Julian 1-7 0-0 3; HANDY, R.J. 0-0 0-0 0; RIVERS, Andre 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-53 12-18 73.   Points by Half                                  1         2         F Dowling College                                 32      34      66 Chestnut Hill College                           34      39      73  3-point goals--Dowling College 6-19 (Josh Lowe 2-5; John Merchant 2-4; David Seagers 1-4; Josh Malone 1-2; Damir Hamza 0-1; Sean Smith 0-3), Chestnut Hill College 13-29 (COOK, Ryan 7-10; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-7; JETER, Larz 2-5; WILLIAMS, Brandon 1-1; McFADDEN, Julian 1-6). Fouled out—Dowling College-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. Rebounds--Dowling College 36 (Mike Hill 7; Josh Lowe 7), Chestnut Hill College 34 (COOK, Ryan 10). Assists--Dowling College 18 (David Seagers 6), Chestnut Hill College 15 (ASHE, Francis 4; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 4). Total fouls--Dowling College 19, Chestnut Hill College 16. Technical fouls--Dowling College-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. A-151  McFadden Reaches 1,000-Point Milestone; Griffins Knock off Lakers at Doc Jacob’s Classic Colchester, VT – (11/21/2009) – With 42 seconds remaining in today’s contest, senior guard Julian McFadden (Philadelphia, Pa.) converted the second of two free throws to become the third men’s basketball ball player to pass 1,000 career points. McFadden scored 14, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out five assists leading Chestnut Hill College to a 76-68 win over Mercyhurst College. Two second-half runs helped the Griffins to a comeback-win over the Lakers on the final day of the Doc Jacob’s Classic, hosted by St. Michael’s College. Chestnut Hill College (2-2) trailed by four at halftime, 33-29, after narrowly tracking Mercyhurst College (2-1) through the opening period. The Lakers held a slim advantage through a majority of the half with their lead never exceeding six, 25-19 (5:33). They held that same advantage to the break and managed to increase it to nine points, 44-35, early in the second half (15:41). However momentum changed hands on a McFadden three-point basket which triggered the Griffins on a 14-0 run. Chestnut Hill College landed a 48-44 lead at 12:37 and Mercyhurst tied the affair, 52-52, over the next four minutes (8:19); however two free throws from sophomore guard Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md.) sparked another Griffin streak in the final three minutes. The Griffins hit enough of their free throws down the stretch to keep the Lakers at bay and they sealed the victory, 76-68.  Junior guard Heiden Ratner (Las Vegas, Nev.) anchored the Lakers effort with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. He was supported by senior forward Jordan Armstrong (Muncie, Ind.), senior guard Nnamdi Nnadili (Washington, DC), and junior guard Shelton Jackson (Chicago, Ill.). Armstrong provided 13 points and eight rebounds, while Nnadili and Jackson totaled 13 points and 12 points, respectively. Chestnut Hill College was led by freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) who dropped 20 points on the Lakers. DiRugeris was 6-of-16 (38.0%) from the floor, including five baskets from downtown. Several other Griffins pitched in the effort. Sophomore forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Cook headed the defense. Comas grabbed seven rebounds, while making two blocks and a steal. Cook added four steals and six rebounds to his 12-point night. Graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) contributed 13 points. McFadden’s 14 points brought his career-point total to 1,002, placing him third on the Griffins all-time scoring list. The men’s basketball team returns home to host Dowling College in a 3:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, November 28. CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 76, MERCYHURST COLLEGE 68 MERCYHURST COLLEGE (2-1) RATNER, Heiden 8-14 2-3 20; ARMSTRONG, Jordan 6-8 1-5 13; NNADILI, Nnamdi 4-8 2-2 13; JACKSON, Shelton 3-4 4-7 12; ENGELMANN, Elliot 2-5 2-2 6; WISE, Jeremiah 0-3 2-2 2; CORNELIUS, Christian 1-1 0-0 2; BRADFORD, Ryann 0-6 0-0 0; WILLIAMS, Ronnie 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-50 13-21 68. CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (2-2) DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 6-16 3-4 20; McFADDEN, Julian 4-12 3-4 14; JETER, Larz 5-10 2-2 13; COOK, Ryan 3-8 5-6 12; COMAS, Dan 2-4 3-6 7; ASHE, Francis 3-4 0-0 6; WILLIAMS, Brandon 0-2 2-2 2; RIVERS, Andre 1-4 0-0 2; HANDY, R.J. 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-61 18-24 76. Points by Half                                  1         2         F Mercyhurst College                            33       35     68 Chestnut Hill College                           29      47    76 3-point goals--Mercyhurst College 7-17 (NNADILI, Nnamdi 3-6; JACKSON, Shelton 2-2; RATNER, Heiden 2-5; WISE, Jeremiah 0-3; WILLIAMS, Ronnie 0-1), Chestnut Hill College 10-30 (DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 5-10; McFADDEN, Julian 3-9; COOK, Ryan 1-3; JETER, Larz 1-4; RIVERS, Andre 0-2; HANDY, R.J. 0-1; WILLIAMS, Brandon 0-1). Fouled out--Mercyhurst College-None, Chestnut Hill College-COMAS, Dan. Rebounds--Mercyhurst College 36 (ARMSTRONG, Jordan 8), Chestnut Hill College 35 (COMAS, Dan 7). Assists--Mercyhurst College 14 (RATNER, Heiden 4), Chestnut Hill College 16 (McFADDEN, Julian 5). Total fouls--Mercyhurst College 20, Chestnut Hill College 21. Technical fouls--Mercyhurst College-None, Chestnut Hill College-HANDY, R.J. . A-80. Final day, 2009 DoubleTree Doc Jacobs Classic hosted by Saint Michael's Col.  Purple Knights Top Griffins at Doc Jacob’s Classic Colchester, VT – (11/20/2009) – Taking full advantage of their home court, St. Michael’s College defeated Chestnut Hill College 81-53 on the opening day of the Doc Jacob’s Classic. The Griffins were able to stay within range of the Purple Knights thanks to the play of senior guard Julian McFadden (Philadelphia, Pa.); however, the Purple Knights extended an eight-point halftime lead into a 28-point win with a strong team shooting performance.  St. Michael’s College held a hot hand all night long, hitting 52.7% (29-of-55) from the floor. McFadden managed to keep the Griffins in the contest through the first half, as he dropped 11 of his 14 points in the opening period. In the second half, the Purple Knights quickly ran their 38-30 advantage to a 53-33 lead with 13:01 still remaining in the affair. The Purple Knights’ lead ballooned to as much as 32, 69-37, only to trim it back down to 21, 71-50, with 3:19 remaining. Freshman guard Travis Warech (Pine Brook, N.J.) ensured the victory with a 14-point second half. He led the Purple Knights with 21 points. Supporting Warech, sophomore guard Qua’ron Pinckney (Bronx, N.Y.) scored 12 points and made four steals while sophomore forward Tyler Schilling (Excelsior, Minn.) grinded out nine points and ten rebounds.  McFadden was 4-of-8 (50.0%) from the floor and got to the line for five more points, but it was not enough to keep Chestnut Hill College (1-2) on pace with the Purple Knights. With 14 points in the contest, McFadden sits a dozen points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career. Freshman guard Mike Perry Jr. (Mount Laurel, N.J.) helped with eight points off the bench and junior guard Brandon Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) highlighted the defensive effort with four steals.  The men’s basketball team will play Mercyhurst College at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, to conclude their competition at the Doc Jacob’s Classic.  SAINT MICHAEL'S COLLEGE 81, CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 53 CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (1-2) McFADDEN, Julian 4-8 5-6 14; PERRY, Mike Jr. 3-4 1-2 8; ASHE, Francis 3-7 0-2 6; COOK, Ryan 2-8 1-2 6; RIVERS, Andre 2-5 1-2 5; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-9 1-2 5; WILLIAMS, Brandon 2-7 0-0 5; JETER, Larz 1-3 0-0 2; COKER, Kwambina 0-2 1-2 1; COMAS, Dan 0-3 1-2 1; HARDY, Marcus 0-1 0-0 0; HANDY, R.J. 0-1 0-0 0; OLUWOLE, Christopher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-58 11-20 53.  SAINT MICHAEL'S COLLEGE (1-1) Travis Warech 8-15 3-3 21; Qua'ron Pinckney 4-6 2-2 12; Derek Knutty 3-4 4-5 10; Tyler Schilling 4-6 1-5 9; Seb. Brandstetter 4-5 1-1 9; Tom Ward 2-6 2-2 7; Chris Hurley 3-4 0-0 7; Nate Birr 0-2 3-4 3; Tom Piotrkiewicz 1-2 0-0 2; Sam Cieplicki 0-5 1-1 1; Garrett Calkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-55 17-23 81.  Points by Half                      1         2         F Chestnut Hill College              30       23        53 Saint Michael's College          38       43       81  3-point goals--Chestnut Hill Colleg 4-15 (PERRY, Mike Jr. 1-1; WILLIAMS, Brandon 1-3; McFADDEN, Julian 1-1; COOK, Ryan 1-4; JETER, Larz 0-1; HANDY, R.J. 0-1; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 0-4), Saint Michael's College 6-20 (Qua'ron Pinckney 2-3; Travis Warech 2-3; Chris Hurley 1-2; Tom Ward 1-5; Nate Birr 0-1; Tom Piotrkiewicz 0-1; Sam Cieplicki 0-5). Fouled out--Chestnut Hill Colleg-None, Saint Michael's College-None. Rebounds--Chestnut Hill Colleg 28 (COMAS, Dan 4; COOK, Ryan 4), Saint Michael's College 42 (Tyler Schilling 10). Assists--Chestnut Hill Colleg 7 (WILLIAMS, Brandon 2; COOK, Ryan 2; JETER, Larz 2), Saint Michael's College 19 (Chris Hurley 5; Qua'ron Pinckney 5). Total fouls--Chestnut Hill Colleg 23, Saint Michael's College 16. Technical fouls--Chestnut Hill Colleg-None, Saint Michael's College-None. A-396 Opening Day, 2009 DoubleTree Doc Jacobs Classic   Rams’ Second-Half Surge Overcomes Griffin Defense in CACC Opener  Philadelphia, PA – (11/18/2009) – A sloppy start gave way to a tough competition between two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rivals this evening, as Chestnut Hill College hosted Philadelphia University in their conference opener. The Griffins won the first-half battle in the post and owned a 25-21 halftime advantage, before the Rams responded with efficient second half shooting performance and a 62-51 victory.  Chestnut Hill College (1-1, 0-1) went scoreless and committed six turnovers in the first five minutes, but Philadelphia University (2-2, 1-0) was just as poor hitting only 8-of-28 (28.6%) from the floor and almost matching the Griffins in turnovers by halftime (10-9). Chestnut Hill College was suffocating defensively. Affecting the Rams’ shooting, the Griffins recorded five blocks and four steals en route to a 25-21 halftime lead.  Senior guard Russell Frederick (Baltimore, Md.) scored 23 points and teamed with senior guard Malcolm Ingram (Philadelphia, Pa.) to lead the Rams on a 24-7 second-half surge. Ingram had 12 second-half points and finished with 16, while Frederick recorded a 6-of-12 (50.0%) shooting percentage, including a 4-of-6 (66.7%) success rate from long range. Senior forward Mike Yocum (Dresher, Pa.) did the dirty work in the 41-point Ram second half and finished with 11 rebounds, Ingram grabbed nine.  Sophomore forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, Pa.) anchored the Griffins; grabbing 13 rebounds and dropping in 14 points he recorded his third career double-double. Graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) and freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) spirited the Griffin defense. DiRugeris provided 12 points, two blocks, and two steals with another strong shooting performance (4-of-9 FG, 2-of-4 3PT, 2-of-2 FT); while Jeter nabbed two steals and made one block. Junior guard Brandon Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 11 points.  The men’s basketball team heads to Colchester, Vermont for the Doc Jacob’s Classic at St. Michael’s College. The Griffins open with the hosts at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 18 and then face Mercyhurst College on the following afternoon at 1:00 p.m.  PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY 62, CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 51 PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY (2-2, 1-0 CACC) FREDERICK, Russell 6-12 7-11 23; INGRAM, Malcolm 4-11 8-9 16; YOCUM, Mike 1-3 4-6 6; LEMON, Marcus 2-6 2-2 6; FRANCISCO, Corey 3-3 0-2 6; DiRUGERIS, Ed 2-5 1-2 5; CONNOLLY, Jim 0-1 0-0 0; GUNDRY, J.J. 0-1 0-0 0; MCFADDEN, Ishmawiyl 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-43 22-32 62.  CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (1-1, 0-1 CACC) COMAS, Dan 7-12 0-0 14; DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 4-9 2-2 12; WILLIAMS, Brandon 5-15 0-3 11; COOK, Ryan 3-9 0-0 6; McFADDEN, Julian 1-5 3-4 6; JETER, Larz 1-5 0-0 2; HANDY, R.J. 0-0 0-0 0; RIVERS, Andre 0-0 0-1 0; ASHE, Francis 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 21-60 5-10 51.   Points by Half                      1         2         F Philadelphia University        21     41     62 Chestnut Hill College           25     26     51   3-point goals--Philadelphia Univers 4-10 (FREDERICK, Russell 4-6; LEMON, Marcus 0-1; DiRUGERIS, Ed 0-2; CONNOLLY, Jim 0-1), Chestnut Hill Colleg 4-16 (DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 2-4; WILLIAMS, Brandon 1-6; McFADDEN, Julian 1-3; COOK, Ryan 0-3). Fouled out--Philadelphia Univers-None, Chestnut Hill Colleg-None. Rebounds--Philadelphia Univers 39 (YOCUM, Mike 11), Chestnut Hill Colleg 32 (COMAS, Dan 13). Assists--Philadelphia Univers 8 (YOCUM, Mike 4), Chestnut Hill Colleg 13 (COOK, Ryan 4). Total fouls--Philadelphia Univers 13, Chestnut Hill Colleg 24. Technical fouls--Philadelphia Univers-None, Chestnut Hill Colleg-None. A-244   Men’s Basketball Opens Season With 15-point Win Over Huskies Philadelphia, PA – (11/16/2009) – Opening at home for the first time in program history, the Chestnut Hill College men’s basketball team enjoyed the home court advantage to a 68-53 triumph over Bloomsburg University. The Griffins gained a 35-30 halftime lead with a 14-point opening half from freshman guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.). Graduate forward Larz Jeter (Philadelphia, Pa.) was a constant presence and with his first career double-double he led the Griffins past a tough Husky defense to victory.  Chestnut Hill College (1-0) built on the efforts of DiRugeris in the second half, extending a 35-30 lead into a 14-point advantage, 55-41, with 10:07 remaining. Bloomsburg University (0-1) shaved the deficit to ten points on a couple of occasions (6:36 and 4:46) off the impressive defense of sophomore forward Larry Webster (Elkton, Md.). He swatted nine shots and freshman forward Ed Hall (Spencerville, Md.) denied three more. They also led the Huskies offensively, but junior guard Brandon Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Jeter governed the Griffins over lengthy Huskie defense to an opening win. Senior guard Greg Elliott (White Rock, BC) helped the Huskies keep pace through the opening half. He finished the contest with nine points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Webster was a force in the paint for the Huskies. He nearly completed a triple-double, but fell one block shy of the accomplishment (12P-11RB-9BLK). The Huskies held a narrow shooting advantage over the Griffins (34.4% - 33.3%), but it was the long-rang accuracy of Chestnut Hill College that carried them. The Griffins hit 8-of-19 (42.1%) from beyond the arc in the opening half. DiRugeris was 4-of-7 (57.1%), and inspired the Griffins to a five-point halftime lead. He led the Griffins in his collegiate debut, scoring 18 points and harnessing eight second-half rebounds. Jeter helped DiRugeris in the opening half with seven points, eight rebounds, and two steals. Only to follow it with nine points, three rebounds, and three steals in the second half for renaissance-like 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five steals. Williams and senior guard Julian McFadden (Philadelphia, Pa.) were aggressive all night long and each reached double-digits. Williams finished with 14 points and led the team with five assists; McFadden complimented with 12 points. The men’s basketball team will open their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) on Wednesday, November 18, with a 8:00 p.m. contest against Philadelphia University. CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE 68, BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY 53 BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY (0-1) HALL, Ed 5-9 3-8 13; WEBSTER, Larry 6-10 0-1 12; ELLIOTT, Greg 3-9 2-3 9; BETAR, Jesse 2-7 2-3 7; BRITT, Ruben 3-9 0-0 6; SMACK, Jamar 1-5 2-2 4; JOHNSON, Trevon 1-7 0-0 2; KNIGHT, Earl 0-4 0-0 0; EPPS, Trenton 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 21-61 9-19 53. CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE (1-0) DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 4-10 6-6 18; JETER, Larz 7-12 0-1 16; WILLIAMS, Brandon 3-11 6-7 14; McFADDEN, Julian 2-7 6-9 12; COMAS, Dan 2-5 1-1 5; COOK, Ryan 1-9 1-2 3; PERRY, Mike Jr. 0-0 0-0 0; RIVERS, Andre 0-2 0-0 0; ASHE, Francis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-57 20-26 68. Points by Half                                  1         2         F Bloomsburg University                     30       23       53 Chestnut Hill College                        35       33       68 3-point goals--Bloomsburg University 2-18 (BETAR, Jesse 1-3; ELLIOTT, Greg 1-6; BRITT, Ruben 0-3; SMACK, Jamar 0-3; JOHNSON, Trevon 0-3), Chestnut Hill College 10-28 (DiRUGERIS, Mark Jr. 4-8; McFADDEN, Julian 2-7; WILLIAMS, Brandon 2-9; JETER, Larz 2-2; COOK, Ryan 0-2). Fouled out—Bloomsburg University-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. Rebounds--Bloomsburg University 44 (WEBSTER, Larry 11), Chestnut Hill College 43 (JETER, Larz 11). Assists--Bloomsburg University 12 (ELLIOTT, Greg 3), Chestnut Hill College 13 (WILLIAMS, Brandon 5). Total fouls--Bloomsburg University 17, Chestnut Hill College 19. Technical fouls--Bloomsburg University-None, Chestnut Hill College-None. A-399

Posted 9:31 AM, 12.10.09 | Permalink