Brewers Pour Past Garnet in Season Opener
HAVERFORD, Pa. -- Garnet freshman guard Michael Giannangeli scored a team-high 12 points in his collegiate debut as pesky Swarthmore men's basketball team dropped a 67-57 decision to Vassar in first-day action at the Equinox Classic Friday night.
The Garnet (0-1) annually co-host the season-opening event with rival Haverford; Friday night’s action took place at the Gooding Arena on Haverford’s campus before moving to Swarthmore two games in Tarble Pavilion.
The Brewers (3-0) had an advantage coming into the night, having posted wins over Southern Vermont and Drew already this season. As much was evident in the hot shooting (48 % from the field and 61% from beyond the arc), yet an active Swarthmore defense can take solace in its 25 forced turnovers. Vassar guard Brian Butterworth was not bothered by the new three-point line (moved back one foot this season), scoring a game-high 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc.
Friday night’s affair served as a debut for the new-look Garnet who graduated five seniors from last year’s squad. Giannangeli (Potomac, Md. / Winston Churchill) led a trio of Swarthmore first-years, hitting on five of his 14 shot attempts while grabbing five rebounds.
Swarthmore junior forward Danny Walker (Westbury, N.Y. / Westbury) also found himself spread across the stat sheet, tallying 11 points to go along with team-highs in rebound (eight) and assists (four).
Swarthmore makes its 2008-09 home debut on Saturday afternoon in the second set of Equinox games. The Garnet will take on Oglethorpe (Ga.), a 69-67 winner over Haverford Friday night, at 3:00 p.m. in Tarble Pavilion.
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