Quakers Shoot Past Garnet
Sophomores Ian McCormick and Steve Wolf combined for 45 points as the Swarthmore's men's basketball team fell to Earlham (IN), 85-65 in the season opener for both teams at the annual Equinox Classic on Friday night in Tarble Pavilion.
The Garnet (0-1) got off to a strong start on the defensive end and built a small lead in the early going. Wolf contributed much of the early offense on his way to 11 first-half points. But Earlham (1-0) eventually took control, increasing the pace of the game and hitting shots from all over the court. The Quakers finished the half with 17 field goals in 30 chances, good for a 56.7 FG%, including five of nine from beyond the arc.
Swarthmore took a 20-17 lead on a Matt Kurman '08 three-pointer, but the Quakers went on a 10-0 run to take the lead for good. Strong offensive rebounding (10 in the half, including three by Raul Ordonez '09) kept Swarthmore in the game, but the visitors still led 42-31 at the midway point.
The Quakers quickly extended their lead with an 8-2 to start the second half. McCormick did his best to keep his team in the game, scoring on two straight possessions before picking up a steal and feeding Wolf for a layup. Swarthmore would get within 12 points several times but the Quakers kept coming up with big buckets to maintain their lead. Nick Welsh was a force on the defensive end, blocking four Garnet shots.
Wolf, McCormick, and Kurman (14 points) continued to provide nearly all of the offense; for the game, the trio combined for all but six of the team's points. McCormick finished with 17 second-half points, including a pair of three-pointers. Wolf added nine points in the second half, giving him 20 for the game. He also grabbed 12 rebounds for his first career double-double. Kurman led the squad with five assists.
In the end, Earlham's shooting was too much. The visitors shot 63.3% in the second half and 60% for the game and hit 9 of 16 three-pointers. Tyler Stewart and Markous Jewett led four Quakers in double figures with 17 points apiece.
Haverford defeated Ohio Wesleyan, 78-66 in the first game. Jason Polykoff led the Fords (1-0) with 19 points and four assists, while guard John Elefterakis added 16 points. Mike Frantangelo had a strong showing for Haverford, contributing 13 points, a team-high eight rebounds, and three swipes. The Battling Bishops (0-1) got a team-high 16 points, to go along with nine boards, from Ben Chojnacki.
The Equinox Classic moves to the Haverford College campus tomorrow afternoon, with the Fords hosting Earlham at 1:00 p.m. and Swarthmore facing Ohio Wesleyan at 3:00 p.m. to close out the tournament. It will mark the first men's basketball game in the brand-new Calvin J. Gooding '84 Arena.