Raul Rallies Garnet on Senior Day
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Garnet men's basketball team continues to ruin the playoff dreams of Conference opponents, using a stout defensive effort to edge visiting Washington College, 48-47, Wednesday night in Tarble Pavilion during Centennial conference men's basketball action.
Swarthmore won its second consecutive game, improving to 3-20 overall and 2-15 in the Centennial while the Shoremen slip to 11-13 overall and 8-9 in the Conference.
Garnet senior Raul Ordonez (Miami, Fla. / Belen Jesuit) led all players with 14 points and nine rebounds following a pre-game ceremony honoring the Swarthmore senior in his final home game. Ordonez was sharp the entire night, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the free-throw line. The senior pivot also drew two charges on the night, tying the program record of 22 posted by Matt Turner ’10 in 2006-07.
When Swarthmore and Washington hit the court together lately, there is no shortage of drama. Wednesday night proved no different, becoming the 11th meeting in the last 18 to be decided by six points or less.
Swarthmore appeared to still have momentum left over from Saturday’s upset win over Gettysburg, jumping out to a nine-point lead, 19-10, after a lay-in by Ordonez. The cold-shooting Shoremen (8-for 30 in the first 20 minutes) found the offensive touch in time to reel off a 10-2 run in the final four minutes to close within one, 23-22, at half.
The Garnet would creep out to a six-point lead mid-way through the second half following a bucket by Ordonez at 11:02. Washington guard Tim Kohlrus put together five points four minutes later, giving the visitors their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.
Garnet junior forward Danny Walker (Westbury, N.Y. / Westbury) made two of three attempts from the charity stripe with under seven minutes to play, putting Swarthmore ahead by one, 37-36. After a Washington miss, sophomore wing Ryan Carmichael (Portland, Maine / Portland) knocked down a turn around jumper.
Washington guard Andrew Chambers tied the game on the next possession with an old-fashioned three-point play. Ordonez spun in the paint on the next Swarthmore trip and ignited the Swarthmore crowd with a smooth lay-in for the two-lead.
The teams exchanged empty trips at the free-throw line and the Garnet maintained the three-point lead. After a Garnet turnover, Green hit a leaner to get the visitors with one, 42-41, with 2:21 to play.
Garnet junior Matt Allen (Seattle, Wash. / Lakeside) responded with a step-back jumper of his own and Walker blocked a drive by Kohlrus. Walker would hit one free-throw for a four-point Garnet lead on the next trip up the floor with a minute on the clock.
Kohlrus missed the front end of a one-and-one and Ordonez snatched the rebound, forcing Washington to foul. The senior’s first attempt was off, but the next Shoremen jumper was off the mark. This time it as Allen at the line and he hit one of two to give the Garnet a five-point cushion with 29 seconds left.
Kohlrus darted up the floor after rebounding Allen’s miss on the second attempt and needed just three dribbles to get to the three-point line. His long-distance jumper found the bottom of the net and the Shoremen were down, 46-44, with 22 second left.
The teams called four timeouts as just three ticks fell of the clock with Swarthmore trying to inbound the ball against the Shoremen full-court defense. Finally, the Garnet got the ball in Allen’s hands with eight seconds left and two successful free-throws put the decision out of reach of Washington’s final dagger: a triple by Alan Kines from the corner as the final buzzer sounded.
Allen joined Ordonez in double figures with 12 points with three assists.
Green led Washington with 12 points and Chambers added 11 points.
The Garnet conclude the 2008-09 season this Saturday at 4:00 p.m.. Swarthmore travels to bitter rival Haverford for a Centennial doubleheader set to begin with the women’s contest at 2:00 p.m.
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