FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE -- December 28, 2006
CONTACT: Glyn Turner 585,567,9648
Men's Basketball Battles
Azusa To The End Losing,
99-80
Box Score
Azusa, CA-
No one expected the Highlanders to give the #3 NAIA Div 1. ranked
Azusa Pacific Cougars trouble at home causing a nail-biter with the score level
68-68 with 10 minutes to go.
For
30 minutes the Houghton Highlanders kept toe to toe with the Cougars who boast
four NCAA Div. 1 basketball transfers. The Highlander's entered the game with
the 12th best defense in the NAIA for Div. 2 which gave the Cougars some
unexpected offensive problems early on. With 18 lead changes during the game the
Highlanders found their lost offensive flare from last season shooting 52% from
the floor and 52% from behind the 3pt line tonight.
The
Highlanders were down 4-0 (18:37) before
Tyler Mutton
(So. Brockport, NY) scored 7 of his 14 points with back to back lay-ups and
nailing a three pointer to give the Highlanders a three point lead 7-10 (15:35).
The score went back and forth until the Highlanders extended their lead to
four points, 14-18 (12:15) off a three
pointer from point guard Anthony Haughton
(Sr. St. Catherines, ON). The Highlanders lost the lead as the Cougars
edged out five points, 19-18 (11:15) off a lay-up and some free throws.
Production off the bench was important for the Highlanders as
Rimgaudas Valaitis (Jr. Silute, Lithuania)
knocked down 3-three pointer's for 9 of his 11 points to re-take the lead back
giving Houghton another 4 point lead 36-40 with (2:12) left in the first half.
Azusa answered with an 8-2 run to end the half leaving the Highlanders down
44-42 at half time.
The
second half started out slowly for the Highlanders allowing the Cougars to
extend their lead to as much as 10 points, 62-52 with (14:33) in the half. The
Highlanders struck back with a 16-6 run of their own, off the hard work from
Allen Goodman (Sr. Citra, FL) scoring five of
his ten points off a three pointer and lay up and
Ahmed Abdelhamid (Fr, Auckland, New Zealand)
taking the ball strong to the basket hitting two
quick shots and two critical free throws for 6 of his 8 points leveling the
score at 68-68 (10:22).
The momentum swung back to the Cougars as the
Highlanders got into foul trouble late with two Highlanders Goodman and Axnick
fouling out for the game. The Cougars took advantage and extended their lead to
19 points to close out the game for the 99-80 victory.
"We played beyond ourselves tonight, I am
proud of our teams toughness and attitude for playing so hard... we fought to be
in this game and it showed," said Head Coach Brad Zarges.
The
Highlanders spread the scoring across the board tonight, with three players
getting into double digit's.
Tyler Mutton (So. Brockport,
NY) scored a game high 14 points,
Rimgaudas Valaitis (Jr. Silute, Lithuania) had
a season high 11 points and Allen Goodman (Sr.
Citra, FL) had ten points.
Ahmed Abdelhamid (Fr, Auckland, New Zealand)
also had 8 points and led with a game high 6
rebounds.
The Highlanders overall record moves to 4-4
for the 2006-07 season. Their next game in California is against #15 NAIA Div 2
ranked St. Francis (IN) on the 30th of December at Azusa Pacific at 5:00 pm.
Houghton College
has deep
and
solid
roots in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, where our
teams use their commitment to excellence, both on the field-of-play
and
in the classroom, as a platform for their strong and
unique emphasis on Sports Ministry. Their goal is to make a difference
for the Kingdom
on campus, in Allegany County,
in the Northeast and
around
the world.
Houghton is one of only 13 institutions who have been hand-selected
by the NAIA to serve as "Champions of Character" Program Centers, opening the door
for Houghton to be a leader,
both in the Northeast and
nationally, in character education.
Through hands-on,
innovative community outreach initiatives, Houghton coaches and
student-athletes
are working together to change the culture of sport and
to change our culture through sport.
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