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KEENE, NH--First-year Eph Head Coach Mike Maker's debut Saturday
was a successful one, as the Williams men's basketball team (1-0)
won their season opener 81-70 over the Owls of Keene State College
(0-1). The Ephs had 4 players score in double digits while
holding the host Owls to just 36% shooting. The Ephs also
dominated on the free throw line, going 29 of 36 for 81% from the
charity stripe.
Saturday's game marked the first time since the 2000-2001 season
that a coach other than Dave Paulsen patrolled the Eph sidelines.
Paulsen, who left Williams at the end of last year to take
the head coaching job at Division I Bucknell, had a 7-year run with
the Ephs that included such highlights as the Ephs' first Division
III national title in basketball in 2002 and national runner-up in
2003.
After a national search was conducted, the 20 years coaching
veteran (17 at the Division I level) Maker was introduced in June
as Paulsen's replacement. The new face of Williams basketball
liked what he saw during the team's training trip in Italy over the
summer, and he was likewise pleased on Saturday.
"This team has great chemistry," said Maker, "and my coaching
staff and I are really enjoying the opportunity to work with a
group of guys that are willing to put the team before the
individual."
Senior co-captain Kevin Snyder led the Ephs in scoring with 24
points on 6 of 9 from the field and 10 of 15 from the free throw
line. The three other Ephs tallying double digit points
included juniors Blake Schultz (17 points), Joe Geoghegan (13
points), and Ethan Timmins-Schiffman who added 11 points in 22
minutes coming off the bench. Geoghegan also pulled down 11
rebounds to lead the Ephs, and senior Grant Meyer added 8 rebounds
as Williams dominated the Owls on the glass, 51 to 35.
In spite of his team's offensive gusto, Maker cited the Eph's
defense as a key to victory.
"Our defense was very good tonight," added Maker, "we took four
charges which was great, but it was really the collective effort as
a group that forced them to take a lot of tough shots, and as a
result they shot a pretty low percentage from the floor."
D3hoops.com preseason All-American Tyler Kathan was tops in
scoring for the Owls with 20 points. The senior forward was
also the Owls top rebounder with 8 and went 7 of 18 from the field
while going a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line.
However, the career-high 12 points from junior guard
Brian O'Leary marked the only other Owl player to score in double
figures, as the Ephs' size and length on defense frustrated a young
Keene team.
Despite not scoring for the first 4:39 of the game, Williams
took its biggest lead of the half by the 7:26 mark on a jumper from
Snyder, and went into the locker room up 37-28 on a
Timmins-Schiffman bucket. At two separate occasions in the
second half the Ephs were able to push their lead up to as many as
17 points. The Owls made a final push late in the second half
with a steal by freshman Cody Snow and a hoop to cut the lead to 7
with just over two minutes to go, but that would be as close as it
got as the Ephs hung on to win it 81-70.
Overall, Maker was pleased with his team's ability to adapt to a
new system.
"Anytime a new coach comes in it's going to be an adjustment for
the players as well as the coach's," noted Maker, "but we feel very
fortunate to have a team full of players that are embracing our
philosophy and that are very receptive to coaching, and I
anticipate we'll continue to make great improvements over the next
few weeks."
The Ephs play their home-opener vs. Southern Vermont in the
first round of the Williams Invitational on Friday. Game time
is set for 8:00 pm.
