Williamstown, MASS.— It didn't look good for Williams at the half. The Ephs were down 40-22 after some serious struggles on the offensive end. However, a totally different Williams team came out of the locker room — one with a renewed defensive drive and offensive intensity. Play by play, Williams chipped away at Emmanuel's lead, finally tying up the game with eight minutes left in the second half.
The Saints weren't ready to give up, and put up big shots to keep pace with the Ephs. With seven lead changes to close out the game, competition was intense to the very last minute. Holding a one point lead and with one minute to play, the Ephs suffered a disastrous turnover and the Saints sprinted down the floor. While their layup attempt was no good, a trailing Saint grabbed the board and dunked it to take the lead, 67-66.
The Ephs needed offense more than ever, and it was the seniors Cole Prowitt-Smith and Nate Karren who would make it happen. Driving middle, Prowitt-Smith dished the ball to Karren, who rose up and drilled a three with just thirty seconds left to play. Tough defense and clutch free throws from Alex Lee allowed Williams to close out the game, 71-67.
Cole Prowitt-Smith led all scorers with 23 points, which is a season high for the senior. "Nate and I connecting for a couple of our plays to close out the game, that was awesome to see," said Prowitt-Smith after the game. On his and the team's composure, he added: "Being a senior I've been in these positions. We've had multiple games where we've had to come back from behind. I think just staying composed, and letting the game come to us, but staying aggressive is really important. We just needed to keep that energy and see what we could do. Luckily our shots fell and guys made big plays on both ends — that's all we needed."
Eph head coach Kevin App added the following on the team's seniors stepping up tonight: "I think the seniors that have played a lot really take it on themselves sometimes, and what they learn is that if you don't try to do it all yourself, you end up playing more in your wheelhouse. I think Brandon Arnold for the third time in seven games has been our MVP, based on the energy and spark he's playing with, the intensity he's bringing." App added, "The team and the coaching staff were pretty hard on Cole and Nate at halftime, and I'm really proud of them for responding."
Moving back to the first half, it seemed like things were starting off well enough. Prowitt-Smith was the first to score, rejecting a ball screen and spinning into the lane for two. He drained a three from the corner on the very next play. Buckets from Brandon Roughley and Evan Glatzer would put the Ephs up 9-4.
In fact, it looked like the Ephs were in the dominant position through these first minutes. Williams' buckets came from open looks while many of Emmanuel's points were scored on heavily contested shots. The teams stayed about even through the first six minutes of play.
The difference through the rest of the half was penetration into the lane. The Saints' Noah Beaudet started off the attack, picking up a Williams turnover and finishing on the fast break. He would pour in six more with back-to-back threes, and suddenly Williams found themselves down 23 - 16.
Williams seemed disheartened, only adding six more points to finish the half while Emmanuel added seventeen on efficient shooting. Drives and kick outs were the Saints' bread and butter during these minutes, and they tore up the Ephs' defense going into the break.
It really was defense that turned things around for the Ephs. While Williams shot 36% to Emmanuel's 53.6% in the first half, the numbers were more than flipped in the second. The Ephs got stop after stop, keeping the Saints at 32% shooting while climbing to 68.2% for their own shots, generating offense on the fast break and from ball movement.
"We had way too many one, zero pass possessions in the first half," said coach App after the game. "We've been trying to just kind of hammer home the point that shots go in more when the ball is moving, the ball's coming inside and out, and you're shooting them in rhythm." Of the second half, App said: "That was the togetherness, spacing, and ball movement that we're trying to get to."
On what allowed the Ephs to turn it around, Cole Prowitt-Smith said: "I think it's a belief in ourselves. This season we've come out a little slow. We haven't been shooting it the way we expected and know we're capable of. The mentality has just been: possession after possession, give it our best, lean on each other, and keep being confident."
Prowitt-Smith also complemented the Saints on their fight: "They came out firing, so you have to tip your hat to them and trust the process, keep playing good defense. I think our energy shifted, we started getting better shots, and we were playing team basketball — everyone in that game had a huge moment. That's where really big wins come from. It was so exciting to see that."
The Ephs will play their first Little Three contest at Wesleyan this Saturday, at 4:30pm in Middletown, Conn.
