Dec. 9, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The #18 Johns Hopkins men's basketball team remained unbeaten on the season with a 76-60 win over Dickinson Saturday in Centennial Conference action. The Blue Jays move to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference, while the Red Devils fall to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the conference. Seniors Danny Nawrocki (Syosset, NY/Chaminade), T.J. Valerio (Blue Bell, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) and Matt Griffin (Glen Mills, PA/Penncrest) all scored in double figures for the Blue Jays.

Nawrocki scored the opening bucket on a layup and the Blue Jays never trailed. Hopkins pushed out to a 10-point lead early. A jumper by Timothy Crouch cut it to an eight-point deficit before the Blue Jays went on an 11-2 run, pushing it to 26-9. The Red Devils then began chipping away at the Blue Jays lead. Dickinson reeled off a 17-4 run fueled by three three-pointers by Tom Leszczynski and Cory Kenny. With just over six minutes to play in the half, Hopkins held just a four-point lead at 30-26.

The Blue Jays responded with a run of their own, outscoring the Red Devils 12-3 over the next five minutes. Nawrocki led the charge with eight points, one board and two blocks. Dickinson closed the half on a six-point run, clinched by a running three-pointer by Kizmahr Grell at the buzzer to make it 42-36 at the half.

Once again, Hopkins came out of the break firing on all cylinders. Junior Doug Polster (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards) got things going in the second. Fouled on a three-point attempt, he stepped to the line and sank all three free throw attempts. Nawrocki added two the next trip down the floor, followed by a Polster three-pointer and it was a 12-point game. Griffin then scored Hopkins next eight points, sandwiched around buckets by Mike Geosits and Kenny. Hopkins led 58-46 after a layup by Kenny with 10:34 to go and the Red Devils never got closer.

Nawrocki finished with his seventh double-double of the season, punching up 18 points and grabbing 11 boards. Valerio added 15 with two assists and a steal. Griffin scored 12, while shooting 5-of-6 from the floor. Hopkins shot 59.2% from the floor in the game, including 61.5% in the first half. For Dickinson, Kenny finished with 18 points, Geosits had 15 and Leszczynski had 10. The Blue Jays held the Red Devils to just 36.5% shooting from the floor.

The Blue Jays, who are off to their best start since the 1991-92 season, are off until December 29 when they travel west for the Tom Byron Classic in Santa Barbara, CA. Hopkins will face #13 Mississippi College in the opening game at 5:30 pm. Host Westmont College will face Thomas More (KY) at 7:30 pm.