After three big games, each against strong opponents, the Jeffs came out with a winning record, despite their heart breaking triple-overtime loss to Clark University on Thursday.
On Tuesday night, the Jeffs opened their season with an 83-76 win on the road against Massachusetts College. Although the Jeffs led by six points at the halftime buzzer, the second half was a close battle between the two schools for the lead.
Mass. College posted a 32-21 run at the opening of the second half, putting the hosts on top.
The Jeffs were down by five points with under eight minutes remaining, but Steve Zieja '03 hit two crucial three-pointers to put the Jeffs back in the lead.
One of the deciding factors in the game was the difference in free throw percentage between the two teams. The Jeffs scored more than twice as many points from the charity stripe as Mass College did, with Zieja and Tri-captain Brian Daoust '01 combining for an impressive 13-for-15 on their free throw attempts.
Zieja led the Jeffs with 25 points on eight for 13 shooting from the floor.
Free throws were equally critical in Thursday night's game against a stronger Clark team. Unfortunately, however, the Jeffs did not have quite the same success that they had against Mass. College.
In the second half of the Clark game, the team was barely over 50 percent from the free-throw line, and, though the percentage increased to 61 percent in the overtime periods, the missed free throws hurt the Jeffs' drive towards victory.
Clark also gave Amherst problems from the outside and on the run. In the second half, the visiting Cougar squad sank five three-pointers and shot nearly 60 percent from the field.
With under two seconds left in regulation, Clark guard Sean Fleming hit a desperation three-pointer to tie the game and send it into overtime.
The drama continued in the first overtime as the Jeffs were behind by three with under 10 seconds remaining. Daoust drove down the court and hit an off-balance three-pointer to tie the game and send it into yet another overtime period.
In the second overtime the Jeffs were trailing by two in the waning seconds, and again they were able to extend the game. Zieja drove down the lane and banked in a jump shot, getting fouled in the process. He missed the foul shot, and the Cougars were unable to hit a half-court shot at the buzzer, so the two weary teams went to a third overtime period.
When Daoust fouled out 18 seconds before the close of the second overtime, Amherst had problems filling the empty spot. Forward Chris Keane '02 commented, "[Daoust] was having such a great game that we probably relied on him too much, making the last overtime more challenging."
In the third overtime Clark finally pulled away. The Jeffs were forced to foul the Clark shooters, and they hit their foul shots. The Jeffs ended up on the wrong side of a 118-111 score.
Daoust had an incredible shooting game, making nine for 12 from three-point land, and shooting 64 percent overall from the field. Finishing the game with a career-high 39 points, Daoust was clearly the go-to man for the Jeffs against the Cougar defense.
There were, however, many other players on the team who had outstanding games. Zieja posted another solid effort, adding 22 points and 16 rebounds to the Jeff offensive attack, while Keane and Pat Fitzsimons '03 together pulled down another 14 rebounds. Point guard Ryan Faulkner '03 led the team with 12 assists, one away from the 10-year-old school assist record.
In the end, through each overtime period, the game went back and forth with every shot.
After the tough loss, the Jeffs recovered in their away win against Vassar College. In another very close game, which could have gone either way in the final minutes, Amherst pulled out a win.
Zieja again was a hero for the Jeffs as he scored the game-winning basket on a running one-handed shot with one minute remaining.
Vassar had tied the game at 61 on a basket by forward David Roy, but they were unable to hit key free throws down the stretch that would have tied the game.
Tri-captain Erik Kelly '01 secured the game with a steal in the waning seconds, and he was fouled in the process. He hit one of two free throws and the Jeffs left Vassar with a 64-62 win.
"The team stuck with it through the whole game and really had to fight in the second half to come out with a win," said Kelly.
The Jeffs played excellent ball under the basket at the center and forward spots with standout big men Zieja, Tri-captain Abe Sexson '01, and Keane. Zieja was the team's high scorer for the second time in three games, leading with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Sexson was five-for-five from the floor.
The Jeffs play their next game on Dec. 7 against Babson College. The Beavers are a non-conference opponent, and they should provide a challenge for the Jeffs. Last year the Jeffs blew out the Beavers in LeFrak Gym, 86-65, but this year the Jeffs must travel to Babson, and a closer game should be expected.
After the matchup with Babson, the Amherst men play two more games before the winter break. On Saturday, the Jeffs play host to Westfield State College, and the following tuesday they travel to Worcester State College.
Over the break the men's schedule is highlighted by two games against Williams College and one against Wesleyan University. With the Little III's and NESCAC standings on the line in these games, tough battles can be expected.