Author: Emily Phillips|Michael Smith
Well into the 2009-10 season and tied for second place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), the men’s basketball team has proven it has what it takes to dominate on both ends of the court.
The Tigers hold a conference record of 5-2 (13-5 overall), and after an exciting 64-56 victory over Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday, are currently tied for third place with the Sagehens. With seasoned co-captains Sean Anderson (senior) and Huston Conti (senior) – as well as fresh faces Eric Leider (first-year) and Deshun ‘Peanut’ McCoy (first-year) -the Tigers expect to stay at the top of SCIAC throughout the remaining season.
Anderson and Conti are both offensive and defensive powers for the Tiger squad and have been a large part of the team’s success this season. Anderson, a 6′ 10″ forward, averages 11 points per game, and leads the team overall in rebounds, with 146 (43 offensive, 103 defensive) this season.
Conti leads the team in points per game, with an average of 15.7, and in steals with 25 so far this season. He was awarded SCIAC Athlete of the Week on Jan. 13 after posting his game-high 22 points and six assists against Emerson College on Jan. 4, and recording 14 points and 11 rebounds in the SCIAC opener on Jan. 9 to beat the Whittier College Poets, 71-57.
Conti is firmly focused on the team’s goal of reaching the SCIAC tournament, after they were unable to secure a spot in post-season play last season. “I know that I am speaking for everyone when I say that our goal this season is to get back that SCIAC championship that was lost last year,” Conti said. “Also, to get a bid into the NCAA tournament. Once we get there we will take care of business. The sky is the limit for us this year.”
The squad’s seniors have also provided leadership off the court by organizing social events and bonding activities for the team over the long winter break.
“I attribute [our success] to talent and good chemistry that is progressively getting better,” Sam ‘The Kid’ Stapleton (first-year) said.” The seniors have made it so easy and enjoyable for the freshman like me to fit in, so it would be great to send them out in style, with the first thing being winning SCIAC.”
Some of their highlights from the break were watching endless DVDs, going to BJ’s Restaurant and seeing “Avatar” together. “There is great camaraderie and we all get along and enjoy hanging out with each other,” Peter Gierlach (senior) said.
However, not only the seniors are leading the way to victory for the Tigers. This year’s team’s uniqueness comes from the strength and skill of its youngest players, two of whom start each game. McCoy, a Los Angeles native, is an offensive threat for the Tigers, scoring an average of 13.7 points per game. He is ranked tenth in SCIAC for scoring – just ahead of teammate Jack Hanley (sophomore) – and fourth for rebounding.
In the fall, McCoy told Oxy to “look out for Leider.” He was absolutely right. Leider, the team’s guard, averages 26.7 minutes, with 10.4 points per game. He is currently ranked second in SCIAC for assists. He is also a defensive power for the Tigers, with 55 defensive rebounds and 23 steals.
Whether the men’s basketball team can keep its SCIAC championship hopes alive remains to be seen in the upcoming round of conference match-ups. The first of these match-ups will be against Whittier College tonight at 7:30 p.m. Soon after is the much anticipated rematch against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday, Feb. 6, as Oxy has only beaten the team on CMS territory once in the last five years.
David Ostrow (senior) is confident that the Tigers will triumph. “We have been more skilled and more precise than the other teams that we have played,” he said. “If we play up to our full capabilities we will beat every team in SCIAC.”
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