So Far, So Good

By Leo D. Rommel

Sure there have been some exceptionally close calls – such as a game-winning lay-up with five seconds to go in one contest and a miraculous game-tying three-point heave at the end of another – but, surprise, surprise: the team that couldn’t beat mediocre NJIT two weeks ago has suddenly shot down four well-known programs all in a row.

In spite of a 67-66 defeat last night to visiting Monmouth (3-5 overall), the Broncs (4-2 overall) have in two weeks compiled half the number of wins that they had all of last season.

“We’re a very talented group but we’re a work in progress,” said Head Coach Tommy Dempsey. “We are still learning how to win and we’ve been able to do so by winning some close games against some very good teams.”

The exhilarating winning spree began on Nov. 18, at Boston University (2-4 overall).

Sophomore guard Harris Mansell compiled a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds – and made four foul shots in the final 44 seconds of the game – to lead the Broncs to a somewhat startling 66-60 win over the Terriers. The game remained largely undecided until Mansell, with Rider trailing 54-51, made a three-point field goal to even the score. His shot, in due course, would lead to a 9-0 run that gave Rider a 60-54 lead with 57 seconds to go.

That victory broke an eight-game losing streak dating back to Feb. 5, and a six-game away losing streak.

“The game was tight all the way through,” said junior guard and team captain Kevin Hickman. “But at the end, we were able to get some key stops which allowed us to pull away for good.”

Particularly satisfying for Hickman was Rider’s next win in his hometown of Newark, Del., where the Broncs easily out-hustled and out-muscled the hometown Blue Hens, 77-67.

Junior Jason Thompson led Rider with 27 points, plus nine rebounds, and Mansell again played magnificently, tallying 19 points.

Down by 15, Delaware (0-5 overall) went on a 10-2 scoring run to cut the lead to 71-64 with just 1:19 to play, but the Broncs withstood the last-minute charge by making six of eight foul shots in the final 1:06 to preserve the win.

“That was another big win for us on the road,” said Mansell. “That is usually a sign of a good team, winning on the road. They don’t want to lose at home in front of their own fans, so they have a lot of energy. Their play raises our level of play.”

It looked as if another trouble-free triumph was in the makings for Rider at home against Northeastern on Saturday, Nov. 25. However, down 68-61, Northeastern freshman forward Manny Adako spearheaded an unforeseen 8-0 run, and his timely jumper with 17 seconds to play gave the Huskies a stunning 69-68 lead.

Enter senior guard Terrance Mouton, who had been knocked out of the game just five minutes before by an inadvertent head butt. After exchanging his bloody uniform for a freshly cleaned jersey, and after being neatly stitched up by team physicians, Mouton re-entered the game and enacted vengeance by driving down the line and scoring a lay-up with just five seconds to go.

Northeastern was unable to retaliate before time expired and Rider won, 70-69.

“We’ve been winning because we run the ball very well,” said junior forward Joel Green, who compiled 11 points and five rebounds against Northeastern. “The whole key to our team is our ability to get stops on the defensive end, because if we can get stops and get on transition, we’re a very hard team to defend.”

The theatrics continued the following Monday against visiting Drexel. Losing 75-67, the Broncs went on an 8-0 run over the final 1:05 of regulation. The turning point came when Mansell, down 75-72, took a three-pointer with 12 seconds left. When the shot came up short, Mouton leaped for the rebound and then immediately slapped the ball over the left side of the court, where freshman guard Ryan Thompson ran, picked the ball up off the floor and nailed a game-tying three-pointer with merely six seconds remaining.

“When Coach drew up the play, taking a three-pointer was a second resort,” said Ryan Thompson, who scored a total of 16 points against the Dragons. “But when our team was unable to drive to the net, we took the three. When it came up short and we got the loose ball, the pass came flying to me and my first instinct was to shoot it and I did.”

With its momentum sapped, Drexel watched helplessly as it was outscored by Rider 14-6 in overtime to safeguard the 89-81 win.

“We now have a good identity,” said Dempsey of his team’s newfound winning ways.

“We’ve made the good shots down the stretch, we’ve known where the ball needs to go and we know who we can lean on. Everybody knows their role. That’s the sign of a team starting to grow up.”

Particularly noteworthy in the game against Drexel was the play of Jason Thompson. He compiled the 15th double-double of his career with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but more significant was his precise free throw shooting. Thompson went 14 of 17 from the line, the highest total of his three-year career.

“Tonight I think I just felt more comfortable and I shot a good percentage,” said Thompson. “I think it was a mental thing more than anything else.”

The team seeks to continue to its winning ways tomorrow at Binghamton (3-2 overall) and next Thursday, Dec. 7, at home against conference rival Iona (0-4 overall), which beat Rider twice last season.