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November 24, 2007

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Bryant, Hobbs lead IU Southeast to win over Purdue Calumet

By MATT CRESS

NEW ALBANY — Back in their hometown and together again on the same team, former New Albany High School teammates Derick Hobbs and Craig Bryant conjured up that old feeling.

Reunited on the Indiana University Southeast men’s basketball team, Bryant and Hobbs each scored 13 points to lead the Grenadiers past Purdue Calumet 82-63 at the IUS Activities Building on Friday.

They also helped create a milestone for their coach, as Wiley Brown was a winner in his first home game after being installed as the new head coach at the school in October.

“I’ve waited all my life for this,” said Brown when asked if he nervous in his home debut. “I told (assistant coach Scooter) Mr. McCray that I haven’t really been nervous yet this season. I’m prepared.”

IU Southeast (2-2) gave their coach little reason to be worried after a 15-0 run midway through the second half that blew the game wide open and turned a seven-point lead into a 63-41 cushion.

Hobbs, the Grenadiers’ second leading scorer after transferring from NCAA Division II Saginaw Valley State, was held scoreless at halftime, missing his first four shots. But that changed quickly, as the sophomore delivered his first 3-pointer of the night to start the decisive outburst, followed by an assist to Alex Gravelle for a layup and yet another trey.

After another score from Hobbs and a jumper from Bryant, Carlos Mitchell took a steal the length of the court for a lay-in that capped off the run.

Mitchell was the defensive star for a Grenadier team that allowed its last two opponents — Illinois-Springfield and Georgetown College — to score in the 90’s, both IUS losses.

“We finally realized that we have got to play defense,” Brown said. “Our defense dictates our offense. We really came out and played decent defense tonight. We were really focused on keeping them out of the paint.”

IU Southeast forced the Peregrines (0-6) into 23 turnovers, several of which became highlight-reel plays.

Mired in a tight game most of the first half, Turrell Cleaves made a steal and quickly got the outlet to DeJon Gary, who threw down a monstrous dunk that put IUS up 33-25, it’s biggest lead to that point.

Purdue Calumet fell behind 6-2, but stayed right on the Grenadiers’ heels in an opening 20 minutes that saw five ties and six lead changes. A driving score by Delricko Curtis gave the Peregrines their first lead at 13-12, and they would lead twice more until Bryant charged off the bench by scoring seven straight points.

A late 3-pointer by Jazzmarr Ferguson gave the Grenadiers a 36-29 halftime edge, but Calumet scored the first four points out of intermission and trailed only 39-35 with 17 minutes left to play, as IU Southeast when through a momentary cold streak from the field.

“We’ll make the shots,” Brown said. “But the fun starts with defense.”

That’s when steals by Cleaves and Gary ignited the game-changing run.

As Brown predicted, the shots did fall after the Grenadiers struggled with their shot in the first half, going 14-of-33 (42 percent) before the half before shooting a blazing 19-of-39 (57.5 percent) in the second.

Twelve different Grenadiers ended up scoring in the victory, with Ferguson joining Bryant and Hobbs in double figures with 10 points. Former Jeffersonville High School star Josh Lowery got into the act as well, knocking down a 3-pointer in the final minute.

“We’re a close-knit team,” Brown said. “We pass the ball, and anyone who gets a chance created by a pass has a good chance to put the ball in the basket.”

An even more encouraging sign to the first-year coach was the relative lack of turnovers. Coming into the game averaging 21.3 miscues a game, the Grenadiers dropped that number to 15, with many of them coming after the outcome had been decided.

“We treat the rock like it’s gold,” Brown said. “You can’t throw gold around. We want to be passionate and guard the basketball like it is gold. We did a better job of taking care of it.”

Kevin Thomas led Calumet with 13 points, while Curtis and Latimore added nine points each.

The Grenadiers will host Purdue North Central tonight in the second game of a home-and-home series. IU Southeast posted a 75-74 win over North Central to open the season on Nov. 10.



PURDUE CALUMET 29 34—63

IU SOUTHEAST 36 46—82

Purdue Calumet (0-6) — Curtis 9, Petrinjac 0, Collins 8, Elabed 5, Sheriff 0, McNeal 4, Hurt 7, Jackson 4, Thomas 13, Patton 4, Latimore 9.

IU Southeast (2-2) — Cleaves 6, Gary 3, Mitchell 8, Hobbs 13, Gonzalez 4, Gravelle 9, Ferguson 10, Lowery 3, Holland 3, Bryant 13, Ryan 8, Reed 2.

Three-point goals — Purdue Calumet 2 (Elabed, Patton); IU Southeast 11 (Hobbs 3, Ryan 2, Ferguson 2, Gravelle, Bryant, Lowery, Holland).

Rebounds — Purdue Calumet 31 (Curtis 6); IU Southeast 36 (Gary 8).

Turnovers — Purdue Calumet 23; IU Southeast 15.

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