Not sure if posted:
Friday, August 17, 2007 5:03 AM CDT
Panthers finish World University Games with another win
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Prior to Thursday night, it had been all or nothing for Northern Iowa's basketball team at the World University Games.
In its four wins, the Panthers had outscored their opponents, 318-186. In its lone loss, UNI was blown out by 34 points.
But in its final game on foreign soil, UNI, representing Team USA, was tested until the final minute before pulling out a 63-57 decision over Israel to take ninth place in the 24-team tournament.
"Our staff was glad this game was close," head coach Ben Jacobson said. "It forced our players to be in a situation where every possession down the stretch was important. Those are things you can't simulate in practice and you don't know when you'll get that experience for the first time in the season. This was real good for our team."
It was especially rewarding, considering UNI had just played 16 1/2 hours earlier against Finland . It also had a 5:45 a.m. wake-up call and had to bus 90 minutes for a 9 a.m. start in Thailand.
"I really liked what Jared (Josten) did with his play," Jacobson said. "His play early really provided a lot of leadership for our team on this trip. That was important today on a short turnaround."
Senior Eric Coleman led the Panthers in scoring for the first time in six games, finishing with 14 points and six rebounds. Adam Koch and Kerwin Dunham each had 11 points, while Josten chipped in 10.
UNI scored six of the first seven points in the third quarter to take its biggest lead, 35-25, but Israel countered with an 11-4 flurry to make it 39-36. The Panthers took a three-point lead into the final 10 minutes, but Erez Kohansky's 3-pointer evened the game, 45-45.
After trading baskets, Dunham drained his third trifecta of the game to give UNI the lead for good, 50-47. Israel stayed within reach, but Coleman scored three baskets down the stretch, and Brooks McKowen buried a 3-pointer late to seal the win.
"In the third quarter, we settled for jump shots against their zone," Jacobson said. "In that fourth quarter, we did a great job of getting the ball to Eric on the block.
"It was good to see because there isn't much of a post game in the international game. With the lane being wider, the bigger guys are catching the ball further away from the basket, and that's been an adjustment for Eric and Jordan (Eglseder).
"But there's also a lot more contact around the basket, which has been a great thing for our big guys, and that's going to make our big guys a lot more prepared for the upcoming season."
Despite not coming home with a medal, Jacobson was pleased with the perseverance his squad showed after the opening-game loss to Lithuania.
"We're disappointed we didn't play better against Lithuania," he said. "I think if we had a shot at them again, it's a game we have a chance to compete in and go down to the end. Our guys, though, played good basketball after that first game and showed a lot of pride."
Yuval Naimy paced Israel with 16 points and Nitzan Hanochi compiled 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Israel, which was 4-1 coming into the game like UNI, shot 39 percent from the field.
"We played very well defensively," Jacobson said. "We did a very good job of containing the dribble and forcing Israel to shoot jump shots."
Jacobson said the team will spend the remainder of today and Saturday sightseeing before leaving at 2:15 a.m. Sunday (Thailand time). The Panthers are scheduled to land at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids around 7 p.m. Sunday.
"It was definitely a good trip for our guys," Jacobson said, "and the experience guys like Kerwin and Jordan got by starting four or five basketball games against older and more physically mature players will really pay off for them come November."
Friday, August 17, 2007 5:03 AM CDT
Panthers finish World University Games with another win
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Prior to Thursday night, it had been all or nothing for Northern Iowa's basketball team at the World University Games.
In its four wins, the Panthers had outscored their opponents, 318-186. In its lone loss, UNI was blown out by 34 points.
But in its final game on foreign soil, UNI, representing Team USA, was tested until the final minute before pulling out a 63-57 decision over Israel to take ninth place in the 24-team tournament.
"Our staff was glad this game was close," head coach Ben Jacobson said. "It forced our players to be in a situation where every possession down the stretch was important. Those are things you can't simulate in practice and you don't know when you'll get that experience for the first time in the season. This was real good for our team."
It was especially rewarding, considering UNI had just played 16 1/2 hours earlier against Finland . It also had a 5:45 a.m. wake-up call and had to bus 90 minutes for a 9 a.m. start in Thailand.
"I really liked what Jared (Josten) did with his play," Jacobson said. "His play early really provided a lot of leadership for our team on this trip. That was important today on a short turnaround."
Senior Eric Coleman led the Panthers in scoring for the first time in six games, finishing with 14 points and six rebounds. Adam Koch and Kerwin Dunham each had 11 points, while Josten chipped in 10.
UNI scored six of the first seven points in the third quarter to take its biggest lead, 35-25, but Israel countered with an 11-4 flurry to make it 39-36. The Panthers took a three-point lead into the final 10 minutes, but Erez Kohansky's 3-pointer evened the game, 45-45.
After trading baskets, Dunham drained his third trifecta of the game to give UNI the lead for good, 50-47. Israel stayed within reach, but Coleman scored three baskets down the stretch, and Brooks McKowen buried a 3-pointer late to seal the win.
"In the third quarter, we settled for jump shots against their zone," Jacobson said. "In that fourth quarter, we did a great job of getting the ball to Eric on the block.
"It was good to see because there isn't much of a post game in the international game. With the lane being wider, the bigger guys are catching the ball further away from the basket, and that's been an adjustment for Eric and Jordan (Eglseder).
"But there's also a lot more contact around the basket, which has been a great thing for our big guys, and that's going to make our big guys a lot more prepared for the upcoming season."
Despite not coming home with a medal, Jacobson was pleased with the perseverance his squad showed after the opening-game loss to Lithuania.
"We're disappointed we didn't play better against Lithuania," he said. "I think if we had a shot at them again, it's a game we have a chance to compete in and go down to the end. Our guys, though, played good basketball after that first game and showed a lot of pride."
Yuval Naimy paced Israel with 16 points and Nitzan Hanochi compiled 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Israel, which was 4-1 coming into the game like UNI, shot 39 percent from the field.
"We played very well defensively," Jacobson said. "We did a very good job of containing the dribble and forcing Israel to shoot jump shots."
Jacobson said the team will spend the remainder of today and Saturday sightseeing before leaving at 2:15 a.m. Sunday (Thailand time). The Panthers are scheduled to land at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids around 7 p.m. Sunday.
"It was definitely a good trip for our guys," Jacobson said, "and the experience guys like Kerwin and Jordan got by starting four or five basketball games against older and more physically mature players will really pay off for them come November."
Just kiddin there.
