Dec. 13, 2003

Box Score

Carlisle, PA - Johns Hopkins freshman forward Danny Nawrocki (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) recorded his second straight double-double with team-highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Blue Jays over Dickinson, 82-71, in men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Kline Center.

Junior forward Eric Toback (Ellicott City, MD/Mount Hebron) added 13 points and seven rebounds for Hopkins, which improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the Centennial Conference. Sophomore guard Frank Mason (Silver Spring, MD/Barrie School) chipped in 11 points and a team-high four assists, while senior guard Kevin Marquez (Oakton, VA/Oakton) was the fourth Blue Jay in double figures with 10 points.

Brad Litchfield posted team-highs of 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists for the Red Devils, who fell to 0-7 overall and 0-2 in league play.

Dickinson led 37-36 at the half and twice extended its lead to four in the second period, the final time at 45-41 with 17 minutes remaining. However JHU senior guard Matt Righter (Clarion, PA/Lawrenceville Prep), who finished with seven points and five rebounds, hit a jumper and Nawrocki followed with two free throws to tie the game. Travis Doll converted one of two foul shots to put the Red Devils back on top, but Hopkins freshman guard TJ Valerio (Blue Bell, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) nailed a jumper to put Hopkins ahead for good at 47-46 with 13:59 remaining.

The Blue Jays still led by a point at 51-50 at the 12:35 mark before Toback took over. He hit a jumper to put Hopkins up three, but Litchfield brought Dickinson back within one with two free throws. However, Toback added a three-pointer, a jumper, and another three to give the Blue Jays a 61-52 advantage with 6:52 to play.

The Red Devils pulled within five at 66-61 with 4:02 left, but Nawrocki, who went 9-of-9 from the floor, scored consecutive lay-ups to give Hopkins a nine-point lead at the 2:42 mark, and the Blue Jays cruised from there.

Nawrocki also pulled down nine offensive rebounds, as Hopkins held a commanding 42-23 rebounding advantage.

The game remained close early, and neither team led by more than four until George Alafonginis, who came off the bench to score 17 points, converted a lay-up to put Dickinson up 31-25 with 5:44 left in the field.

The Blue Jays answered with a 7-0 run on jumpers by freshman forward Matt Griffin (Glen Mills, PA/Penncrest) and Righter, followed by a three-point play by Nawrocki to take a 32-31 lead at the 3:24 mark. The Red Devils then scored six of the last 10 points of the half to take the one-point lead into the break.

Hopkins returns to action on Saturday, January 3, when the Blue Jays host Carnegie Mellon at 1 p.m. in Goldfarb Gymnasium.

Box Score:        1   2       FJohns Hopkins (5-2, 2-0 Centennial) 36  46  -   82Dickinson (0-7, 0-2 Centennial)     37  34  -   71