Jan. 6, 2007

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The #19 Johns Hopkins men's basketball team held off Washington College 77-72 at Goldfarb Gym Saturday afternoon in Centennial Conference action. The Blue Jays improved to 11-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference while the Shoremen fall to 2-9 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Senior Danny Nawrocki (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) led the Blue Jays with his 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Joey Breslin gave the visitors an early 4-3 lead with a jumper at 18:53. The Shoremen held the lead until a three-pointer by junior Doug Polster (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards) gave Hopkins a 13-10 lead at 13:24. Washington answered with a three from Matt Hamm to tie the game. A Polster lay-up gave the Blue Jays back the lead but once against the Shoremen answered, with a three from Tim Kohlrus giving the visitors a one-point lead.

Senior Zack Armen (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset) drained two from the free throw to take back the lead for Hopkins. But a third straight three by Washington, this time from Kevin Marshburn, gave the visitors a lead they would not relinquish until midway through the second half. The Shoremen pushed their lead to as much as 10 in the closing minutes of the half, heading into the lockerroom with a 36-31 lead.

The Blue Jays offense, which had been cold in the first half - shooting just 32.0 percent from the floor, came alive in the second. Hopkins chipped away at Washington's lead, led by Nawrocki who scored 14 of his 19 in the second half. Nawrocki knotted the score at 48-48 on a lay-up at 11:55. On the defensive end, Armen stole the ball and dished it to senior T.J. Valerio (Blue Bell, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) whose jumper gave Hopkins a 50-48 lead with 11:30 to play.

The Blue Jays would never relinquish their lead, pushing it to as many as nine points. In the final minute, leading by just five points, Hopkins converted eight of 10 free throw attempts to preserve the win. A last second lay-up by the Shoremen's Andrew Chambers made the final score 77-72.

Senior Matt Griffin (Glen Mills, PA/Penncrest) finished with 12 points on five-of-five shooting from the floor. Valerio also finished in double figures with 11 points. Breslin led Washington with a game-high 28 points. Kohlrus was the only other Shoremen in double figures, punching up 20 points. Hopkins shot 60.0 percent from the floor in the second half while holding Washington to 37.5 percent shooting.

Hopkins returns to action on Tuesday, January 9 when Haverford visits Goldfarb Gym. Tip-off for the Centennial Conference match-up is set for 8:00 pm.