March 2, 2007

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Johns Hopkins used a strong second half to earn an 84-72 over Villa Julie Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Championships. The Blue Jays, who improved to 24-4, ended the Mustangs 15-game win streak. Villa Julie ends the season at 20-8. In their first trip to the NCAAs since 1999, this is the first win in the tournament for the Blue Jays since 1998.

Villa Julie took control early, opening the game on a 12-2 run. The Mustangs led by as much as 11 points with 12:44 to play before a quick 6-2 run by the Blue Jays made it 17-10. Villa Julie answered, pushing back out to a 10-point lead, before Hopkins rallied again. Leading 24-18 with 8:29 to play, the Mustangs built an 18-point lead on the strength of a 17-5 run.

Senior Matt Griffin (Glen Mills, PA/Penncrest) nailed a jumper for the Blue Jays and then completed an old-fashioned three-point play with a free throw to make it 41-26 with 2:41 to play. Elysian Richardson then hit one of two free throws for the Mustangs, their final point of the half. Griffin hit back-to-back lay-ups as the Blue Jays rallied for nine straight points to end the half. Villa Julie held a 42-35 lead heading into the half.

Hopkins continued its run in the second half as senior Chris Morley (North Salem, NY/North Salem) hit a lay-up followed by a trey from senior T.J. Valerio (Blue Bell, PA/St. Joseph's Prep). Villa Julie answered with a three-point play from Steven Segears to make it a five-point game. Hopkins once again rallied, as the Blue Jays slowly chipped away at the Mustangs. Junior Doug Polster (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernardsville) drained a trey for the Blue Jays with 8:30 to play, tying the game at 63-63. Polster then hit his fourth of the day from downtown, giving Hopkins its first lead of the day at 66-63.

Villa Julie tied the game at 68-68 on two Cilk McSweeney free throws and then took the lead on a lay-up by Segears with 4:00 to play. Griffin answered with a lay-up for Hopkins, igniting a 9-0 run as the Blue Jays pushed out to a 77-70 lead with 1:29 to play. Villa Julie ended the run with two free throws from Phillip Williams, but those would be the Mustangs final points of the game. Hopkins closed out the game with seven straight points for the 84-72 win. Hopkins shot 56.7 percent from the field in the second half while holding Villa Julie to just 25.0 percent shooting.

Griffin led all scorers with 24 points. Senior Danny Nawrocki (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Polster (14 points) and Valerio (11 points) also finished in double figures for the Blue Jays. Segears led five Mustangs in double figures with 19 points. With his fifth rebound of the game, Nawrocki broke Matt Gorman's single-season record of 295 rebounds. He now has 304 rebounds on the season.

Hopkins will now face Guilford in the second round of the NCAA on Saturday, March 3 at Goldfarb Gym. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm.