Box Score Dec. 29, 2016 Box Score
The Basics
• Score: York-76, Johns Hopkins-72 (OT)
• Records: JHU (3-5) • YCP (7-3)
• Location: Ashland, VA • Crenshaw Gym
• The Short Story: In a physical game that saw 60 fouls called, York beat Johns Hopkins, 76-72, in overtime in the first game of the R-MC Coaches Tournament Thursday night. Graduate student Sam Gordon led the Blue Jays with a game-high-tying 17 points
How it Happened
• In a prelude of things to come, this one was close early as the first eight-and-a-half minutes saw five lead changes and two ties. Blayde Reich hit a layup with 11:29 to play to put York ahead, 14-13, and spark a 10-2 run. Matt Scamuffo capped the run with a pair of free throws, two of the 13 he attempted on the night. • Hopkins got two free throws from junior Jesse Flannery to make it 22-17 game but four straight points by Scamuffo pushed the deficit to nine with 5:41 to play in the half. The Blue Jays then got two free throws from graduate student Austin Vasiliadis to ignite a 9-3 run that saw the Jays pull within two with 2:25 to go.
• Darin Gordon drained a three-pointer at the 1:52-mark to push the lead back to five, but sophomore Michael Gardner answered with one of his own nine seconds later. The Spartans followed with a Jared Wagner fast-break bucket and a pair of Zach Novick free throws to extend the lead to six. Vasiliadis cut into the lead with two more shots from the charity stripe and York took a 34-30 lead into the half.
• Hopkins found its rhythm coming out of the lockerroom and opened the half on a 16-5 run. Gardner fueled the run with three triples and the Jays raced out to a 46-35 lead by the 14:48-mark. The teams traded points over the ensuing four minutes and JHU led 53-43 with 10:48 on the clock.
• Jason Bady, who played just four minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, caught fire late in the second half. He hit back-to-back baskets to kick-start a 15-3 Spartan run that saw them take a 58-56 lead at the 5:36-mark. Nine of his 12 points came during that five-minute stretch.
• Hopkins got one of two free throws from sophomore Noah Ralby to make it a one-point game with 5:21 to play. The teams traded buckets and YCP led 60-59 just over a minute later. Reich and Scamuffo then put up five straight points and the Spartans' lead was six. A three-point play by Ralby followed by a fast-break layup from Gordon and the lead was down to one with 2:16 to play. Scamuffo doubled the lead with a free throw but a sophomore Daniel Vila answered with two of his own and it was a tie game with 1:56 on the clock. Neither team could convert a shot for the remainder of regulation and the teams headed to overtime.
• A fast-break layup by Bady gave York a two-point lead just 29 seconds into the overtime, but Gordon answered with a bucket on the other end. Zack Galic followed with a three and then Scamuffo hit a layup and the lead was five. Ralby drained a pull-up jumper and the Blue Jays got one free throw each from Vila and Vasiliaidis to pull within one at the 1:17-mark. The Spartans would seal this one at the line, going 3-of-6 in the final minute.
What it Means
• Johns Hopkins is 1-5 all-time versus York and tonight's game is the first meeting between the two since 1987.
• Tonight's game was the Blue Jays' first overtime game since January 3, 2016.
Inside the Box Score
• The two teams combined for 71 free throws in the contest. Hopkins went 23-of-35 (.657) from the line while York went 23-of-36 (.639).
• Gordon scored a game-high 17 points, going 7-of-10 from the field, and grabbing seven rebounds. Vila just missed out on his first career double-double as he tied his career high with 10 points and pulled a game- and career-best nine boards.
• Vasiliadis handed out a game-high six assists to go with a career-high seven steals and eight rebounds. He now has 296 assists and needs just four to become the fourth player in program history with 300 assists. His seven steals are tied for the second most in school history and are the most since Pat O'Connell had seven versus Dickinson on January 16, 2010.
• Scamuffo finished with 17 points, tying Gordon for the game-high, to lead five Spartans in double figures. Bady chipped in 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds while Reich added 11 points. Galic and Novick each scored 10 points for the Spartans.
Up Next
• Johns Hopkins will take on the loser of the Randolph-Macon and FDU-Florham game on Friday in the consolation game of the R-MC Coaches Tournament. Tip-off is slated for 5:00 pm.