Saint Joseph’s Misses Late Opportunities In Loss To Richmond
Saint Joseph’s basketball once again fails to secure a win late, dropping to 8-8 on the season.
Saint Joseph’s is still trying to find someone to step into the role of leading scorer after the loss of Shavar Newkirk. On Saturday, the Hawks went up against A10 Conference leaders Richmond. The team found themselves in a back and forth dogfight, as the teams battled for the lead all game.
Saint Joseph’s was led by sophomore guard Lamarr Kimble, who dropped 17 points in 40 minutes in the losing effort. Freshman shooting guard Nick Robinson was able to put up an important 14 points off the bench as well.
As the first half ended, Richmond pulled away to what seemed like an insurmountable 13 point lead. Richmond’s outside shot seemed to be unstoppable, while Saint Joseph’s had no answer. In the second half, the three-headed monster of Kimble, Robinson, and Charlie Brown were able to lead the offense to a storming comeback.
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Saint Joseph’s went on a 26-15 run, pulling within two at one point. Late in the game, with the Hawks down 65-64, Charlie Brown put up an open three-point attempt that failed to connect. After Richmond knocked down both free throws on the ensuing intentional foul, the Hawks still had an opportunity to tie the game.
St. Joe’s James Demery missed a wide open opportunity with 16 seconds left in the game. Brown got the offensive rebound, but failed to make the put back. Richmond went on to ice the game with free throws.
Newkirk’s impact on the Hawks’ offense is unspeakable. The team shot just 4 for 17 from three-point range, as well as just 34% from the field. The team’s build doesn’t have a real outside threat on the bench. There are many capable shooters on the team, just not any specialists. Without Newkirk, Saint Joseph’s will have to catch serious fire.
The schedule doesn’t favor the Hawks as much as it could. The head to face a UMass team that seems to close out games regularly, then head to the Palestra to square off against Penn. A meeting with St. Bonaventure closes out a three-game road trip, until La Salle make their way to Hagan Arena.
Saint Joseph’s sits at 8-8, and could easily drop below .500 in the next five games. Kimble seems to be the guy that could step into the lead scorer role, but he doesn’t possess the dynamic abilities of Newkirk. Freshman Charlie Brown has the potential to fill the role, but will need more experience.
Next: St. Joe's Will Miss Shavar Newkirk
Phil Martelli‘s team is in a state of flux, and without someone stepping into the leadership role, the team’s season is threatening to be over already.