Men's Team in Win Column First Time
By John Baracani
The men’s basketball team entered the win column for the first time this season in the Apache Invitational with a 90-59 win over the St. Ambrose JV team on December 4.
"We played really well," said Head Coach Mike Riley. "We got off to a good start and played well as a team."
Riley experimented by moving point guard Craig Olson to a two guard, and according to the Head Coach it has really helped.
"In the games he has played at that position, he has scored 17, 17, and 11 points. That has really helped."
Nine of the ten Apaches got in the scoring column lead by sophomore Lacey Tyler’s 22 points.
The Apache Invitational Classic gave Coach Riley the chance to put sophomore David Sharp at the point. According to the head coach, "he played outstanding."
Sharp had 6 points in the first contest and had 9 assists in the second game against Morton. (See story on page 7)
Apache guard Jeff Rounds left the team during halftime. Riley believes that it may have been due to a lack of playing time.
The Apaches closed the tournament with a 97-79 loss to Morton College.
"We started out with a 20-12 lead, and we looked good," said Riley. "But I was concerned, and I didn’t know if we were ready."
They were without the services of center Brian Stamberger, who did not dress for the game, due to illness.
"We couldn’t recover from falling apart in the first half. We played hard in the second half, but you’re not going to beat a team that shoots 10-13 on three pointers. They were unbelievable."
Rebounding, which had been a problem so far this season, worked in the Apaches’ favor, with them outrebounding Morton by 1.
According to Riley, "It just came down to their shooting. They shot 60 percent. That’s awful good."
Apache members Tyler and Derek Baird were named to the all-tournament team at the Apache Invitational.
According to the head coach, the Apaches now have three scorers in Tyler, Baird and Olson at the shooting guard position.
Besides the loss of Rounds during the Apache Invitational, two Apaches left the team for various reasons. Josh White of Seneca left due to personal reasons and Howard Rowell left school. Rowell was the leading scorer during the Apache’s first four games.
The Apache head coach has praise for his team because "they are working hard". He expects the team to add 2-4 new players at semester break.
Upcoming games for the Apache’s include Waubonsee Dec.10 at home, who the head coach says is real good. The Waubonsee Chiefs were undefeated until they faced Glen Oaks, Michigan on the second day of the Apache Invitational. The head coach said that he hopes that his team will survive and hang in.
On December 15, the Apaches will travel to Peoria to face Illinois Central, who Riley says play real well, athletic.
The Apaches will take part in the Highland Invitational on December 18-19. There the head coach said that the Apaches will take part in some very, very difficult games, and that his team will have to work hard to be in every game.
12/10/98