Cartier hits 1k career points, Chargers start the season 3-1

Home Charger Men's Basketball Cartier hits 1k career points, Chargers start the season 3-1
Cartier hits 1k career points, Chargers start the season 3-1

Helped by 83 points across three games from Junior Patrick Cartier, the Hillsdale College Men’s basketball team won their first two games of the season, before losing to GLIAC-favorites Ferris State Bulldogs in the Chargers’ home opener.

Cartier is coming off of a sophomore campaign that saw him selected as a third-team All-American and win G-MAC Male Athlete of the Year. He began his junior season with 34 points in a 75-67 win over Saginaw Valley State University. He then followed it up with 30 points against Northwood, shooting a total of 26 of 37 from the field and 2 of 3 from outside.

The effort not only earned Cartier his first G-MAC Player of the Week award of the season, but it also helped him top 1,000 career points. 

“The 1,000 points is really cool, it’s really a testament to my teammates,” Cartier said. “We were going through film and I realized how many easy buckets my teammates are able to get me. I think I’m pretty good at getting in certain positions, and they’re really, really good at delivering me the ball when I’m open.”

Three other starters joined him with double digits in scoring against Saginaw, with Junior’s Kyle Goessler and Cole Nau combining for 21 points and nine assists. Senior Austen Yarian flirted with a triple double, notching 10 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.

Against Northwood, it was junior Tavon Brown and sophomore Noah Applegate that stepped up alongside Cartier.

Brown posted seven boards and 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting. He also chipped in defensively with three blocks and two steals. Applegate had a career game off the bench. Along with four rebounds and two assists he notched career highs in minutes and points with 17 and 14 respectively. 

“We really have a bunch of guys that I think can do that, Jack Gohlke and Pete Kalthoff can come off the bench and score,” Applegate said. “I guess it was just my night, a lot of other people can have that kind of night. I just had it rolling and my coaches understood that and my teammates found me in the right spots.”

Head Coach John Tharp said that the team’s game against Ferris on Wednesday offered a difficult test early in its season.

“They just got done scoring 124 points against Drury, and Drury is a national champion in the last six years or so,” Tharp said. “They are super skilled, super quick, and they share the basketball extremely well. They press you for 40 minutes, any turnover or any long shot, they take that and fly down the court.”

In the end, the Chargers fell to Ferris by a 31-point margin. The Bulldogs shot more than 50% from three, while holding the Chargers to just 35% from the field. The Chargers’ starters shot just 2 of 16 from outside.

“It was a tough game,” Cartier said. “Credit to Ferris State who came out ready to go. Hopefully we can use this as fuel for the rest of the season and see those guys again at the end of the season.”