Coming off of back-to-back losses against Walsh and Malone, the Hillsdale College men’s basketball team went into Jesse Philips Arena on Saturday with a chip on its shoulder. The Chargers duked it out against a talented Findlay Oilers team and came out on top, 56-51.
“As a team we were very excited to pick up a win against Findlay,” junior guard Brandon Pritzl said. “We have had a huge rivalry against them, so the win tastes a little bit sweeter than others.”
The game went from onslaught to nail biter as the Oilers, who were down by as many as 20 points, went on a 16-2 run in the middle of the second half. However, it was junior Anthony Manno who kept the Oilers’ momentum from spoiling Hillsdale’s lead. The junior guard not only made a crucial three-pointer with six minutes to play, but also hustled downcourt to snag a steal in the game’s final moments. Findlay was then forced to foul, and efficient free throw shooting from junior forwards Tony Nelson and Tim Dezelski sealed the deal for the Chargers.
Hillsdale’s disciplined defense was especially evident throughout the game as the Chargers held the Oilers to 35 percent shooting from the field and 28 percent from behind the arc.
While maintaining this strong defense in the post, Charger bigs Dezelski and senior Nick Washburn had the game’s standout performances. Dezelski contributed 16 points and three steals, while Washburn racked up 12 points, three assists, and two blocked shots.
“We thought both Tim and Wash were great this past weekend,” assistant coach Brian McCauley said. “Tim was great all game with his mid post-game, hitting midrange jump shots and penetrating and setting other guys up. Wash did a great job of running to the rim and we were able to get early post catches and scores. Both did a great job defending all game as well. We are hard to defend when those two play at their best.”
Pritzl, who was also a top player for the Chargers with 11 points, emphasized the importance of staying focused despite beating a conference rival.
“We need to build on the win and get on a bit of a roll if we want to finish the season strong,” Pritzl said.
Hillsdale will next play against Tiffin University at home on Thursday night. The Chargers defeated the Dragons at Tiffin earlier this season, 96-78.
