Byline: BUZZ GRAY Staff writer
ALBANY -- Shut down the two big guns inside and the College of Saint Rose will still find a way to beat you. On Wednesday, it was two pesky guards doing the most damage for the Golden Knights as they turned back always troublesome Adelphi.
Matt Fryer and Mike Perno combined for 30 points to provide the foundation of St. Rose's 71-62 triumph in a key New York Collegiate Athletic Conference basketball game.
``I knew they were going to play off me,'' said Fryer, the 5-8 sophomore guard. ``I think they put their worst defender on me. I was just driving by him.''
Fryer hit on 7-of-7 shots in the first half, many of them layups, and then added two more points in the second half for 16 points, easily his best output since joining the team.
``I thought he showed a lot of poise,'' coach Brian Beaury said after the Golden Knights, the No. 7 ranked Division II team in the country, survived the loss of center Damon Reed to fouls.
Reed, a pre-season All-American, was held to just eight points before fouling out with 1:16 remaining. Forward Nate Connolly, another inside tower of power, managed just 12, well below his average.
``They (Adelphi) did a good job on Damon,'' Beaury said of the Panthers' defense.
Eventually, though, the Knights (3-1, 3-0) adjusted by letting their guards carry the offensive load.
``We were getting open off of screens,'' said Perno who buried back-to-back 3-pointers late in the second half as St. Rose pulled away.
A 10-2 run broke open what had been a 44-44 tie. After that, the Knights applied suffocating defense to bottle up the Panthers (3-2, 1-1). Adelphi was held without a field goal for four minutes during a stretch of the second half. It was especially significant since Reed was sitting on the bench for four minutes with four fouls.
Joining Perno and Fryer on the attack was Steve Sgambelluri, another deadeye guard. His pair of 3-pointers in the second half helped make the Panthers pay for their smothering of Reed. ST. ROSE 71, ADELPHI 62 ADELPHI (62)
Kellman 2-5 1-2 5, Williams 1-8 1-2 3, Edwards 3-8 0-1, 6, McCormack 7-17 2-5 19, Graig 5-14 2-3 13, Laul 0-0 2-2 2, Williams 2-4 2-2 4, Nelson 3-5 1-2 8. Totals 23-64 11-20 62. ST. ROSE (71)
Connolly 4-10 4-4 12, Reed 3-7 2-4 8, Perno 3-7 5-6 14, Fryer 8-11 0-1 16, Sgambelluri 3-12 0-1 8, Organ 1-2 0-0 2, Doran 2-6 0-0 5, DeVries 3-6 0-2 6. Totals 27-72 11-19 71.
Halftime -- 31-29. 3-point goals--Adelphi 5-22 (Kellman 0-1, Williams 0-3, McCormack 3-10, Craig 1-4, Parisio 0-2, Nelson 1-2), St. Rose 6-18 (Connolly 0-1, Haver 0-2, Perno 3-6, Bariteau 0-1, Sgambelluri 2-5, Doran 1-3). Fouled out -- Reed, DeVries. Rebounds -- Adelphi 46 (Craig 11), St. Rose 51 (Reed 11). Assists -- Adelphi 7 (Williams, McCormack 2), St. Rose 16 (Fryer 4). Total fouls -- Adelphi 21, St. Rose 21. Technical fouls -- Fryer. A--500.
