Men Cagers Bring Down Vermont, 91-76

Although the contest featured big men, it was the little guys in the backcourt who provided the margin of victory.

The Crimson twosome of freshman Malcolm Hollensteiner and Tri-Captain Bill Mohler combined to wear down Vermont's touted center Joe Calavita, limiting the 6-ft., 11-in., senior to only 23 points in last night's Harvard-Vermont basketball game at Briggs Athletic Center.

But the aggressive backcourt play of freshman Ralph James and Tri-Captain Mike Gielen down the stretch pushed the Crimson to a 91-76 victory in front of 200 spectators.

A legitimate pro prospect, Calavita was averaging 29 points a game after four contests, and did not hurt his average much with his 23 points (on 9-16 shooting) last night. But it was a quiet 23 points.

Led by James' 24 points (on 10-15 shooting), the Crimson offense was scorching, hitting 34 of 62 shots (54.8 percent), after hitting only 39 percent through its first four contests. The Crimson (now 3-2) also outrebounded the taller Catamounts (1-4), 42-30, including 15 offensive rebounds, and forced Vermont into 21 turnovers. Harvard also came up with 10 steals, including five by Gielen.

"Tonight we concentrated for 40 minutes," Harvard Coach Peter Roby said. "This is the best 40 minute effort we've had since we started."

In addition to limiting Calavita, the two Harvard big men also netted a total of 15 points, as Hollensteiner scored eight points in only 16 minutes and Mohler grabbed seven rebounds and blocked four shots along with adding seven points in his 23 minutes of action.

"We got good play on the inside," Roby said. "We also got good help from the guys on the perimeter."

In the backcourt, Gielen and James combined for 43 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists. James' pinpoint accuracy opened the Crimson's inside game.

After holding a 40-38 halftime lead, the Crimson outscored the Catamounts 51-38 in the second half. In the key first five minutes, Harvard outscored Vermont 13-4.

Calaveti opened the second half with a short jumper to tie the contest for the ninth--as well as the final--time.

However, Harvard then ran off 13 of the next 15 points, including five layups. Off a fast break, Tri-Captain Kyle Dodson (nine points, eight rebounds) took a pass from Gielen, and scored on an aborted dunk attempt.

Kevin Collins got a steal, and made a short layup. Gielen came through with a steal and a layup, and after a Vermont score, James caught a Gielen pass well above the rim, and laid it in.

Gielen then followed with a three-point shot that would have counted in the NBA, followed by James' rebound and score.

The Catamounts put together a mini-rally to get within nine, 64-55, with nine minutes remaining, and began to press the Crimson. However, a James three pointer at the 6:34 mark, followed by a Hollensteiner layup off a David Lang pass gave the Crimson a bulging 74-59 lead with five and a half minutes remaining.

Vermont outscored Harvard 12-7 over the next two minutes, cutting the lead to 79-69 with 2:26 remaining.

But Harvard put the ball in Gielen's hands, and Vermont was forced to foul the junior point guard. Saturday against New Hampshire, Gielen sank a pair of free throws in the last minute after New Hampshire had cut the Crimson's lead to only one.

Last night, Gielen went on to score the next ten points, eight from the line, and two after a fake pass to James under the basket. Gielen held the ball out as if intending to pass, and instead laid the ball in, giving the Crimson an 89-71 lead, and its third victory of the season.