Vassar Brewers Hold Off Clarkson For the Victory

By Steven Merritt

POUGHKEEPSIE – Four players tallied double digit points for the Vassar College Men’s Basketball team as the Brewers held off a second half surge from Clarkson to earn a 76-72 Liberty League victory at the Athletics and Fitness Center on Saturday afternoon. The Brewers improve to 5-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play while the Golden Knights fall to 8-3 overall and 3-2 in Liberty League action.

First Half
Both teams came out scoring early and often as a three-pointer from senior Logan Scott tied the contest at 10 apiece at the 16:14 mark.

An old-fashioned three-point play from first year Shea Fitzgerald pushed Vassar ahead 20-15 with 9:54 remaining before Clarkson got within two on a triple from Steve DeRegis at the 5:52 mark.

The Vassar lead ballooned to 17 points on two free throws from Fitzgerald with 1:48 left in the half as the Brewers reeled off a 15-0 run over a four minute stretch.

Six straight points for the Golden Knights, led by five from Jack Dalgety, brought Clarkson within 40-29 at the half.

Vassar finished the opening half shooting 42.4-percent from the field while connecting on seven three-pointers and were a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line.

Clarkson shot 37-percent overall in the first half while making five three-pointers and going 4-for-6 from the free throw line.

Second Half
Clarkson opened the second half on a 16-2 run to get within two at 47-45 with 14:11 to go on a three-pointer from Ryan Miles-Ferguson.

Vassar answered with a 12-2 run of its own as junior Alex Walters canned back-to-back triples to put the Brewers ahead 59-47 with 10:28 to go.

Clarkson got within seven points following a three-point play from Miles-Ferguson at the 5:37 mark but a Vassar three from Walters with 1:26 to go pushed the Brewers back ahead by 10.

The Golden Knights pressed the issue in the final minute, getting the lead down to 73-70 on an and-one conversion from Miles-Ferguson with 27 seconds left.

A fastbreak bucket from sophomore JP Miranda put the Brewers ahead by five as Clarkson could only get within three points in the final 10 seconds with Vassar clinching its second straight victory.

Vassar shot 44.8-percent from the field in the second half and made four triples while going 6-for-10 from the free throw line.

Clarkson finished with an efficient 50-percent shooting overall while converting just 3-for-14 from three and 8-for-12 from the free throw line.

For The Brewers
Fitzgerald finished with a team-high 18 points on 5-for-8 from the field and perfect 7-for-7 from free throw line.

Walters connected on four three-pointers and tallied 14 points and four rebounds while junior Luke Adams tallied 13 points, five rebounds, three steals and three assists.

Miranda recorded 11 points off the bench while first year Sebastian Medina finished with nine points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block.

For The Golden Knights
Miles-Ferguson poured in a game-high 34 points on 10-for-17 shooting and 10-for-15 from the free throw line to lead Clarkson.

Braeden Burns tallied 12 points, six boards and two steals along with Dalgety recorded nine points, 11 rebounds and two steals.

DeRegis knocked down three triples while Finn Cork and Frankie Rainville each had two assists.