Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
69
Winner Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU 1-0
66
Grace Bible GBC 0-1
Winner
Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU
1-0
69
Final
66
Grace Bible GBC
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Spring Arbor (Mich.) SAU 32 37 69
Grace Bible GBC 29 37 66

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men's Basketball holds on to beat Grace Bible in season opener

WYOMING, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men's basketball team opened its 2017-18 campaign with a 69-66 win over Grace Bible College on Tuesday night.

Sophomore Paul Marandet led the way with a game-high 18 points while also posting seven assists, three steals and three blocks. Jeff Beckman nearly registered a double-double notching 10 rebounds and nine points.

 
 

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 69, Grace Bible 66

LOCATION: Aldrich Athletic Center | Wyoming, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 1-0, Grace Bible 0-1

 
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Grace Bible hit five three-pointers in the first half, including four during a 20-5 run midway through the first half that gave the Tigers a 24-15 lead.
  • Spring Arbor held the home team scoreless over the final four minutes and began to chip away at the deficit. With 1:39 remaining in the period, Tommy Hamilton buried a three-pointer to put SAU on top for the first time since the 12:34 mark. The Cougars took a 32-29 lead into halftime.
  • The two teams continued to go back and forth in the second half seeing the lead change hands four different times. Grace Bible took its largest lead of the half, 48-41, with 12:34 to play.
  • Spring Arbor leaned on its defense to rally back. The Cougars held the Tigers without a field goal for nearly a four minute span while using a 12-1 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Freshman Ben Geschke sparked the run with a triple and Marandet capped it with back-to-back buckets.
  • Grace Bible stayed within striking distance in the final minute with some clutch three-point shooting. But, Hamilton would sink a pair of free throws to seal the victory.

 
 

FOR THE COUGARS

  • Hamilton finished with 12 points. Drew Zuidema added nine knocking down three three-pointers and Zach Medendorp chipped in eight points.
  • Spring Arbor shot 44 percent (22-for-50) from the field and 50 percent (7-for-14) from long range.

 
 

FOR THE TIGERS

  • Brandon Winchester-Jones paced Grace Bible with 16 points. Marcus Chandler had 12 points going 4-for-6 from three-point range.
  • The Tigers finished the game hitting 38 percent (24-for-62) from the floor, including 12-for-30 from three.
  • The home team outrebounded SAU 40-33. The Tigers grabbed 15 offensive rebounds.

 
 

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH RYAN COTTINGHAM

  • "We were tested tonight and I was really pleased with the way we responded."
  • "Jeff had a solid all-around game, and Paul was able to overcome foul trouble to lead us down the stretch. Tom made some big shots and Ben and Kyle both made key baskets in crunch time as well."

 
 

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor will play host for the 2017 Crossroads League/WHAC Challenge on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28. The Cougars will welcome fellow league member Indiana Wesleyan University, along with WHAC foes Cornerstone University and Aquinas College.

The Cougars will play Aquinas on Friday night at 8 p.m. before taking on preseason No. 1 ranked Cornerstone Saturday at 3 p.m.

 
 

STAY CONNECTED: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS: iOS (iPhone/iPad) | Android

Print Friendly Version