The 24th ranked Rollins Tars who broke into the polls Tuesday improved to 7-0 on the season with a 93-81 victory over the Puerto Rico Mayaguez Tarzans (0-3.)
The hot shooting Tars posted three players in double figures on the afternoon. Sharif Almulla led the way with 20 points- Jeff Merton added 13- while Sam Philpott netted 11. The Tars shot 59 percent from the field, including 71 percent (15-21 in the second half.) The Tars shot at a 42 percent clip (11-26) from the 3-point line- and shot 82 percent (22-27 from the free throw line.) Rollins had 23 turnovers and turned it over 17 times.
The Tarzans had four players in double figures led by 16 points from Jaime Perez-Jermome Carobello scored 15- Noel Muniz posted 11- while Christian Tirado added 10. UPRM shot 49 percent from the field in the defeat- they shot 37 percent (10-27) from the 3-point line- and at a 72 percent clip (13-18) from the free throw line. The Tartans out rebounded the Tars 30-25. They had 14 assists and committed 20 costly turnovers.
Rollins would get off to a quick start in this one. They took a early 14-3 lead at the first media time out. The Tarzans would then go on a 17-7 run that would cut the Tars lead to three before a pair of Tars 3-pointers by Almulla and Joey Galvis would get the lead back to nine with 7:39 to go in the opening half. The Tars got the lead back to 10 but the Tarzans would go on a spurt to end the half that would see them tie the game at 36 after a Gonzalez 3-pointer. But for the second straight day Merton would hit a big bucket that would send the Tars with some momentum heading into the locker room (this one giving them a 38-36 lead.)
The Tars would regain the double digit lead and cruise to a seventh straight victory. The next game for the Tars will be Wednesday December 2nd when they battle Embry Riddle in Daytona Beach. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Rollins To Host Mayaguez in Tuesday Matinee.
The Rollins Tars (6-0) will welcome a Puerto Rican school to Warden Arena for the second time in as many days when they welcome Mayaguez to Warden Arena for a Tuesday matinee. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park with Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Robert Seagal.
The Tars are coming off another solid effort Monday evening in a 105-72 walloping of Bayamon. Three Rollins players had career highs and six in total scored in double figures in the victory. Sharif Almulla (25-) Joey Galvis (18) and Eric Castaneda (12) all had personal bests Monday night. Sam Philpott (14-) along with Jeff Merton and Mike Bedulskis scored 10 each.
The Tars continue to shoot the ball extremely well. They are at better than 50 percent from the floor, as well as 88 percent from the free throw line. Rollins comes into Tuesday averaging 92.5 points per night as a team. A strong contrast from a team that had a hard time scoring a season ago. Merton and Almulla are the only Tars averaging double figures on the year.
The last time Rollins faced Mayaguez was 11/25/14 and they were a 76-62 winner. Alex Blessig was one of three Tars to score in double figures in that one. Chris Uhle added 13 and Mike Bedulskis scored 12. The Tars shot 55 percent in that one, while the Tarzans shot 33 percent. It will be the Tarzans first game this season.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com: Rollins by 18.5
The Tars are coming off another solid effort Monday evening in a 105-72 walloping of Bayamon. Three Rollins players had career highs and six in total scored in double figures in the victory. Sharif Almulla (25-) Joey Galvis (18) and Eric Castaneda (12) all had personal bests Monday night. Sam Philpott (14-) along with Jeff Merton and Mike Bedulskis scored 10 each.
The Tars continue to shoot the ball extremely well. They are at better than 50 percent from the floor, as well as 88 percent from the free throw line. Rollins comes into Tuesday averaging 92.5 points per night as a team. A strong contrast from a team that had a hard time scoring a season ago. Merton and Almulla are the only Tars averaging double figures on the year.
The last time Rollins faced Mayaguez was 11/25/14 and they were a 76-62 winner. Alex Blessig was one of three Tars to score in double figures in that one. Chris Uhle added 13 and Mike Bedulskis scored 12. The Tars shot 55 percent in that one, while the Tarzans shot 33 percent. It will be the Tarzans first game this season.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com: Rollins by 18.5
Tars Cruise Past Undersized Bayamon.
For the second consecutive year the Rollins Tars welcomed the Puerto Rico Bayamon Cowboys to Warden Arena and it was a battle for a half. The second half saw the undersized Bayamon team not be able to stay with the Tars and there high octane offense. Rollins would cruise to a 105-72 win. After not eclipsing the century mark for seven years the Tars have now done it twice in the past week.
Rollins (6-0) was led by three players who all had career highs in this one. Sharif Almulla scored a career high 25 points- Joey Galvis a personal best 18- and- Eric Castaneda had 12 in his first significant minutes of the season. For the second straight game Sam Philpott had a monster second half, this time scoring all 14 of his points in the second stanza. Mike Bedulskis and Jeff Merton added 10 points each. James Ferrell added a career high nine assists.
Three players from Bayamon (0-1) scored in double figures. Alexis Parilla had a double-double (17 points and 10 rebounds.) Nataneil Martinez had 17- while Luis Gonzalez put up 12.
The Tars shot 59 percent from the field and 40 percent (12-30) from the 3-point line. The Tars were a solid 85 percent (17-20) at the free throw line. The Tars won the battle on the boards 38-34.
Bayamon came out hot in the early going. They took a early five point lead after a Parilla 3-pointer two minutes in. The Tars would gain there footing and take what would be there first lead of the game 16-14 after a Amulla bucket just over six minutes in. The Tars wold maintain the lead, it would be five (38-33) before Merton drilled a 3-pointer right before the intermission.
That 3-pointer would spark the Tars. They would come out firing in the second half. Almulla would score the first 10 points of the second stanza and the Tars would cruise from there. They would outscore Bayamon 64-39 in the second half. Philpott (14-) Galvis (16-) and Almulla (16) would all have big second halves.
The Tars will be back in action Tuesday at 2 PM when Puerto Rico Mayaguez wraps up a Tars stretch of seven games in 12 days. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Rollins (6-0) was led by three players who all had career highs in this one. Sharif Almulla scored a career high 25 points- Joey Galvis a personal best 18- and- Eric Castaneda had 12 in his first significant minutes of the season. For the second straight game Sam Philpott had a monster second half, this time scoring all 14 of his points in the second stanza. Mike Bedulskis and Jeff Merton added 10 points each. James Ferrell added a career high nine assists.
Three players from Bayamon (0-1) scored in double figures. Alexis Parilla had a double-double (17 points and 10 rebounds.) Nataneil Martinez had 17- while Luis Gonzalez put up 12.
The Tars shot 59 percent from the field and 40 percent (12-30) from the 3-point line. The Tars were a solid 85 percent (17-20) at the free throw line. The Tars won the battle on the boards 38-34.
Bayamon came out hot in the early going. They took a early five point lead after a Parilla 3-pointer two minutes in. The Tars would gain there footing and take what would be there first lead of the game 16-14 after a Amulla bucket just over six minutes in. The Tars wold maintain the lead, it would be five (38-33) before Merton drilled a 3-pointer right before the intermission.
That 3-pointer would spark the Tars. They would come out firing in the second half. Almulla would score the first 10 points of the second stanza and the Tars would cruise from there. They would outscore Bayamon 64-39 in the second half. Philpott (14-) Galvis (16-) and Almulla (16) would all have big second halves.
The Tars will be back in action Tuesday at 2 PM when Puerto Rico Mayaguez wraps up a Tars stretch of seven games in 12 days. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Tars Continue Homestand With Visit From Bayamon Monday.
The Rollins Tars (5-0 1-0 SSC) continue a stretch of seven games in 12 days when they welcome Puerto Rico Bayamon to Warden Arena for a 6 PM tip Monday. You can catch all the action live on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
The Tars are coming off a hard-fought 86-75 win over Tampa in there conference opener Saturday. Deion Clark paced the Tars with a 22 point effort- Sam Philpott and Jeff Merton scored 17 each-while Sharif Almulla added 14. The Tars only had seven miscues in the game and shot 42 percent from the floor.
Rollins comes into Monday's contest averaging 90 points per game, which is 22.6 points better than the opposition. The Tars are shooting over 50 percent from the floor and better than 88 percent from the free throw line.
Merton paces the Tars in scoring at 18.2 points a contest- Almulla is the only other Tar averaging double figures at 13.4per night- Almulla and Mike Bedulskis share the team lead in rebounds at 5.6 a game.
The last time the Tars faced Bayamon was on 11/24/14 and the Tars came away with a 83-57 victory. All 11 Rollins players who saw action scored in that one. They were led by four players in double figures. Jeff Merton had a career high 13- Scott Schuette and Mike Bedulskis each scored 12- while Jeff Dirkin had 11.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com:
Rollins by 28.5
The Tars are coming off a hard-fought 86-75 win over Tampa in there conference opener Saturday. Deion Clark paced the Tars with a 22 point effort- Sam Philpott and Jeff Merton scored 17 each-while Sharif Almulla added 14. The Tars only had seven miscues in the game and shot 42 percent from the floor.
Rollins comes into Monday's contest averaging 90 points per game, which is 22.6 points better than the opposition. The Tars are shooting over 50 percent from the floor and better than 88 percent from the free throw line.
Merton paces the Tars in scoring at 18.2 points a contest- Almulla is the only other Tar averaging double figures at 13.4per night- Almulla and Mike Bedulskis share the team lead in rebounds at 5.6 a game.
The last time the Tars faced Bayamon was on 11/24/14 and the Tars came away with a 83-57 victory. All 11 Rollins players who saw action scored in that one. They were led by four players in double figures. Jeff Merton had a career high 13- Scott Schuette and Mike Bedulskis each scored 12- while Jeff Dirkin had 11.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com:
Rollins by 28.5
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Tars Win Fifth Straight.
The Rollins Tars improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the Sunshine State Conference with a hard-fought 86-75 win over the Tampa Spartans inside Warden Arena. With the loss Tampa dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the SSC.
The Tars were led by Old Dominion transfer Deion Clark. Clark had 18 of his 22 points in the opening half- Jeff Merton drained five 3-pointer's en route to his 17 points- Sam Philpott also added 17- while Sharif Almulla scored 14 to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.
Rollins shot 42 percent in the game.-They shot 33 percent (10-30) from the 3-point line-a team that come into the game shooting 86 percent as a team at the free throw line, the Tars were 26 of 27 (96 percent on Saturday.) The Tars had 13 assists and only seven turnovers.
The Spartans were paced by Pat Bacon who scored 21 points-while three other Tampa players scored in double figures on the day. Austin Rettig netted 19-Marcel Robison scored 17- and- Zach Hollis had 12.
Tampa shot 47 percent from the field in the game- shooting 37 percent from the 3-point line- they made eight of 12 free throws (67 percent.) The Spartans won the rebounding battle 37-33. They had 17 assists and 16 turnovers.
The Tars came out with a lot of energy in the early going. The team honored the late Chris Uhle prior to the game. The lead would stand up for much of the first half. The Spartans would keep the game very close early and trail by five. A Merton 3-pointer would give Rollins a seven point lead with 7:49 in the opening half. Rollins would take a 42-37 lead into the locker room.
The Tars would stretch the lead out to 10 in the first two minutes of the second half. The Spartans would not go quietly though. They would go on a 14-4 run that would knot the game at 53 with 10:59 to go. The teams would play even basketball for the next several minutes before the Tars would stretch the lead to six on another Merton 3-pointer, this one from the top of the key at the 5:13 mark. The Tars would lead by as many as 10 at the 2:11 mark and nail nine of 10 free throws to stay perfect for the season.
Rollins will be back in action Monday when they welcome Puerto Rico Bahaman to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 6 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park
Other SSC scores:
Embry Riddle 94 Florida Tech 77
Saint Leo 93 Nova Southeastern 88
Eckerd 83 Palm Beach Atlantic 78
Florida Southern 98 Lynn 91
SSC standings:
Florida Tech 1-0 (3-1)
Florida Southern 2-0 (2-2)
Rollins 1-0 (5-0)
Eckerd 1-0 (3-1)
Nova Southeastern 1-1 (2-1)
Saint Leo 1-1 (3-1)
Barry 0-1 (2-1)
Lynn 0-2 (1-2)
Tampa 0-2 (1-3)
The Tars were led by Old Dominion transfer Deion Clark. Clark had 18 of his 22 points in the opening half- Jeff Merton drained five 3-pointer's en route to his 17 points- Sam Philpott also added 17- while Sharif Almulla scored 14 to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.
Rollins shot 42 percent in the game.-They shot 33 percent (10-30) from the 3-point line-a team that come into the game shooting 86 percent as a team at the free throw line, the Tars were 26 of 27 (96 percent on Saturday.) The Tars had 13 assists and only seven turnovers.
The Spartans were paced by Pat Bacon who scored 21 points-while three other Tampa players scored in double figures on the day. Austin Rettig netted 19-Marcel Robison scored 17- and- Zach Hollis had 12.
Tampa shot 47 percent from the field in the game- shooting 37 percent from the 3-point line- they made eight of 12 free throws (67 percent.) The Spartans won the rebounding battle 37-33. They had 17 assists and 16 turnovers.
The Tars came out with a lot of energy in the early going. The team honored the late Chris Uhle prior to the game. The lead would stand up for much of the first half. The Spartans would keep the game very close early and trail by five. A Merton 3-pointer would give Rollins a seven point lead with 7:49 in the opening half. Rollins would take a 42-37 lead into the locker room.
The Tars would stretch the lead out to 10 in the first two minutes of the second half. The Spartans would not go quietly though. They would go on a 14-4 run that would knot the game at 53 with 10:59 to go. The teams would play even basketball for the next several minutes before the Tars would stretch the lead to six on another Merton 3-pointer, this one from the top of the key at the 5:13 mark. The Tars would lead by as many as 10 at the 2:11 mark and nail nine of 10 free throws to stay perfect for the season.
Rollins will be back in action Monday when they welcome Puerto Rico Bahaman to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 6 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park
Other SSC scores:
Embry Riddle 94 Florida Tech 77
Saint Leo 93 Nova Southeastern 88
Eckerd 83 Palm Beach Atlantic 78
Florida Southern 98 Lynn 91
SSC standings:
Florida Tech 1-0 (3-1)
Florida Southern 2-0 (2-2)
Rollins 1-0 (5-0)
Eckerd 1-0 (3-1)
Nova Southeastern 1-1 (2-1)
Saint Leo 1-1 (3-1)
Barry 0-1 (2-1)
Lynn 0-2 (1-2)
Tampa 0-2 (1-3)
Meet The 2015-16 Rollins Tars.
The Starters:
James Ferrell (#11)
Guard
6 foot 2 175 pounds
senior
Winter Park,Fla.
Winter Park High School
Played in 27 games and may have been the Tars most improved player last season. Played 11.5 minutes a night. He averaged 2.7 points- 1.1 assists- and- 1.0 rebound per night. Shot 44 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. Had a career high nine points against Palm Beach Atlantic on January 22nd. Hit his only 3-point attempt and made all six free throws he tried.
Coach Tom Klusman has always been very complimentary of the former Winter Park star:
"James just knows how to play the game and play it the right way." Klusman said to RollinsSports.TV
Pete's take: Ferrell will be the floor general for this team. He has paid his dues. Probably has the best basketball IQ on the team.
Deion Clark (#1)
Guard
6 foot 3 200 pounds
junior
Naples,Fla.
Barron Collier High School
Played 3.5 minutes a game. Averaged 0.8 points and 0.6 rebounds for Old Dominion last year. Fits well into the Rollins rotation.
Mike Bedulskis gave some insight into Clark's game:
"Deion made a smooth transition to our team and may be one of our better players. He is a really patient, crafty guard with a smooth jumper."
Klusman gave Clark about the highest praise you can get:
"Deion is a great guy who knows how to play the game. He is one of the best players I have ever coached in all of the years I have been doing this."
Pete's take: Welcome addition to this Tars team and starting five.
Mike Bedulskis (#14)
Center
6 foot 9 220 pounds
junior
Vilnius,Lithuania
Phelps High School (Philly)
Bedulskis had a solid season a year ago. Is a transfer from UNC Asheville. Can use both hands around the basket. Is a very good offensive post player. Defensively will look to improve from last season after having a year to learn the principles of the Tars zone.
Beduslkis spoke to me about the time and effort he put into improving his game in the off-season.
"The three things I really wanted to work on were my overall conditioning and strength, shot selection, and passing.I just really wanted to be an overall better team player and develop a greater feel for the game," Bedulskis said.
Pete's take: Bedulskis will need to rebound well and have some big nights on both ends of the court. Will play heavy minutes much of the season which is one of the big reasons why he was so focused on improving his conditioning this off season.
Sharif Almulla (#0)
Guard/Forward
6 foot 3 175 pounds
senior
Orlando,Fla.
Timber Creek High School
One of the Tars premier shooters. Almulla has been slowed by injuries each of the last two seasons. He played in 17 games in the 2013-14 season. Averaged 2.6 points a night. Had a career high 12 points against Eckerd on February 8th. Returned for the SSC tournament and scored three points in the loss to Nova Southeastern.
Coach Klusman had positive things to tell RollinsSports.TV about Almulla:
Sharif gave us a spark in many games last season and I expect more of the same and he will play well this year,"Klusman said.
Pete's take: A Spark for the Tars when healthy last season. One of the better shooters on the squad. Will have to shoot the ball well for this team to be successful.
Jeff Merton (#44)
Forward
6 foot 5 215 pounds
sophomore
Naples,Fla.
Community School Of Naples
Merton made a strong case for SSC freshman of the year last season. He got better as the season went along. The sky is the limit for this extremely talented sophomore.
Klusman commented on Merton's freshman campaign:
"Jeff is a guy who got better game after game last year. We threw him in there right away as a freshman. We are expecting a big year out of him this season."
Pete's take: The fact that he started as a freshman tells you all you need to know about Merton. Has immense talent and could be one of the best ever in the history of the program when all is said and done.
The Bench:
Kyle Koszuta (#10)
Guard
6 foot 2 190 pounds
senior
Niceville,Fla.
Niceville High School
Another of the Tars many long distance threats. Battled injury for much of last season but bounced back nicely. Originally played at Louisiana Monroe before coming to Rollins.
Klusman commented on Koszuta:
"Kyle is a guy who only knows one speed and plays full speed all the time."
Pete's take: When his feet are set, he can really knock down the 3-ball. Also very good at getting in passing lanes on the defensive end.
Joey Galvis (#32)
Guard
6 foot 1 165 pounds
junior
Tampa,Fla.
Tampa Jesuit High School
Galvin got better as the season went on last year. He saw some minutes in conference action. He has made great strides since last season, Bedulskis says:
"I think Joey has made great strides since last season, and will help our team a lot this year. He is a lot more confident than he was last season." Beduslkis said.
Pete's take: Much improved from last season. Has a knack for getting in passing lanes at the right time. Also a solid shooter.
Daniel Loh (#22)
Center
6 foot 8 220 pounds
redshirt freshman
Oviedo,Fla.
Oviedo High School
Came aboard the Tars program last season. Did not begin practicing with the team until January.
Bedulskis commented on facing Loh in practice:
"Dan is a great teammate and guy to play against during practice.
"He makes me very hard at the defensive end especially in practice. We battle every day in practice and this makes us better."
He added this about Loh's game:
"Dan is a really talented big who competes in every practice and can do a lot of things on the court. Will be very helpful to us this year."
Pete's take: His shooting ability, size and active hands should really help this team.
Sam Philpott (#31)
Forward/Center
6 foot 7 200 pounds
redshirt sophomore
Noblesville,Indiana
Noblesville High School
Had a solid season last year after redshirting the year before. Very good rebounder and a good shooter when he gets a little bit of space.
"Sam is also a great teammate and guy who works real hard in practice. Sam is quick,active and can shoot the ball from three."Bedulskis said.
He added this as well:
"Sam is also stronger than he was last season and one of the more seasoned players on our team now."
Pete's take:Philpott will see his role expand from last season. He will play more minutes on this team, as he now has more experience. Will slide over to the center position a lot more than last season.
Jack Fleming(#4)
Forward
6 foot 6 205 pounds
junior
Tampa,Fla.
Tampa Jesuit High School
Fleming played in six games for Colgate last season. Had a career high three points in win over Binghamton on December 1st, after draining first career 3-pointer. Had first career assists against Navy on January 18th. Played a season high four minutes twice.
Pete's take: Fleming will add some much needed size to a team that is much smaller than usual this year. Battled injuries for much of the off-season. Worked very hard and was ready to go for the opener.
Eric Castaneda (#15)
Guard
6 foot 4 175 pounds
redshirt sophomore
Oviedo,Fla.
Haggerty High School
Castaneda is a very athletic guard. Will benefit from redshirting last season. Averaged 16 points a game his senior season at Haggerty.
Pete's take: A very athletic guard that could help this team in the long run. Currently his
minutes are very limited.
Zach Ullian (#12)
Guard
6 foot 4 195 pounds
sophomore
Indianlantic,Fla.
Holy Trinity High School
Was on district champion Holy Trinity team in the 2013-14 season. Made it to the regional finals in both his junior and senior seasons. All time leading 3-point shooter at Holy Trinity. Had a school record seven in one game. Shot 47 percent from the 3-point line on the season. Had a career high 38 points against Father Lopez.
Pete's take: Good player who will have to pay his dues early
Injuries:
Marcus Camacho (#34)
Guard/Forward
6 foot 4 190 pounds
sophomore
Winter Springs High School
Camacho has a Jones fracture in the fifth metatarsal of the foot. He saw limited minutes last season. Word is he has improved a lot since last season With the injury and depth of this team going to be hard for him to find minutes.
Beduslkis had nothing but good things to say about Camacho:
"Marcus is the strongest guy in the weight room and has made a lot of progress as a shooter and a player overall. He also is a very funny guy off the court as well."
Alex Blessig (#3)
Guard
6 foot 2 181 pounds
senior
Berlin,Germany
Theodolinden Gymnasium
Blessig is the team's leading returning scorer. He was in the starting lineup for the first three games before dislocating his finger against Ave Maria. At halftime of that game the finger was numbed and had to be popped back into place. Blessig will be out four-six weeks.
He played in and started all 31 games for the Tars last year. He averaged 31 minutes a game. Put up 10.8 points a night, which was good for second on the team. Also averaged 3.4 assists a contest. Was the Tars top 3-point shooter and third in the conference shooting at a 43 percent clip from the 3-point line. Shot 82 percent at the foul line last season. Scored in double figures 14 times. Hit two free throws to seal upset win over then second ranked Florida Southern after tying it up with a jumper at the end of regulation on January 29th. Also shares the school record for three pointers made in one game.
Blessig will shift over to the two-guard sport from point guard this year. With playmakers like Ferrell, Koszuta and Clark on the team this season he will be able to play his natural position.
Pete's take: Was the engine that made the team go last season. When he played well offensively the Tars usually won. When he was quiet. They struggled offensively. Tough blow to this team but with the depth they have at guard they should be ok.
The Redshirts:
Blake Admire (#23)
Guard
6 foot 4 190 pounds
freshman
Mobile,Alabama
Spanish Fort High School
One of a pair of recruits from this year's freshman class.
Beduslkis had this to say about Admire in the early stages of his Tars career:
"Blake is getting better in practice every day. He is a quick, long and athletic guard. He provides great energy at both ends of the court."
Pete's take: Could be a solid player and should be in the long term. Good idea to redshirt him this season with all the depth this team has at the guard position.
Nils Lehmann (#42)
Center/Forward
6 foot 5 225 pounds
freshman
Kiel,Germany
Kieler Gelehrtenschule High School
Lehmann was a foreign exchange student who played at Winter Park High School. Could be a pleasant surprise for the Tars.
Bedulskis commented on Lehmann thus far:
"Nils is a strong shooter who plays solid defense and also rebounds very well. He will compete for playing time."
Klusman added his insight:
"Nils is a tough kid who will do anything you ask him to do."
Pete's take: The Tars usually know what they are doing when they collect big men. Let's hope this is another find. Guys like this are vital to a team that has struggled to rebound the last couple years.
James Ferrell (#11)
Guard
6 foot 2 175 pounds
senior
Winter Park,Fla.
Winter Park High School
Played in 27 games and may have been the Tars most improved player last season. Played 11.5 minutes a night. He averaged 2.7 points- 1.1 assists- and- 1.0 rebound per night. Shot 44 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. Had a career high nine points against Palm Beach Atlantic on January 22nd. Hit his only 3-point attempt and made all six free throws he tried.
Coach Tom Klusman has always been very complimentary of the former Winter Park star:
"James just knows how to play the game and play it the right way." Klusman said to RollinsSports.TV
Pete's take: Ferrell will be the floor general for this team. He has paid his dues. Probably has the best basketball IQ on the team.
Deion Clark (#1)
Guard
6 foot 3 200 pounds
junior
Naples,Fla.
Barron Collier High School
Played 3.5 minutes a game. Averaged 0.8 points and 0.6 rebounds for Old Dominion last year. Fits well into the Rollins rotation.
Mike Bedulskis gave some insight into Clark's game:
"Deion made a smooth transition to our team and may be one of our better players. He is a really patient, crafty guard with a smooth jumper."
Klusman gave Clark about the highest praise you can get:
"Deion is a great guy who knows how to play the game. He is one of the best players I have ever coached in all of the years I have been doing this."
Pete's take: Welcome addition to this Tars team and starting five.
Mike Bedulskis (#14)
Center
6 foot 9 220 pounds
junior
Vilnius,Lithuania
Phelps High School (Philly)
Bedulskis had a solid season a year ago. Is a transfer from UNC Asheville. Can use both hands around the basket. Is a very good offensive post player. Defensively will look to improve from last season after having a year to learn the principles of the Tars zone.
Beduslkis spoke to me about the time and effort he put into improving his game in the off-season.
"The three things I really wanted to work on were my overall conditioning and strength, shot selection, and passing.I just really wanted to be an overall better team player and develop a greater feel for the game," Bedulskis said.
Pete's take: Bedulskis will need to rebound well and have some big nights on both ends of the court. Will play heavy minutes much of the season which is one of the big reasons why he was so focused on improving his conditioning this off season.
Sharif Almulla (#0)
Guard/Forward
6 foot 3 175 pounds
senior
Orlando,Fla.
Timber Creek High School
One of the Tars premier shooters. Almulla has been slowed by injuries each of the last two seasons. He played in 17 games in the 2013-14 season. Averaged 2.6 points a night. Had a career high 12 points against Eckerd on February 8th. Returned for the SSC tournament and scored three points in the loss to Nova Southeastern.
Coach Klusman had positive things to tell RollinsSports.TV about Almulla:
Sharif gave us a spark in many games last season and I expect more of the same and he will play well this year,"Klusman said.
Pete's take: A Spark for the Tars when healthy last season. One of the better shooters on the squad. Will have to shoot the ball well for this team to be successful.
Jeff Merton (#44)
Forward
6 foot 5 215 pounds
sophomore
Naples,Fla.
Community School Of Naples
Merton made a strong case for SSC freshman of the year last season. He got better as the season went along. The sky is the limit for this extremely talented sophomore.
Klusman commented on Merton's freshman campaign:
"Jeff is a guy who got better game after game last year. We threw him in there right away as a freshman. We are expecting a big year out of him this season."
Pete's take: The fact that he started as a freshman tells you all you need to know about Merton. Has immense talent and could be one of the best ever in the history of the program when all is said and done.
The Bench:
Kyle Koszuta (#10)
Guard
6 foot 2 190 pounds
senior
Niceville,Fla.
Niceville High School
Another of the Tars many long distance threats. Battled injury for much of last season but bounced back nicely. Originally played at Louisiana Monroe before coming to Rollins.
Klusman commented on Koszuta:
"Kyle is a guy who only knows one speed and plays full speed all the time."
Pete's take: When his feet are set, he can really knock down the 3-ball. Also very good at getting in passing lanes on the defensive end.
Joey Galvis (#32)
Guard
6 foot 1 165 pounds
junior
Tampa,Fla.
Tampa Jesuit High School
Galvin got better as the season went on last year. He saw some minutes in conference action. He has made great strides since last season, Bedulskis says:
"I think Joey has made great strides since last season, and will help our team a lot this year. He is a lot more confident than he was last season." Beduslkis said.
Pete's take: Much improved from last season. Has a knack for getting in passing lanes at the right time. Also a solid shooter.
Daniel Loh (#22)
Center
6 foot 8 220 pounds
redshirt freshman
Oviedo,Fla.
Oviedo High School
Came aboard the Tars program last season. Did not begin practicing with the team until January.
Bedulskis commented on facing Loh in practice:
"Dan is a great teammate and guy to play against during practice.
"He makes me very hard at the defensive end especially in practice. We battle every day in practice and this makes us better."
He added this about Loh's game:
"Dan is a really talented big who competes in every practice and can do a lot of things on the court. Will be very helpful to us this year."
Pete's take: His shooting ability, size and active hands should really help this team.
Sam Philpott (#31)
Forward/Center
6 foot 7 200 pounds
redshirt sophomore
Noblesville,Indiana
Noblesville High School
Had a solid season last year after redshirting the year before. Very good rebounder and a good shooter when he gets a little bit of space.
"Sam is also a great teammate and guy who works real hard in practice. Sam is quick,active and can shoot the ball from three."Bedulskis said.
He added this as well:
"Sam is also stronger than he was last season and one of the more seasoned players on our team now."
Pete's take:Philpott will see his role expand from last season. He will play more minutes on this team, as he now has more experience. Will slide over to the center position a lot more than last season.
Jack Fleming(#4)
Forward
6 foot 6 205 pounds
junior
Tampa,Fla.
Tampa Jesuit High School
Fleming played in six games for Colgate last season. Had a career high three points in win over Binghamton on December 1st, after draining first career 3-pointer. Had first career assists against Navy on January 18th. Played a season high four minutes twice.
Pete's take: Fleming will add some much needed size to a team that is much smaller than usual this year. Battled injuries for much of the off-season. Worked very hard and was ready to go for the opener.
Eric Castaneda (#15)
Guard
6 foot 4 175 pounds
redshirt sophomore
Oviedo,Fla.
Haggerty High School
Castaneda is a very athletic guard. Will benefit from redshirting last season. Averaged 16 points a game his senior season at Haggerty.
Pete's take: A very athletic guard that could help this team in the long run. Currently his
minutes are very limited.
Zach Ullian (#12)
Guard
6 foot 4 195 pounds
sophomore
Indianlantic,Fla.
Holy Trinity High School
Was on district champion Holy Trinity team in the 2013-14 season. Made it to the regional finals in both his junior and senior seasons. All time leading 3-point shooter at Holy Trinity. Had a school record seven in one game. Shot 47 percent from the 3-point line on the season. Had a career high 38 points against Father Lopez.
Pete's take: Good player who will have to pay his dues early
Injuries:
Marcus Camacho (#34)
Guard/Forward
6 foot 4 190 pounds
sophomore
Winter Springs High School
Camacho has a Jones fracture in the fifth metatarsal of the foot. He saw limited minutes last season. Word is he has improved a lot since last season With the injury and depth of this team going to be hard for him to find minutes.
Beduslkis had nothing but good things to say about Camacho:
"Marcus is the strongest guy in the weight room and has made a lot of progress as a shooter and a player overall. He also is a very funny guy off the court as well."
Alex Blessig (#3)
Guard
6 foot 2 181 pounds
senior
Berlin,Germany
Theodolinden Gymnasium
Blessig is the team's leading returning scorer. He was in the starting lineup for the first three games before dislocating his finger against Ave Maria. At halftime of that game the finger was numbed and had to be popped back into place. Blessig will be out four-six weeks.
He played in and started all 31 games for the Tars last year. He averaged 31 minutes a game. Put up 10.8 points a night, which was good for second on the team. Also averaged 3.4 assists a contest. Was the Tars top 3-point shooter and third in the conference shooting at a 43 percent clip from the 3-point line. Shot 82 percent at the foul line last season. Scored in double figures 14 times. Hit two free throws to seal upset win over then second ranked Florida Southern after tying it up with a jumper at the end of regulation on January 29th. Also shares the school record for three pointers made in one game.
Blessig will shift over to the two-guard sport from point guard this year. With playmakers like Ferrell, Koszuta and Clark on the team this season he will be able to play his natural position.
Pete's take: Was the engine that made the team go last season. When he played well offensively the Tars usually won. When he was quiet. They struggled offensively. Tough blow to this team but with the depth they have at guard they should be ok.
The Redshirts:
Blake Admire (#23)
Guard
6 foot 4 190 pounds
freshman
Mobile,Alabama
Spanish Fort High School
One of a pair of recruits from this year's freshman class.
Beduslkis had this to say about Admire in the early stages of his Tars career:
"Blake is getting better in practice every day. He is a quick, long and athletic guard. He provides great energy at both ends of the court."
Pete's take: Could be a solid player and should be in the long term. Good idea to redshirt him this season with all the depth this team has at the guard position.
Nils Lehmann (#42)
Center/Forward
6 foot 5 225 pounds
freshman
Kiel,Germany
Kieler Gelehrtenschule High School
Lehmann was a foreign exchange student who played at Winter Park High School. Could be a pleasant surprise for the Tars.
Bedulskis commented on Lehmann thus far:
"Nils is a strong shooter who plays solid defense and also rebounds very well. He will compete for playing time."
Klusman added his insight:
"Nils is a tough kid who will do anything you ask him to do."
Pete's take: The Tars usually know what they are doing when they collect big men. Let's hope this is another find. Guys like this are vital to a team that has struggled to rebound the last couple years.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Tars Welcome Tampa For Conference Opener Saturday.
The Rollins Tars (4-0) will open Sunshine State Conference play when they welcome Tampa (1-2 0-1 SSC) to Warden Arena Saturday afternoon. As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Wednesday night the Tars used a huge second half to propel them to a 78-57 win over Warner, a team they had lost three straight to. The Tars were led by Jeff Merton, who scored a career high 24 points in the victory after not scoring in the game's first 18 minutes. James Ferrell scored 11 points and added five rebounds in his first career start.
The Tars come into Saturday with a high octane offense. They come into the game averaging 91 points a night. Rollins is shooting 53 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line in the early season. The Tars are also shooting at a 86 percent clip from the free throw line.
The Tars have a pair of players averaging double figures thus far on the season. Merton is putting up 18.5 points a night- while Sharif Almulla is netting 13.3 a night. Ferrell is scoring 9.3 per game and has 13 assists in four contests. Mike Bedulskis has also been solid in the early season. He is scoring 8.5 per night and is grabbing 5.5 rebounds to lead the team.
The Spartans come in off a loss in there conference opener. The Spartans fell to Florida Tech 68-61 on Wednesday night. Freshman Pat Bacon scored a career high 25 points to lead Tampa in the defeat. Austin Rettig also scored in double figures with 12. Marcel Robinson just missed a double-double (nine points and 10 rebounds) in the loss.
Tampa comes into the contest averaging 66.7 points a game on offense and allowing 71 a night. They are shooting 38 percent from the floor and 26 percent from the 3-point line.
Three Spartans are averaging double figures this season. Bacon paces Tampa at 18 a game- while Rettig (11.7) and Zach Hollis (10.7) also are averaging double figures. The Spartans return eight players from last season's team.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com
Other SSC lines:
Nova Southeastern +1.5@Saint Leo
Eckerd -6@Palm Beach Atlantic
Florida Southern +3@Lynn
Emby Riddle+2@Florida Tech
Note: Embry Riddle and Palm Beach Atlantic are both provisional members of the Sunshine State Conference. They play a home and home with each team in the conference but are not yet members.
Wednesday night the Tars used a huge second half to propel them to a 78-57 win over Warner, a team they had lost three straight to. The Tars were led by Jeff Merton, who scored a career high 24 points in the victory after not scoring in the game's first 18 minutes. James Ferrell scored 11 points and added five rebounds in his first career start.
The Tars come into Saturday with a high octane offense. They come into the game averaging 91 points a night. Rollins is shooting 53 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line in the early season. The Tars are also shooting at a 86 percent clip from the free throw line.
The Tars have a pair of players averaging double figures thus far on the season. Merton is putting up 18.5 points a night- while Sharif Almulla is netting 13.3 a night. Ferrell is scoring 9.3 per game and has 13 assists in four contests. Mike Bedulskis has also been solid in the early season. He is scoring 8.5 per night and is grabbing 5.5 rebounds to lead the team.
The Spartans come in off a loss in there conference opener. The Spartans fell to Florida Tech 68-61 on Wednesday night. Freshman Pat Bacon scored a career high 25 points to lead Tampa in the defeat. Austin Rettig also scored in double figures with 12. Marcel Robinson just missed a double-double (nine points and 10 rebounds) in the loss.
Tampa comes into the contest averaging 66.7 points a game on offense and allowing 71 a night. They are shooting 38 percent from the floor and 26 percent from the 3-point line.
Three Spartans are averaging double figures this season. Bacon paces Tampa at 18 a game- while Rettig (11.7) and Zach Hollis (10.7) also are averaging double figures. The Spartans return eight players from last season's team.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com
Other SSC lines:
Nova Southeastern +1.5@Saint Leo
Eckerd -6@Palm Beach Atlantic
Florida Southern +3@Lynn
Emby Riddle+2@Florida Tech
Note: Embry Riddle and Palm Beach Atlantic are both provisional members of the Sunshine State Conference. They play a home and home with each team in the conference but are not yet members.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Exercising Some Demons. Tars Stave off Pesky Royals.
The Rollins Tars improved to 4-0 on the season with a 78-57 win over the Warner Royals Wednesday night. The Royals fell to 4-2. With the win the Tars snapped a four game losing streak against Warner.
Once again the Tars used a balanced attack to get the win. 11 of the 12 Tars who saw action scored. A pair of Tars scored in double figures. Jeff Merton scored a career high 24 points after not scoring a point in the game's first 18 minutes. The sophomore from Naples added six rebounds- James Ferrell got his first career start for the injured Alex Blessig (out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger.) Ferrell responded with 11 points. The senior from Winter Park High School added five rebounds- a pair of assists and three steals. The Tars shot 51 percent as a team in the win. They shot 42 percent (10-24) from the 3-point line. Rollins continued to be solid at the free throw line, where they shot 76 percent (22-29.) The Tars won the rebounding battle 36-29. They had 12 assists and 14 turnovers.
The Royals also had a pair of players score in double figures. Warren Hall paced the Royals with 20 points. He would add seven rebounds and three assists. Anontio Ansley would drain five 3-pointer's en route to his 15 points. The Royals shot 38 percent in the loss. They struggled from the 3-point line where they shot 29 percent (10-34.) Warner shot at a 63 percent clip (5-8) from the free throw line. The Royals had 11 assists and 16 turnovers.
The first half was very tightly contested. The Royals would take a 14-8 lead after Hall hit a 3-pointer at the 13:42 mark. The Tars would have an answer though. They would go on a 9-2 run capped by a Jack Fleming 3-pointer that gave them a 17-16 lead at the 12:04 mark.
Rollins would stretch the lead to six before Warner would answer. The Royals would take a one-point lead with a little over a minute left in the half. The Tars would get the lead back on a Merton 3-pointer with 29 seconds, that would give them a two point lead (36-34) at the half.
The Tars would come out in the second half and stretch the lead to 11 after a Ferrell put back at the 14:55 mark. The lead would grow to 22 and the Tars would coast to a fourth straight win.
Rollins will be back in action Saturday when they conclude the three game home stand with the first game of conference action. The Tars will welcome Tampa to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 4 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
Once again the Tars used a balanced attack to get the win. 11 of the 12 Tars who saw action scored. A pair of Tars scored in double figures. Jeff Merton scored a career high 24 points after not scoring a point in the game's first 18 minutes. The sophomore from Naples added six rebounds- James Ferrell got his first career start for the injured Alex Blessig (out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger.) Ferrell responded with 11 points. The senior from Winter Park High School added five rebounds- a pair of assists and three steals. The Tars shot 51 percent as a team in the win. They shot 42 percent (10-24) from the 3-point line. Rollins continued to be solid at the free throw line, where they shot 76 percent (22-29.) The Tars won the rebounding battle 36-29. They had 12 assists and 14 turnovers.
The Royals also had a pair of players score in double figures. Warren Hall paced the Royals with 20 points. He would add seven rebounds and three assists. Anontio Ansley would drain five 3-pointer's en route to his 15 points. The Royals shot 38 percent in the loss. They struggled from the 3-point line where they shot 29 percent (10-34.) Warner shot at a 63 percent clip (5-8) from the free throw line. The Royals had 11 assists and 16 turnovers.
The first half was very tightly contested. The Royals would take a 14-8 lead after Hall hit a 3-pointer at the 13:42 mark. The Tars would have an answer though. They would go on a 9-2 run capped by a Jack Fleming 3-pointer that gave them a 17-16 lead at the 12:04 mark.
Rollins would stretch the lead to six before Warner would answer. The Royals would take a one-point lead with a little over a minute left in the half. The Tars would get the lead back on a Merton 3-pointer with 29 seconds, that would give them a two point lead (36-34) at the half.
The Tars would come out in the second half and stretch the lead to 11 after a Ferrell put back at the 14:55 mark. The lead would grow to 22 and the Tars would coast to a fourth straight win.
Rollins will be back in action Saturday when they conclude the three game home stand with the first game of conference action. The Tars will welcome Tampa to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 4 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Tars Look To Pay Back Warner.
The Rollins Tars will be right back at it Wednesday as they will play there second game in a 24 hour span. Warner University will come to Warden Arena for a 6 PM tip. The Royals have spoiled the home opener for the Tars each of the last two seasons. As always you can catch the game on the Geico Tars Sports Network at 91.5 FM WPRK WinterPark and worldwide at RollinsSports.com
The Tars are coming off a 100-51 victory over Ave Maria on Tuesday. Sam Philpott (17) Joey Galvis (nine) and Mike Bedulskis (14) all had career best in the victory. Sharif Almulla (10 points) and Jeff Merton (19) each have scored in double figures in all three contests. The first game being a 95-87 win over Paine and the second a 91-67 win over Clark-Atlanta in the SSC/SIAC crossover. All 13 Rollins players who have played have scored in each of the last two games.
Warner (4-1) is coming off a big 75-72 win over DI Florida Atlantic. Royals coach Sean Hanrahan is very familiar with the Rollins program having been an assistant on the staff in the early 2000s. The Royals are picked to finish third in the preseason poll of the Sun Conference. The Royals return four of their top six scorers who came into Warden Arena and defeated the Tars last season. The lone loss was 82-80 to Embry Riddle on Saturday. Three Royals average double figures in the early season. Warren Hall paces the Royals at 18.3 points per game. He is the reigning Sun Conference Player Of The Week. Eddie Dellegal is putting up 16.8 points a night- while Ansley Antonio is scoring 13 per contest.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com:
Rollins by 3.5
The Tars are coming off a 100-51 victory over Ave Maria on Tuesday. Sam Philpott (17) Joey Galvis (nine) and Mike Bedulskis (14) all had career best in the victory. Sharif Almulla (10 points) and Jeff Merton (19) each have scored in double figures in all three contests. The first game being a 95-87 win over Paine and the second a 91-67 win over Clark-Atlanta in the SSC/SIAC crossover. All 13 Rollins players who have played have scored in each of the last two games.
Warner (4-1) is coming off a big 75-72 win over DI Florida Atlantic. Royals coach Sean Hanrahan is very familiar with the Rollins program having been an assistant on the staff in the early 2000s. The Royals are picked to finish third in the preseason poll of the Sun Conference. The Royals return four of their top six scorers who came into Warden Arena and defeated the Tars last season. The lone loss was 82-80 to Embry Riddle on Saturday. Three Royals average double figures in the early season. Warren Hall paces the Royals at 18.3 points per game. He is the reigning Sun Conference Player Of The Week. Eddie Dellegal is putting up 16.8 points a night- while Ansley Antonio is scoring 13 per contest.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com:
Rollins by 3.5
Carry Over Effect. Tars Continue To Roll In Home Opener.
Sans a three minute stretch to begin the home opener the Rollins Tars continued what has been a hot start to the season with a 100-51 pounding of Ave Marie Tuesday.The Tars scored 90+ points for the third straight game. They hit the century mark for the first time since a 112-68 win over Puerto Rico Cayey on November 20,2008. With the win the Tars improved to 3-0 on the year, while the Gyrenes fell to 0-5 thus far.
For the second consecutive game all 13 players that saw action for the Tars scored. Jeff Merton led the way with 19 points in 24 minutes. Sam Philpott enjoyed his best night as a Tar on Tuesday. Philpott scored 17 points and did not miss a shot in 14 minutes of acton. He was five of five from the field and six of six at the free throw line. Philpott was not the only Tar who enjoyed a career night. Mike Bedulskis had a career best 14, while Joey Galvis added a personal best nine. Sharif Almulla also scored in double figures with 10 points in just 13 minutes of action. The Tars shot a blistering 64 percent as a team. They shot 44 percent (11-25) from the 3-point line. Rollins shot at a 88 percent clip (21-24) at the free throw line. They won the rebounding battle 33-20. The Tars had 17 assists and 15 turnovers on the night. The only real negative for the Tars in this one was Alex Blessig dislocating his finger in the first half. His status for tomorrow's game is unknown.
The Gyrenes were led by Martez Harris who led all scorers with 23 points. Johnny Minervo added 11, while Exor Torres chipped in eight. Ultimately the Tars size and athleticsm was to much for Ave Maria. The Gyrenes shot 33 percent from the floor in the loss. They went six of 22 (27 percent) from the 3-point line. They shot 92 percent (11-12) at the free throw line. The Gyrenes had nine assists and turned it over 24 times.
The Tars got off to a sluggish start as neither team would score in the game's first two minutes. The Tars had five turnovers at the first media timeout. The first ten minutes of the game would be played fairly even as the Tars would have a three point lead. After a 13-0 run over the next three minutes the Tars would lead 35-19 after a steal and basket by Jack Fleming at the 6:15 mark. The Tars would stretch the lead to as many as 18 but would ultimately take a 47-31 halftime lead.
The second half was all Tars. The Tars would outscore the Gyrenes 53-20 in the second half. For the second straight game the Gyrenes would not have enough firepower to hang with there opponent after the intermission. The Tars shot an incredible 73 percent from the floor in the second half.
Rollins will be back in action tomorrow when they welcome old friend Sean Hannrahan and his Warner Royals to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 6 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.TV and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
For the second consecutive game all 13 players that saw action for the Tars scored. Jeff Merton led the way with 19 points in 24 minutes. Sam Philpott enjoyed his best night as a Tar on Tuesday. Philpott scored 17 points and did not miss a shot in 14 minutes of acton. He was five of five from the field and six of six at the free throw line. Philpott was not the only Tar who enjoyed a career night. Mike Bedulskis had a career best 14, while Joey Galvis added a personal best nine. Sharif Almulla also scored in double figures with 10 points in just 13 minutes of action. The Tars shot a blistering 64 percent as a team. They shot 44 percent (11-25) from the 3-point line. Rollins shot at a 88 percent clip (21-24) at the free throw line. They won the rebounding battle 33-20. The Tars had 17 assists and 15 turnovers on the night. The only real negative for the Tars in this one was Alex Blessig dislocating his finger in the first half. His status for tomorrow's game is unknown.
The Gyrenes were led by Martez Harris who led all scorers with 23 points. Johnny Minervo added 11, while Exor Torres chipped in eight. Ultimately the Tars size and athleticsm was to much for Ave Maria. The Gyrenes shot 33 percent from the floor in the loss. They went six of 22 (27 percent) from the 3-point line. They shot 92 percent (11-12) at the free throw line. The Gyrenes had nine assists and turned it over 24 times.
The Tars got off to a sluggish start as neither team would score in the game's first two minutes. The Tars had five turnovers at the first media timeout. The first ten minutes of the game would be played fairly even as the Tars would have a three point lead. After a 13-0 run over the next three minutes the Tars would lead 35-19 after a steal and basket by Jack Fleming at the 6:15 mark. The Tars would stretch the lead to as many as 18 but would ultimately take a 47-31 halftime lead.
The second half was all Tars. The Tars would outscore the Gyrenes 53-20 in the second half. For the second straight game the Gyrenes would not have enough firepower to hang with there opponent after the intermission. The Tars shot an incredible 73 percent from the floor in the second half.
Rollins will be back in action tomorrow when they welcome old friend Sean Hannrahan and his Warner Royals to Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 6 PM. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.TV and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Tars Welcome Ave Maria For Home Opener Tuesday.
The Rollins Tars (2-0) welcome Ave Maria for the home opener Tuesday at Warden Arena. The Gyrenes come in with a record of 0-4.
Last time out the Tars saw all 13 players find the scoring column in a 91-67 drubbing of Clark-Atlanta. This came a day after a win over Paine in the opener. Through two games the Tars are putting up 93 points a contest. They also are shooting 49 percent from the 3-point line and over 90 percent at the free throw line.
Sharif Almulla leads the Tars after two games at 19.5 points a contest. Jeff Merton is scoring 15.5 per night- while Alex Blessig is putting up 13.5 a contest. The last of the double digit scorers is James Ferrell at 11 points a game.
The Gyrenes come in off a 84-52 loss to Lynn the last time out. Martel Harris had 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way. Exxon Torres scored nine in the loss. The Gyrenes shot 26 percent and turned the ball over 16 times.
Last season Ave Maria went 11-19 on the year. They were just 4-14 in conference play. The squad only allowed 58 points a night a year ago.
As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.TV and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com:
Rollins by 25.5
Last time out the Tars saw all 13 players find the scoring column in a 91-67 drubbing of Clark-Atlanta. This came a day after a win over Paine in the opener. Through two games the Tars are putting up 93 points a contest. They also are shooting 49 percent from the 3-point line and over 90 percent at the free throw line.
Sharif Almulla leads the Tars after two games at 19.5 points a contest. Jeff Merton is scoring 15.5 per night- while Alex Blessig is putting up 13.5 a contest. The last of the double digit scorers is James Ferrell at 11 points a game.
The Gyrenes come in off a 84-52 loss to Lynn the last time out. Martel Harris had 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way. Exxon Torres scored nine in the loss. The Gyrenes shot 26 percent and turned the ball over 16 times.
Last season Ave Maria went 11-19 on the year. They were just 4-14 in conference play. The squad only allowed 58 points a night a year ago.
As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.TV and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com:
Rollins by 25.5
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Everybody Has A Hand In Tars Pasting of Clark-Atlanta.
All 13 Rollins Tars who saw action scored in a 91-67 drubbing of Clark-Atlanta in game two of the SSC/SIAC crossover hosted by Florida Tech Saturday. With the win the Tars improved to 2-0 for the second straight year. With the loss the Panthers fell to 0-2.
The Tars had three players score in double figures in the victory. Jeff Merton scored in double digits for the second consecutive game putting up 17 points. Sharif Almulla did the same, follwing up his career high 24 points with a 14 point performance Saturday. Deion Clark had a very efficient day in just his second game with the Tars. The transfer from Old Dominion scored 14 points on seven of nine shooting. The Tars shot 51 percent in the win. They shot 48 percent (11-23) from the 3-point line. They were a perfect 12 of 12 at the free throw line. The Tars won the rebounding battle 38-33.
They had 14 assists and 17 turnovers.
The Panthers were led by James Arnold with 24 points. Damien Enoch scored 13- while Eneh Chuka scored seven. The Panthers shot 39 percent as a team in this one. They shot 35 percent (7-20) from the 3-point line. They shot 67 percent (18-27) at the free throw line. The Panthers had almost twice as many turnovers (22) as assists (12.)
It was Clark-Atlanta who controlled play for much of the first half. The Panthers would lead for most of the opening half. It would take a 12-4 Rollins run capped by a Kyle Koszuta 3-pointer with eight seconds in the half that would give Rollins a 39-35 halftime lead.
The Tars took control in the second stanza. The lead grew to 14 on a Almulla lay up at the 16:32 mark of the contest. The Panthers would cut it to nine with 12:05 to go but that is as close as they would get.
The Tars will return home for the home opener Tuesday evening when they take on Ave Marie. Tip time is scheduled for 6 PM at Warden Arena. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at 91.5 FM Winter Park and worldwide at RollinsSports.TV
The Tars had three players score in double figures in the victory. Jeff Merton scored in double digits for the second consecutive game putting up 17 points. Sharif Almulla did the same, follwing up his career high 24 points with a 14 point performance Saturday. Deion Clark had a very efficient day in just his second game with the Tars. The transfer from Old Dominion scored 14 points on seven of nine shooting. The Tars shot 51 percent in the win. They shot 48 percent (11-23) from the 3-point line. They were a perfect 12 of 12 at the free throw line. The Tars won the rebounding battle 38-33.
They had 14 assists and 17 turnovers.
The Panthers were led by James Arnold with 24 points. Damien Enoch scored 13- while Eneh Chuka scored seven. The Panthers shot 39 percent as a team in this one. They shot 35 percent (7-20) from the 3-point line. They shot 67 percent (18-27) at the free throw line. The Panthers had almost twice as many turnovers (22) as assists (12.)
It was Clark-Atlanta who controlled play for much of the first half. The Panthers would lead for most of the opening half. It would take a 12-4 Rollins run capped by a Kyle Koszuta 3-pointer with eight seconds in the half that would give Rollins a 39-35 halftime lead.
The Tars took control in the second stanza. The lead grew to 14 on a Almulla lay up at the 16:32 mark of the contest. The Panthers would cut it to nine with 12:05 to go but that is as close as they would get.
The Tars will return home for the home opener Tuesday evening when they take on Ave Marie. Tip time is scheduled for 6 PM at Warden Arena. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at 91.5 FM Winter Park and worldwide at RollinsSports.TV
Friday, November 13, 2015
Rollins Battles Clark Atlanta To Close Out SSC/SIAC Crossover
The Rollins Tars will battle Clark-Atlanta Saturday in the finale for both teams of this season's SSC/SIAC crossover hosted by Florida Tech. The Tars will look to sweep the event and start 2-0 for the second consecutive year. While Clark-Atlanta will look to even there season record at 1-1.
The Tars (1-0) got a 95-87 win in the opener on Friday night behind a career high 24 points from Sharif Almulla. Alex Blessig scored 18- while James Ferrell and Jeff Merton added 14 in the victory. Blessing, Merton and Almulla are all coming up season's in which they averaged double figures. The Tars played a solid offensive game shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 88.2 percent at the foul line. The one area the Tars will have to clean up is the 25 miscues they had in the opening win. They also held Paine to below 40 percent shooting, including 28 percent from the 3-point line. The Tars defeated Clark-Atlanta 80-76 in last season's SSC-SIAC crossover that Clark-Atlanta hosted.
The Panthers (0-1) were picked to finish fifth in the SIAC preseason this year. Cornell Barnett was selected to be on the all the all SIAC team. Barnett (15.2 PPG) and Derek Harper (11.8 a night) return for the Panthers.
Clark-Atlanta was a 94-88 loser to host Florida Tech on Friday night. Four Panthers scored in double figures in the loss. Damien Enoch led the way with 23 points- James Arnold had 22- Harper had 15- while Derrick Herbert had 10. Barnett was held to six in the loss. The Panthers shot 41 percent from the field in the loss. They went just six of 21 from the 3-point line.
As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network on 91.5 FM WPRK and worldwide at RollinsSports.TV. Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Robert Siegel will have the call. Tip time on Saturday is set for 2 PM.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com: Rollins by 8
The Tars (1-0) got a 95-87 win in the opener on Friday night behind a career high 24 points from Sharif Almulla. Alex Blessig scored 18- while James Ferrell and Jeff Merton added 14 in the victory. Blessing, Merton and Almulla are all coming up season's in which they averaged double figures. The Tars played a solid offensive game shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 88.2 percent at the foul line. The one area the Tars will have to clean up is the 25 miscues they had in the opening win. They also held Paine to below 40 percent shooting, including 28 percent from the 3-point line. The Tars defeated Clark-Atlanta 80-76 in last season's SSC-SIAC crossover that Clark-Atlanta hosted.
The Panthers (0-1) were picked to finish fifth in the SIAC preseason this year. Cornell Barnett was selected to be on the all the all SIAC team. Barnett (15.2 PPG) and Derek Harper (11.8 a night) return for the Panthers.
Clark-Atlanta was a 94-88 loser to host Florida Tech on Friday night. Four Panthers scored in double figures in the loss. Damien Enoch led the way with 23 points- James Arnold had 22- Harper had 15- while Derrick Herbert had 10. Barnett was held to six in the loss. The Panthers shot 41 percent from the field in the loss. They went just six of 21 from the 3-point line.
As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network on 91.5 FM WPRK and worldwide at RollinsSports.TV. Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Robert Siegel will have the call. Tip time on Saturday is set for 2 PM.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com: Rollins by 8
Balanced Attacks Lifts Tars Past Paine In Opener.
For Tom Klusman and the Rollins College Tars it was a welcome sight to see a team that struggled so much on the offensive end a season ago scoring at will to open the 2015-16 season. The Tars would hang on for a 95-87 win over the Paine Lions in the opening game of the SSC/SIAC crossover. It was the second consecutive year the Tars knocked off Paine opening weekend.
Rollins (1-0) was led by four players in double figures. Sharif Almulla paced the Tars with a career high 24 points- the junior from Timber Creek High School went seven of 14 from the field- including four of seven from the 3-point line. Almulla was a perfect six of six at the free throw line. He also had six rebounds. Alex Blessig picked up where he left off last season. The senior had 18 points- four rebounds- and four assists. Sophomore sensation Jeff Merton added 14 points and seven rebounds- while James Ferrell added 14 to go along with a team high six assists.
The Tars shot 47 percent from the field in the win. They shot 33 percent (8-24) from the 3-point line. The Tars also were solid at the free throw line, where they shot at a 88 percent clip (37-42) on the day. The Tars had 18 assists and turned the ball over 25 times.
The Lions (0-1) were led by four players in double figures as well. Denzell Dillingham scored 21 points to lead the way. He did not shoot the ball well though. Dillingham was seven of 21 from the field, including six of 17 from the 3-point line. He was also one of three at the foul line. Yusef Riley
and Kaderious Compton each chipped in 11. Patrick Petty added 10 points, six assists and five rebounds. Paine shot 39.5 percent from the field in the loss. They struggled from the 3-point line, where they shot 28 percent (10-36) on the day. As well as at the free throw line where they shot 68 percent (17-25.) Paine edged the Tars on the boards 42-41. They had 14 assists and 16 turnovers.
It was the Tars who got out of the gates quickly in this one. Merton would give them a double digit lead just over eight minutes in. The Tars would open up a 14 point lead (25-11) after a Mike Bedulskis layup with just 9:24 to go in the opening half.
The Lions would come roaring back with a 17-4 run of their own to cut the Tar lead to one (29-28) after a Dillingham 3-pointer with 3:51 to go. After a little back and forth action, Dillingham would nail another 3-pointer to tie the game with a little over a minute to go in the half. The Tars would rattle off the next six points to take a 45-39 lead into the locker room.
The Tars would stretch the lead to 11 in the early stages of the second half after a pair of Bedulskis free throws. Paine would once again have an answer. This time it was a 12-0 spurt that would give the Lions a 58-57 lead with 12:56 to go.
The game would go back and forth for the next several minutes until the Tars took the lead for good after four Ferrell free throws at the 7:35 mark. Ferrell was fouled, making both, and then Petty was hit with a technical as well. The Lions would get within one with 3:35 to go, but that is as close as they would get.
The Tars will be back in action Saturday for day two of the SSC/SIAC crossover hosted by Florida Tech. This time a 2 PM tip against Clark-Atlanta. Florida Tech and Paine will follow. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Rollins (1-0) was led by four players in double figures. Sharif Almulla paced the Tars with a career high 24 points- the junior from Timber Creek High School went seven of 14 from the field- including four of seven from the 3-point line. Almulla was a perfect six of six at the free throw line. He also had six rebounds. Alex Blessig picked up where he left off last season. The senior had 18 points- four rebounds- and four assists. Sophomore sensation Jeff Merton added 14 points and seven rebounds- while James Ferrell added 14 to go along with a team high six assists.
The Tars shot 47 percent from the field in the win. They shot 33 percent (8-24) from the 3-point line. The Tars also were solid at the free throw line, where they shot at a 88 percent clip (37-42) on the day. The Tars had 18 assists and turned the ball over 25 times.
The Lions (0-1) were led by four players in double figures as well. Denzell Dillingham scored 21 points to lead the way. He did not shoot the ball well though. Dillingham was seven of 21 from the field, including six of 17 from the 3-point line. He was also one of three at the foul line. Yusef Riley
and Kaderious Compton each chipped in 11. Patrick Petty added 10 points, six assists and five rebounds. Paine shot 39.5 percent from the field in the loss. They struggled from the 3-point line, where they shot 28 percent (10-36) on the day. As well as at the free throw line where they shot 68 percent (17-25.) Paine edged the Tars on the boards 42-41. They had 14 assists and 16 turnovers.
It was the Tars who got out of the gates quickly in this one. Merton would give them a double digit lead just over eight minutes in. The Tars would open up a 14 point lead (25-11) after a Mike Bedulskis layup with just 9:24 to go in the opening half.
The Lions would come roaring back with a 17-4 run of their own to cut the Tar lead to one (29-28) after a Dillingham 3-pointer with 3:51 to go. After a little back and forth action, Dillingham would nail another 3-pointer to tie the game with a little over a minute to go in the half. The Tars would rattle off the next six points to take a 45-39 lead into the locker room.
The Tars would stretch the lead to 11 in the early stages of the second half after a pair of Bedulskis free throws. Paine would once again have an answer. This time it was a 12-0 spurt that would give the Lions a 58-57 lead with 12:56 to go.
The game would go back and forth for the next several minutes until the Tars took the lead for good after four Ferrell free throws at the 7:35 mark. Ferrell was fouled, making both, and then Petty was hit with a technical as well. The Lions would get within one with 3:35 to go, but that is as close as they would get.
The Tars will be back in action Saturday for day two of the SSC/SIAC crossover hosted by Florida Tech. This time a 2 PM tip against Clark-Atlanta. Florida Tech and Paine will follow. You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Tars Battle Paine To Kick Off 2015-16 season Friday.
The Rollins Tars battle Paine Friday in the opener for both teams. The game will be part of the SSC/SIAC crossover for the second consecutive year. The Tars knocked off Clark-Atlanta before defeating Paine last year. Last season's event was hosted by Clark-Atlanta. This season it will be Florida Tech that will be the host. The Panthers will take on Clark-Atlanta in the nightcap at 7 PM Friday, before they battle Paine in a Saturday matinee. The Tars will face Paine Friday at 4:30 PM in the first game, before battling Clark-Atlanta in the opener at 2 PM Saturday at the Clemente Center.
You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network on 91.5 FM WPRK and worldwide at RollinsSports.com.
The Tars return seven letter winners from a season ago. They will add five newcomers to the roster. The three top scorers from last season return for Rollins. Alex Blessig (11.8 PPG,) Jeff Merton (11.1 PPG,) and Sharif Almulla (10 points per contest) return.)
Three redshirt freshman will debut for the Tars. Eric Castaneda, Marcus Camacho and Zach Ullian. As well as a pair of DI transfers will be newcomers. Deion Clark, a transfer from Old Dominion, as well as Jack Fleming (a Colgate transfer.) Tom Klusman will begin his 36th season as the Tars head coach, compiling a record of 632-373. He is currently fifth among active DII coaches in wins.
Paine comes into the contest picked to finish second in the SIAC. The Lions are led by Preseason SIAC Player Of The Year Denzel Dillingham. He is coming off a season in which averaged 21 points a night and shot at a 45 percent clip from the 3-point line. The Lions went 23-6 a season ago, including 17-2 in SIAC play. Arnis Libasz also returns for the Lions. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a night last season.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com:
Rollins by 7.5
You can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network on 91.5 FM WPRK and worldwide at RollinsSports.com.
The Tars return seven letter winners from a season ago. They will add five newcomers to the roster. The three top scorers from last season return for Rollins. Alex Blessig (11.8 PPG,) Jeff Merton (11.1 PPG,) and Sharif Almulla (10 points per contest) return.)
Three redshirt freshman will debut for the Tars. Eric Castaneda, Marcus Camacho and Zach Ullian. As well as a pair of DI transfers will be newcomers. Deion Clark, a transfer from Old Dominion, as well as Jack Fleming (a Colgate transfer.) Tom Klusman will begin his 36th season as the Tars head coach, compiling a record of 632-373. He is currently fifth among active DII coaches in wins.
Paine comes into the contest picked to finish second in the SIAC. The Lions are led by Preseason SIAC Player Of The Year Denzel Dillingham. He is coming off a season in which averaged 21 points a night and shot at a 45 percent clip from the 3-point line. The Lions went 23-6 a season ago, including 17-2 in SIAC play. Arnis Libasz also returns for the Lions. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a night last season.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsbooks.com:
Rollins by 7.5
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