Article by: Colin Gowin
The Blackburn College Men’s Basketball Team travelled to Galesburg, Ill. to take on the Knox College Prairie Fire in a nonconference game on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Blackburn coming into the game 0-4 on the season looked to get their first win. Knox also looked to get things started in a positive start, as this was their first game of the season.
Blackburn starters were as follows: senior Jamie Moore, junior Jake Maestranzi, senior Henry Hicks, junior DeAndre Manuel and sophomore Jordan McMillen. Jordan McMillen won the tip for Blackburn but the Beavers were unable to do anything with it. Turnovers were an issue for Blackburn as they had three early in the first three minutes of the game. After a timeout with 16:53 remaining in the first half, the offense began rolling; Maestranzi hit back to back shots to put the Beavers up 9-3. Halfway through the first half Blackburn led 17-14. The game didn’t seem to be this close but Blackburn’s turnovers kept Knox in the game. Neither team was able to dramatically extend or narrow the lead. Blackburn went into the half with a 34-31 lead. In the half, Blackburn shot 46 percent from the field and grabbed ten offensive rebounds but the 19 turnovers set them back. Jordan McMillen scored ten first half points, brought down four rebounds and came up with one steal. Jake Maestranzi added eight points, three rebounds, three steals and one assist.
The Beavers started the second half with Jake Maestranzi, Henry Hicks, Damon Goodloe, Malcolm Scott and Jordan McMillen on the court. A quick start to the first half had Blackburn down 43-40, but they didn’t go away. Junior Chris Davis started the half off by hitting a couple difficult shots and getting to the free throw line. Halfway through the half Knox had the lead 58-49. A few Knox runs which included Blackburn turnovers and Knox hitting several big shots put Blackburn down 71-57 with 4:45 remaining. Blackburn’s full court press was applied with 4:17 left on the clock. The Beavers were able to battle back to cut the deficit to nine points, but it was too-little-too-late with late fouls and Knox free throws ending the game in a score of 81-73 in Knox’s favor.
The major turning points of the game were Blackburn’s 35 turnovers to Knox’s 18 and while the Beavers controlled the glass, Knox moved the ball more efficiently and accumulated 15 assists to Blackburn’s five on the game. Blackburn was led by Jake Maestranzi who had 13 points, five steals, four rebounds and two assists and Jordan McMillen who had 15 points, four rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot.
The loss moves Blackburn to 0-5 on the season. The men’s basketball team will take the court again on Dec. 2 in St. Louis, Mo. against St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents from Fontbonne University. This marks Blackburn’s first conference game of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 pm and will follow the women’s game.