By Andrew Ragali
The CCSU men’s basketball team got exactly what they needed last Thursday: a breakout game from freshman forward Joe Efese, a hard fought victory at home over a tough NEC opponent and a chance to play their way into the NEC tournament in a must win against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Saturday.
Efese had one of his most effective nights in CCSU uniform, contributing 12 points to go along with 8 blocks in the Blue Devil’s (10-17, 7-9 NEC) 74-65 win against the LIU Blackbirds (12-15, 10-6 NEC) Thursday night in New Britain.
“I’m a shot blocker,” said Efese, “so, the last couple of games I’ve been getting in foul trouble, and I just need to keep my feet on the ground and keep my hands up.”
Foul trouble was not a problem on this night for Efese, who committed zero fouls in 32 minutes of play, while getting his blocked shots, only the second player to record 8 blocks in CCSU history.
“I have a long wingspan, so that definitely helped me out in blocking shots and just getting to the spot and playing help defense.”
The score was back and forth throughout the first half, but the Blackbirds secured a halftime lead with a three-pointer from David Hicks with one second remaining, and the Blue Devils trailed 33-35 going into the break.
It was a tie game, 56-56, with 3:33 remaining in the game, when sophomore guard Robby Ptacek hit two crucial three-pointers that gave the Blue Devil’s enough breathing room to finish off the Blackbirds.
Ptacek has been an offensive stimulus ever since his revitalizing return to the court, scoring 17 in a close victory against Wagner. He scored 12 points on Thursday night, including 8 in the final 3:12.
Ptacek hit a free throw with 35.2 seconds left to put the Blue Devils up nine for good.
“Everybody’s getting better, you know, we don’t have people just running around,” said Junior Captain Shemik Thompson, who led the game with seven assists to go along with 11 points.
“We try to mix up the offense too, so we’re not doing the same things and defenses know like, how were doing this or doing that, so we’re just keeping it mixed up.”
Defense is the key to a blossoming offense for the Blue Devils.
“We just try to play tough on defense,” said Efese. “Our coach always said our defense created our offense.”
Senior guard Jaytornah Wisseh, who had 22 points, and Hicks, who had 10, led the LIU Blackbirds. CCSU checked Wisseh for the most part, forcing him to shoot 7-19 from the floor. Wisseh almost matched that total in the 2nd half of LIU’s February 20 match up against Monmouth, with 21 points.
“It’s the second half of the season. I would just say that everybody’s maturing,” said Thompson. “Our backs are against the wall, we’re there now so, we’ve got to keep playing, and just like go hard or go home now.”
“Shemik didn’t have a turnover tonight,” said head coach Howie Dickenman. “I called him in the other day and I said you know ‘mik, the first, whatever number, seventeen games, nineteen games, you were averaging 2.5 turnovers a game. Now its up to 4.3 turnovers in the last 6 or 7, so he did a terrific job.”
“I thought (Vince) Rosario did a good job, defensively,” said Dickenman. Vince Rosario, a sophomore guard, worked hard against the Blackbirds offense-minded Wisseh.
Dickenman said he challenged Efese prior to the game to play to the level of the Blackbird’s freshman tandem of Jamal Olasewere and Kenny Onyechi, who he feels have been outplaying Efese to this point. The Blue Devil freshman was on point tonight though.
“Joe was the man amongst those two freshmen,” said Dickenman. “[He] made some blocks, and the thing that’s as much amazing as anything is he didn’t commit a foul. He’s getting better all the time.”
“It was a Central Connecticut type game and we had to do things in the 2nd half, we stepped up and did them.”
The Blue Devil win avenges a 69-65 loss to LIU on December 5 in Brooklyn.
