Sat 18-Nov-2000

Pointer men dazzle Barat to open season
By JESSE HORNE
Journal Staff

Josh Iserloth goes for the successful first-half slam dunk in the Pointers' win over Barat Friday. Iserloth led UW-Stevens Point with 22 points.

The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team came into the 2000-2001 season Friday looking to continue the momentum that guided the team to its first WIAC title since 1993.

Friday, against Barat College of Lake Forest, Illinois, the Pointers picked up right where they left off.

With four players in double figures, the Pointers grabbed the lead from the start and did not look back as they stormed to a 104-82 win over in the semifinals of the 17th annual Terry Porter Tip-Off Classic at the Quandt Fieldhouse.

"For those that wanted offensive basketball, it doesn't get any better than tonight," head coach Jack Bennett said. "We had dunks, good three-point shooting, nice passing, and it all came together.

"I don't know how good we'll be this year, but I guarantee we'll be a very entertaining team this year," he said.

For Bennett, the win marked the first time in his career he coached a team to a triple-figure point total.

The Pointers started the game strong by storming to an early 21-8 lead, capped off by a three-pointer by Ron Nolting. He finished with 11 points, all in the first half.

"Most of my points tonight were rather scrappy," Nolting said. "We were just able to move the ball well and I was lucky to get the shots."

Nolting was among four Pointers who cracked into double figures. Josh Iserloth led the team with 22 points while Jay Bennett finished the game with 16 points and Travis Kornowski scored 11 points.

The Bulldogs began to trim away at UW-SP's lead and did close the deficit to 40-36 with 2:19 to play in the first half. But Nolting scored four points in a 9-2 rally to give the Pointers a 51-38 lead at halftime.

Jay Bennett began the second half for UW-SP by hitting one of his three 3-pointers of the night. His shot from beyond the arc was followed five minutes later by successive long shots from Kornowski, Nick DeVos, and Brent Larson to give UW-SP a 77-56 lead with 11:48 remaining.

"We really did a decent job of controlling the tempo when we started the second half," Jack Bennett said. "I think that was when we really took charge of the game.

UW-SP (1-0) moves on to the championship game to face Upper Iowa, who defeated Concordia 77-67. The game will be at the Quandt Fieldhouse today at 7:00.