Tue 5-Dec-2000

UW-SP men's basketball team finish early non-conference schedule unbeaten
By Jesse Horne
Journal staff

UW-SP's Kalonji Kadima (24) is fouled on his way to the basket by Perry Myren of Mount Senario during the Pointers' 87-55 non-conference victory at Quandt Gym on Monday night. (Journal photo by Tom Kujawski)

The head coach wore a vest of red. The pep band played "On Wisconsin" and the Bennett-led team dominated the game on the court from start to finish.

No, this was not Dick Bennett leading the Wisconsin Badgers to victory in the Kohl Center in Madison.

Instead, it was his brother Jack commanding the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team to an 87-55 win against Mount Senario Monday at the Quandt Fieldhouse.

"I did wear it just as a little reminder of him," Jack Bennett said. "Despite the color of the vest, I still bleed purple and gold."

The win improves the Pointers record to 7-0 in non-conference play. They will travel to UW-Whitewater for their WIAC opener on Wednesday.

So far, the Pointers have beaten their opponents by an average margin of 20 points. Despite the great statistic, this will not be kosher once conference play begins, Bennett said.

"The WIAC is a different animal than the teams we've faced until now," he said. "I don't want to make light of the opponents we've faced. But this is going to be a donnybrook this season."

As was the case in their first six games, the Pointers benefited from scoring inside the paint. The first field goal of the game for UW-SP was made by an open Joe Zuiker under the net. That was followed by two drives to the hoop by Kalonji Kadima to give UW-SP an early 8-2 lead. Kadima finished the first half with nine of his 11 points.

"The opportunities to get to the basket tonight came a little easier tonight because the team came together to clear the lanes," Kadima said. "I made sure I took advantage of the openness."

Brent Larson - originally from Ladysmith, home of the Fighting Saints - widened the ever-increasing Pointer lead with a break-away lay-in to highlight a 19-4 Pointers run to begin the game.

UW-SP went into the locker room confidently possessing a 49-31 lead. But the Pointers started the second half on shaky ground. Traimaile Bullock hit two jumpers to help bring the Fighting Saints to within 13 at 55-42. UW-SP then awakened to go on a 17-0 run over the next five minutes.

The highlight of the run came with 7:05 remaining in the game. The Pointers snagged a loose ball and Josh Iserloth went in for the easy slam dunk. Mt. Senario's Mike Hechtler provided an added bonus with an intentional foul on the play.

The ensuing free throw by Iserloth resulted in a 72-42 lead for UW-SP.

"We hit a little bit of a cold spell to start that second half," Bennett said.

"But we do have enough depth to wear Mount Senario down."

The opportunities at the basket was evident in the team's 56 percent (27-for-48) field goal percentage in the game compared to just 28 percent (18-for-65) for Mt. Senario.

"I try to preach the importance of quality shots as opposed to the quantity of shots," Bennett said.

Probably the most devastating injury for the Pointers did not happen on the court, but on the bench. During the first half, Neal Krajnik was preparing to enter the game and was walking toward the scorer's table when he was inadvertently hit in the face by an official calling a foul.

The incident resulted in a bloody nose and lip for Krajnik and delayed his entrance into the game.

"I called Neal's name and he was quick to get in and he just knocked him right down," Bennett said. "I told (official Norm Gabrovic) jokingly that he should've given himself a technical.

"I've never seen that before in all my years of coaching," he said.