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Pointers Back in National Finals By Beating York
Box Score
UW-Stevens Point will get a chance to defend its NCAA Division III men�s
basketball championship after dismantling York (Pa.) 81-58 in the national semifinals on Friday in Salem, Va.
The Pointers are now 28-3 and will take on Rochester (N.Y.) in the title game on
Saturday at 4 p.m. central time. Rochester defeated Calvin (Mich.) 65-62 in the other semifinal. UW-Stevens Point is attempting to become the
third team to win back-to-back titles and first since UW-Platteville in 1998-99. York finished the season 28-3 and had lost its previous two games
by three points and one point, respectively. The Spartans had a school record 14-game winning streak snapped.
It was another outstanding all-around performance from the Pointers and senior
forward Jason Kalsow as they drained 12 three-pointers and had 22 assists with just six turnovers.
Kalsow was a one-man show with 20 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and five
blocks. The senior hit three three-pointers in an effort that came off a game in the sectional final that saw him score a season-low eight points.
�I struggled a little bit in the sectional,� Kalsow said. �I know it�s the
final four, but I�ve been taught since I was a little boy that your next game is the biggest.�
�If you put too much emphasis on Kalsow and (Nick) Bennett, the other guys will
hurt you,� said York coach Jeff Gamber. �We didn�t do a good job with that and I give them credit.�
The Pointers were draining threes all night as six different players combined to
finish 12-for-24 from behind the arc. York, meanwhile, was held to 44.2 percent shooting and a season-low point total after entering the game
against the nation�s second-ranked defense averaging 80.9 points per game.
�They had tremendous ability and tremendous size,� Gamber said. �Their
length at all positions made it difficult to play a good game. Their defense making it difficult for us was the key to the game.�
UW-Stevens Point trailed 8-7 early in the game, but got two consecutive
three-pointers from Kyle Grusczynski and another from Bennett to spark a 9-0 run and take control. After York closed to 20-14, the Pointers went
on a 10-2 run for a 30-16 lead. UW-Stevens Point had the lead as big as 19 points in the first half before York closed the first half with five
straight points and a three-pointer from Kenny Fass at the horn to pull within 40-26 at the half.
Fass, who led York with 13 points, hit another three-pointer to open the second
half and brought the Spartans within 11 points, but the Pointers got two straight layups from Eric Maus and a three-pointer from Kalsow to push
the lead back to 47-29 three minutes into the second half.
York�s closest penetration the rest of the way was 15 points at 61-46 with 9:35
left, but Brian Bauer hit a three-pointer for the Pointers as they cruised to the finish.
UW-Stevens Point shot 46.2 percent from the field, but owned a 39-27 rebounding
advantage. In fact, the Pointers had 19 offensive rebounds on their 37 missed shots.
Bennett added 16 points and had four three-pointers, moving into third place on
the school�s all-time scoring list with 1,628 career points. Maus had 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Grusczynski scored 13 points.
�It�s an 80-minute weekend,� Pointers� coach Jack Bennett said. �We
played a pretty solid 40 minutes tonight and we need to play a great 40 minutes tomorrow.�
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