By: Jon Santer
Assistant Sports Editor
As the temperature outside continues to drop at Springfield College, the men’s basketball team is turning up the heat in January. Throughout the month, the Pride hold a 6-2 record including a three-point, 56-53 emotional victory over MIT, and an absolute rout of NEWMAC-foe Wheaton by a score of 92-51.
Included in the month of January was a trip out east to Babson Park, Mass. to take on the Babson Beavers. Thanks to a career-high 30 points from senior Jordan Rote, the Pride were able to pull out a 68-62 overtime victory. Other notable performers in the victory included senior Robbie Burke, who posted 15 points along with 6 rebounds and senior Alex Berthiaume with six points and just as many rebounds.
Springfield College’s antagonists in the contest was a duo of junior guard Kevin Ross and sophomore forward John Wickey who both netted 15 points, with Wickey snagging 9 rebounds. Despite just his second year in green and white, Wickey has been the leader on the court for the Beavers so far this season. The Manchester, N.H. native has averaged 16.6 points per game as well as 8.7 rebounds. Alongside Wickey atop Babson’s leaderboards is junior guard Matt Palazani. The Franklin, Mass. native has started all 19 games for the Beavers, averaging 13.4 points per contest.
When the Beavers travel to Springfield College on Saturday, there are a few names and numbers that will be running through each player’s minds to be looking out for on the court. The first of these names is the ever-dangerous Alex Berthiaume. The local senior, graduate of Springfield Cathedral High School, is having a memorable senior year. Berthiaume has averaged 17.5 points per game as well as four rebounds. Fellow guard, Rote, has started every game for head coach Charlie Brock and has averaged 15.7 points each time he steps onto the court.
The key’s for the Pride in this contest will be to neutralize Wickey in the paint. For this, Springfield will be looking to the tenacious Robbie Burke as well as senior Pat Rossi and sophomore Tim Swenson as to slow down the 6’7″ sophomore. Offensively, Springfield will need ideal performances from Rote and Berthiaume to complete the season sweep of the Beavers. The game will tip-off at 3 p.m. in Blake Arena