Amidst Adversity Men's Hoops Downed by Ephs

Author: Daniel Russel

The Middlebury College men's basketball team traveled to Williamstown, Mass. on Saturday to play highly-touted Williams College in a do-or-die matchup. Williams boasted the best record in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), and the game would either end the Panthers' season or propel them into NESCAC tournament play.

Middlebury entered the game determined to match the Ephs' intensity and counter its swarming, aggressive half court press with an equally aggressive press of their own. The Ephs, however, jumped out to a very early lead, hitting shots with alarming regularity and frustrating the Panther offense as they built an 11-0 lead. Williams led by as many as sixteen, 20-4, with 9:12 left remaining before the Panthers made their first field goal, with 9:20 remaining in the first half.

As they have so many times in the past, however, the Panthers would not allow themselves to be overrun, and in a dramatic reversal of fortune, captain Eric Bundonis '03 took a charge shortly after their first field goal. Bundonis' play rejuvenated the team, and then he proceeded to lead the Panther charge, scoring 10 of his 13 points in the first quarter as Middlebury stunned Williams with another of their patented runs, this time a phenomenal 30-18 outburst, to bring the Panthers to within four at halftime.

In the second half, however, Williams renewed their offensive onslaught, going on a 20-9 run, and, crippling the momentum of the already exhausted Panthers, who buckled under the strain of having to overcome a second double-digit lead. Although first-year Simon Behan (15 points), showing great promise in his most complete offensive game of the year, was able to get the Panthers to within nine on two three-pointers, the emotionally and physically spent Panthers could get no closer. Williams built on their lead and cruised to a 25 point victory, 88-63, eliminating the Panthers from any chance at a berth in the playoffs as they end their season with an 11-13 record (3-6 in the NESCAC).

Although the season ended on an extremely frustrating and disheartening note for the Panthers, they should be extremely proud of what, in retrospect, has been a remarkably successful year. Even in a 25 point loss to Williams (in a game much closer than the score would indicate) they showcased the incredible resiliency and determination which has been the hallmark of their success all season. Coming back from a 16 point deficit against arguably the best team in the NESCAC only serves to reinforce how much harder they have to work to compete with the top teams in their league. At the very least, it will only provide added incentive to an already fierce and determined group of young players.

It may have been too much too expect for a team with one junior, six sophomores and seven first-year to make the NESCAC tournament, but the fact that they placed those expectations on themselves is proof alone of their success this year and of how much they have come together as a team in terms of confidence, trust and skill. And, ironically enough, the team had an identical regular season record with last year's squad, a team that graduated nine seniors.

What makes their season all the more remarkable is that they achieved so much success without the veteran presence of their lone senior, center/forward Chris King, who was lost midway through the year to injury. His loss only seemed to make the team band together even more.

In a year in which they were widely discounted due to their lack of experience and size, the Panthers surprised nearly everyone with their fearless and gritty play. They provided some truly memorable and thrilling moments in Pepin Gymnasium, including a second consecutive win over highly-touted Amherst College, and a thrilling double-overtime victory against Wesleyan University.

Next season promises great things for a Panther team which was competitive in almost every game, as the Panthers will be expected to fulfill the enormous potential they displayed over the course of this season. And they will only get better, as they return all of their 13 active players. They will also be given an added size advantage with the return of departed sophomore center/forward Koby Maguire and the return of forward Chris Matthiesen '04, who was sidelined all year to injury.

"We're excited," says Bundonis. "Even with all new players, we had the same record. The biggest thing is for us to get better individually. We were close in every game, and now the goal is to do that consistently for forty minutes. People are finally getting excited about Middlebury basketball. The real test for us will be in how hard we work in the off-season. Once we iron out all the little bumps we encountered over the course of this season, we're ready to take a big step."