After an 0-12 start to the season, the California Golden Bears men’s basketball unit has won three of its last four games, the most recent a 92-70 thrashing of Stanford in Berkeley on Friday. Cal’s Dundalk duo of Sam Alajiki and ND Okafor combined to shoot 11-for-14, good for 27 points. Alajiki, a sophomore, connected on seven of nine shots from the field, including five of six from long distance, for 19 points, while Okafor, a freshman, drained four of five shots for eight points. The Bears are now 3-13.
Eli Lenihan was near perfect in his shot selection last week for Spring Hill. The 6-5 sophomore forward from Cork chipped in five points, hitting both his field goal attempts and his lone free throw for five points in a 76-68 win over Allen University in Columbia, S.C. The Badgers (7-8) then traveled to Wilberforce, Ohio, where they dropped a heartbreaker, 72-71, to Central State. Lenihan scored 13 points, making four of five shots from the floor as well as all five attempts at the reparations line. He also had four rebounds.
James Beckom came off the bench to post 11 points in John Brown University’s 78-54 road loss to Wayland Baptist on Thursday. The 6-3 senior guard from Cork flushed three of five shots from the floor and five of six from the foul line. He also accounted for team highs in rebounds (7) and steals (2).
Sanmi Fajana scored eight points and hauled down seven rebounds in an 18-minute stint to help Wis.-Parkside defeat Grand Valley State, 82-71, in Kenosha, Wis. on Thursday. The 6-8 sophomore from Dublin knocked down three of five field goal attempts, including one of three from long range, as well as one of two free throws. He also blocked two shots. Fajana displayed a disciplined shooting approach in Saturday’s 72-58 loss at home to Davenport. He scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-2 from downtown, and 1-of-1 at the foul line. The Rangers are 11-4.
James Thomas Phelan proved a reliable spark off the bench for Thomas (Maine) in losses last week in Waterville to Cazenovia, 90-82, and SUNY-Poly, 69-62. The 6-3 freshman from Portlaoise, Co. Laois tallied 12 points in Friday’s loss to Cazenovia on 5-of-14 shooting from the floor, including two of five from the high-rent district. He added 11 points to the cause in the Poly loss, making three of eight shots from the field, including two of five from far afield, and three of six from the foul line. He had a team-high three steals in both games. Thomas is 2-9.
Jamie Muldowney converted a pair of free throws with 22 seconds left on the game clock to help Coker defeat Lenoir Rhyne, 56-53, in Hartsville, S.C. on Wednesday. The 6-7 freshman from County Laois finished with seven points. He then came off the bench to chip in 14 points as the Cobras (10-6) defeated visiting Anderson, 89-78, on Saturday. Six of his nine field goat attempts found their target, including two of five flares. Five rebounds and three assists flushed out his stat line.
In a game where every point counted, Darragh O’Sullivan’s two minutes on the floor mattered in Florida Tech’s 96-95 win over Barry in Melbourne, Fla. The 6-5 sophomore forward from Cork attempted one shot from outside the three-point arc which was good. The Panthers are 12-4.
C.J. Fulton’s versatility was on display in Lafayette’s 82-65 loss at home to Army. The 6-2 backcourtman from Belfast came up 7s in the points and rebounds columns to accompany a game-high nine assists. The Leopards then dropped a 73-69 overtime heartbreaker to Boston University in Beantown. Fulton scored 16 points, pulled down seven boards and assisted on four buckets. He canned five of 11 shots from the floor, including four of eight from Fenway Park, and both his free throws. On Sunday, Lafayette (3-14) turned the tables with a 74-67 overtime win at home against Bucknell. Fulton again led in assists (eight), while scoring 14 points, making five of 14 shots from the floor, including four of 10 from Larry Holmes’ driveway.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Enya Maguire scored a team-high 17 points for Houston Christian in Thursday’s 63-58 loss to Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, La. The 5-4 junior guard from Belfast cashed on six of 11 field goal attempts, including five of eight from outside the three-point arc. She also got credit for three assists. The Huskies are 7-7.
Lucy Coogan was inserted into the starting lineup for Caldwell and helped power the Cougars to a 77-65 win at home over Bridgeport on Wednesday. The 6-foot freshman from Kilkenny tallied 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor (including 2-of-4 from long range) and 3-of-4 shooting from the foul line. She later added 11 points to the Cougars’ cause in a 63-60 win at home over Goldey-Beacom, knocking down five of 12 shots from the floor, including one of six from bonus territory. Caldwell is 7-7.
Abigail Rafferty clicked at a 75 percent shooting rate as undefeated DeSales blew the doors off of Lycoming, 72-30, in Williamsport, Pa. on Wednesday. The 6-1 junior from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone scored on six of eight shots from the field and drained her only free throw for 13 points. She also got credit for five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. DeSales is 13-0.
Ella O’Donnell scored 12 points and reeled in seven rebounds as Quinnipiac defeated Canisius, 69-53, in Buffalo on Saturday. The 6-3 freshman from Shankill, Co. Dublin deposited five of eight attempts through the hoop, including a successful launch from a nearby snow drift, and converted one of two free throws. The Bobcats are 9-6.
Another double-double for Katie Williamson – her fourth of the season – as Southern Connecticut State trounced Franklin Pierce, 68-41, in Rindge, N.H. on Wednesday. The 6-1 senior forward from Dublin scored 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting and took down 10 caroms, while committing three steals. She then led the Owls (9-4) with 13 points in a 62-51 road loss to Assumption. She made six of 11 field goal attempts and one of two free throws.
Credit Deborah Ogayemi with a double-double. The 6-1 sophomore forward from Waterford scored 12 points and hauled down 12 rebounds to help Texas-Rio Grande Valley to an 83-73 triumph over Texas-Arlington in a Wednesday road contest. She sank six of 10 shots from the floor. The Vaqueros are 7-7.
Bronagh Power-Cassidy was the game’s high scorer in Holy Cross victories over Navy, 53-40, and American, 62-45, last week. The 5-10 sophomore forward from Dublin rang up 15 points in the Navy win, hitting five of 13 shots from the floor, including three of six from the hinterlands, as well as both foul shots. Her six rebounds were co-high for the Crusaders. Against American, she scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including five of eight through a Norden sight, and four of five free throws. Holy Cross is 13-3.
