DELHI, N.Y. (January 22, 2020) – It had been over a month since they played in front of their peers, but the SUNY Delhi men's basketball team welcomed everyone back to campus with a rousing 84-57 home win over Clarks Summit to open the spring semester. The Broncos picked up their fifth straight win to improve to 15-7, and closed out the month of January with an 8-2 record.
The night began with head coach Zack Thomsen recognizing his three seniors that scored 1,000 career points over Delhi's 11-game winter break. Justin Daoud was the first of the group to make the mark at Northern Vermont Johnson on Jan. 6, followed by Payton Dean on Sunday at SUNY Cobleskill, and William Knight on Monday at Albany College of Pharmacy. Fellow senior and team assists leader Jordan Fragale ceremoniously passed each Bronco their ceremonial ball. Fragale is close to the mark himself, as the point guard posted nine points, nine assists, and five rebounds Wednesday to bring his career total to 971 points.
The pregame festivities served as a suitable precursor to the up-tempo style of scoring the Broncos would put on against the Defenders. Fourteen of the sixteen Broncos who took the court Wednesday produced points, as Daoud led the way with 15 points, making three triples to lead the team. Dean notched his eighth double-double of the season with 11 points and a season-high 17 rebounds. Mavenson Therneus logged 11 points, while Glenn Butler totaled nine points. Jared Beach produced eight points off the bench, as Carlos Ithier drained a pair of threes for six points.
Delhi raced out to a 45-23 halftime lead, and stretched its lead to as many as 32 points in the second half. The Broncos shot 46.6 percent (34-for-73) connecting on 7-of-23 threes, while Clarks Summit finished at 32.8 percent (22-for-67) and made 2-of-15 from long range. The green and gold outrebounded the Defenders, 51-42, and held a 46-26 lead in points in the paint.
The Broncos will now get a much-needed nine-day rest after playing 12 games in a 25-day span dating back to Dec. 29. They have three more regular-season games, opening the month of February with a home contest against ACAA-foe Pratt Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3:00 p.m., then a home USCAA matchup with Bryant & Stratton Liverpool Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m. and a road meeting at ACAA-opponent Pine Manor Saturday, Feb. 15 at 3:00 p.m.
Looking ahead to the postseason, Delhi will host the ACAA Tournament, with the two semifinals games set for Saturday, Feb. 29 and the championship Sunday, Mar. 1. The Broncos are also in contention to earn a bid for the USCAA Division I National Tournament, which begins Thursday, Mar. 12 at Penn State Fayette. Coach Thomsen's team was ranked fourth in the latest USCAA Coaches Poll, with the tournament consisting of eight at-large bids.
