Tie game. Overtime. The shot clock winding down. The Stags had seen a seven point lead evaporate within a matter of minutes.
It was a situation all too familiar to Fairfield.
It wasn’t too long ago that Fairfield was in a similar position: an overtime game at Alumni Hall against a team that was pushing them to the brink.
That time the Stags had trouble maintaining their poise and running with a more experienced veteran team.
On this night, though, it was their composure and senior leadership that would make sure that another crushing defeat in the extra period would not occur.
As Herbie Allen ’09 drove the lane and passed the ball back out to the perimeter, it was senior Michael Van Schaick who hit the biggest shot of the night and of this young season, a three-pointer to end the St. Francis comeback and swing the momentum back to the Stags.
After the game, Van Schaick made it seem as if it was all part of a day’s work.
“I was in the right spot at the right time,” he said with a smile.
That one play seemed to be indicative of the trend that this team has developed over the past few weeks. Senior play has shown some signs of recovering, as has the entire team.
Yet wins have still been fleeting, largely due to an overall lack of consistency and questionable shooting, as evidenced in the Stags’ 67-50 loss to Providence.
Van Schaick, who had led the team in scoring in the previous three contests, scored nine points, yet struggled mightily with his shooting. He missed all five three-point attempts in addition to shooting two of eight from the field.
As for O’Sullivan and Ogelsby, one would be hard pressed to see their impact against the Friars. O’Sullivan was scoreless and only pulled in two boards, while Ogelsby scored five points in only 12 minutes of action.
Seniors struggles were a big reason for the rough night in Providence. Van Schaick, along with fellow seniors Marty O’Sullivan and Danny Ogelsby, have become far more active in Cooley’s offense, and the team’s success now depends largely on senior production.
The recent tendency to rely on veteran play began in late November when the Stags were given the daunting task of playing national powerhouse Georgetown.
While many players would be intimidated, the veteran Stags were hardly affected at all by the Hoyas’ stature, as the seniors accounted for 33 of the team’s 60 points.
On that night, O’Sullivan and Ogelsby had breakout performances. Even in a losing effort it is apparent that the momentum that game provided has certainly carried over into the most recent games.
O’Sullivan was a spark off of the bench against St. Francis, finishing the game with nine points and 11 rebounds, including two crucial offensive rebounds down the stretch that led to second chance points. Ogelsby has been a fairly reliable player on the defensive side of the ball and is certainly a trusted option on the floor, as indicated by the 26 minutes he logged in the overtime victory over the Terriers this past Saturday.
The main reason for the increased senior productivity is the outstanding play by Van Schaick as a guard.
The games against Georgetown, Loyola Chicago, and St. Francis appeared to be a coming out party for Van Schaick. He tallied a game-high 19 points against St. Francis, including five three-point shots. That effort moved him into the top 10 in all-time three-point shots made in Fairfield history.
He had a career-high 23 points against Loyola last week, just after leading the team in scoring against nationally-ranked Georgetown.
However, against Providence, Van Schaick labored just to score nine, mostly coming from free throws.
The all-too-frequent inconsistent production appears to be the only remaining flaw that the senior class has. Only a few shorts days after a widespread strong effort from all three players, the shooting touch went cold against Providence.
“I think all the upperclassmen have to take on that role. To a man, everyone has to take on that role,” Van Schaick said. “I don’t think it’s just one guy.”
It wasn’t too long ago when the Stags were in overtime and faced with a difficult situation. On that night, it was anyone’s guess as to where the ball would go and who would be trusted with the game on the line.
Now, that question may be blurrier than ever.
Stags’ Report Card: A Tale of Two Games
Seniors : B What a difference a month makes. In overtime losses to American and Holy Cross, the veterans were far from a factor in the decision. Against St. Francis last Saturday, though, the seniors willed the Stags to a win. Van Schaick’s 19 point effort led the way. O’Sullivan is an underrated player that does a fantastic job on the board and in the paint, but against Providence the seniors continued to struggle. Van Schaick was zero for five from beyond the arc and O’Sullivan was held without a point and pulled down only three rebounds. As long as they continue to play well, the seniors will be a key component in the Stags’ MAAC performances.
Rebounding : C+ The one aspect of the St. Francis game that was troubling was the Stags’ ineffectiveness under the glass. The Terriers out rebounded Fairfield 38 to 32. Although that may not seem like a drastic difference, it was apparent that St. Francis was doing a better job with the dirty work under the boards. 16 second-chance points for the Terriers were largely due to offensive rebounds. Had it not been those second chance points, this game would not have even been a contest. Against the Friars the Stags were much improved against a tough rebounding team, as they grabbed 23 boards, only three less than Providence.
Energy : B The Stags did all they could to show a lot of poise and excitement on the floor. After a lackluster first half, they came out on fire in the 2nd half, hitting their first six shots (including two three-pointers). In overtime the Stags jumped out to a seven-point lead before St. Francis responded. Now if they could only play like that for a full half… Against Providence Fairfield was within four points with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Then, Providence went on a 22-9 run to end the game.
Overall : B Fairfield played a mediocre game against 0-8 St. Francis and followed it up by playing relatively well against a strong Providence team. The schedule gods have not been kind to Fairfield this year, and that will not change anytime soon. Up next, the Stags travel to play Boston College. Then they’ll hardly have time to take a deep breath before MAAC play begins this weekend against Manhattan at Harbor Yard. Their play this week will likely be a sign of whether or not this team is ready to take a step to the next level.
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