February 9, 2008
Surging Eagles Top Norwich For Fourth Straight
- Hanson's 7 Threes Help Eagles End 11-Game Slide Against Cadets -

Nashua – Chris Hanson (Salem, Mass.) led four players in double figures, erupting for 28 points and knocked down 7 of 11 from outside the arc leading host Daniel Webster past Norwich, 101-91 in a wild GNAC men’s basketball matchup Saturday.

Hanson led a blistering outside attack as the Eagles drained 16 three pointers on the night including nine in the first half. The win ended an 11-game losing streak to the Cadets dating back to January of 2002 including avenging an 86-72 Cadet win in Northfield, Vt. back on January 21st.

It was also the fourth straight victory for a suring Eagles squad (7-13, 5-10 GNAC) that has rebounded from a mid-season 11-game slide. The win also kept the Eagles a half-game ahead of Mount Ida (58-55 winners over Rivier) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the GNAC tournament with four league games remaining.

A.J. Hemingway (Staten Island, N.Y.) added 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for DWC, while Tim Jackson (W. Henrietta, N.Y.) knocked down 21 points and dished out a game high nine assists. Adam Landry (Vernon, Conn.) chipped in with four three pointers including three in the first half to finish with 12 points.

Mike Filipek (Jericho, Vt.) sparkled for the Cadets (11-10, 7-8 GNAC) registering 24 points going 8 of 10 from the field as well as at the line. Jaren Jeffcoat (Dallas, Tex.) added 19 points while Jerrold Williams (Norwalk, Conn.) added 18 and Tim Fico (Monroe, Conn.) chipped in with 11.

The Eagles, who shot 59% from the field in the opening half, came out firing in building a 17-7 lead over the first 5:44 keyed by two treys from Landry and another from Hanson. The lead would reach a high water mark of 17 twice late in the first, ended with a Victor Rios (Staten Island, N.Y.) three pointer at the buzzer to put the hosts up 56-41 at the break.

The Eagles led 68-55 after another Hanson trey with 15:59 left, but Norwich slowly charged back with a 12-4 run over the next 3:07 keyed by seven points from Jeffcoat including a layup that made it 71-67 with 12:52 to play.

But the Eagles had too many answers as Hanson immediately followed with another from outside and Jackson followed with layup to regain a nine-point edge and the Eagles never let the Cadets closer than six the rest of the way.

DWC hosts GNAC foe St. Joseph’s (Maine) Tuesday at 7:00 p.m while Norwich travels to St. Joseph’s next Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. game.