Bookstore Basketball XXX: Verzatility, Project Mayhem advance in tourney
By JEFF BALTRUZAK
Assistant Sports Editor
Bookstore showcases the top basketball talent at Notre Dame outside the Joyce Center, but at the Stepan courts, hustle and desire count for as much as anything.
Such was the case in 13th-seeded Verzatility's 21-13 upset against fourth-seeded Majestics. In a game where players got familiar with the concrete, former varsity walk-on Hunt Hanover led his squad past a bigger, but not taller Majestics team.
"We played tough," said Hanover. "Our defense was awesome we held them for a while at 13, and we hit our free throws."
Verzatility controlled the tempo early, grabbing rebounds right and left, as Matt Wolbeck, the Majestic's star player, couldn't find his scoring touch. Wolbeck would never quite get his rhythm, scoring only two points the entire contest.
Still, the Majestics' Corey Hartmann hit two outside shots to keep the game close, and Verzatility had several weak trips down the floor.
As the teams settled into the flow of the game, it became clear that neither squad was gun-shy about playing rough.
"The whole game was getting rough, right from the beginning, but that's Bookstore," Hanover said.
Verzatility held an 11-8 halftime lead, and went on a run early in the half for a 14-9 tally, playing to an increasingly loud crowd. The teams started to exchange foul shots, but Verzatility's defense began to hold, and Kevin Murphy of Verzatility hit several clutch shots as the fourteen seed gradually put the game away.
Wolbeck had a laundry list of things that the Majestics didn't do during the game.
"We played like sh*t," said Wolbeck after the game. "We didn't execute, we didn't rebound, we didn't get back on defense, they outplayed us."
Ninth-seeded Project Mayhem took on the eighth seeded Diaper Dandies in the most well attended contest of the evening, and the two teams didn't disappoint as Mayhem won 21-19. From the opening possession it was clear both teams featured very athletic players, when the Dandies' Jerome Collins skied for a rebound over three members of Project Mayhem.
But Mayhem would prove to be more efficient shooters. Jason Mayes was consistently fed the ball and consistently scored, and Brian Rush and Doug Wilson were reliable on the inside.
But the Dandies athleticism would keep the game close. Quarterback turned point guard Carlyle Holiday showcased his court talents, chalking up eight points. Holiday repeatedly slashed through the lane past Luke Mueller of Mayhem .
"We should have had the game," said Holiday. "We didn't rebound well today."
But Holiday did not shut down Mueller on the offensive end. Mueller had four points at key junctures in the game.
Project Mayhem lead the whole game, and either team was always within striking distance of a game-winning run. The Dandies kept it close when Abe Elam found his scoring stroke late in the game. He had five points overall.
"We know where each other are going to be, we played well as a team," said Wilson.
Wilson believes that fatigue played a role in the game, with several of the Dandies players competing after football practice.
"I think the fact that they were coming back from practice, they were a little tired help us out run them a little bit," said Wilson. "We were a little quicker."
The twin towers of former varsity player Tony Carney and Grant Gholsen took advantage of their size and guard Steve Byrnes had a strong outing as the seventh-seeded Freeballers took out 10th-seeded Strategery 21-14.
The Freeballers took control early, as Carney and Gholsen were fed the ball consistently, and Byrnes knocked down several outside buckets. The Freeballers were equally tenacious on the defensive end.
"Our guards were just dominating," said Carney. "Steve played great."
The Freeballers cruised to a 11-5 halftime advantage, but Strategery tightened their defense, lessening the Freeballers' dominance inside.
"They were tough inside," Carney said. "They had some long arms."
Byrnes was the late game star, playing inspired defense.
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 27, 2001
