MOC men pound Crusaders

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on January 17, 2006 1:46 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- In the midst of a huge run to start the game by Mount Olive's men's basketball team, Belmont Abbey coach Dale Kuhl instructed his team to stay focused and even used two timeouts within the first five minutes.

Eventually, all Kuhl could do was just shake his head in frustration.

Simply, the night and the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference belonged to the 21st-ranked Trojans, who performed near-flawlessly in a 102-50 drubbing of the Crusaders.

Mount Olive (11-3, 5-2 CVAC), which jumped out to a 15-2 lead after just five minutes and led 47-15 at the half, put six players in double figures.

Sophomore reserve and Kinston High graduate Montel Jones led the way with 20 points, while adding six rebounds and three assists. Jones and Chris Bartley, who dropped in 14 points, made four, 3-pointers each and were two-of-four Mount Olive players to make at least three, 3-pointers. The Trojans shot a sizzling 18-of-31 (58 percent) from behind the arch and dominated every statistical category in the lop-sided victory.

"This is how we need to play game-in and game-out," Bartley said. "When we're all clicking, this is the outcome. It's dangerous."

Elton Coffield and Justin Melton came off the bench to score 12 points each, while another reserve, Paulius Dziugelis finished with 11 points. In 16 minutes of action, starter and Goldsboro graduate, Victor Young, added 11 points and four assists. The efforts were also career highs for Melton and Dziugelis.

Elijah Rouse scored eight points and pulled down a game-best seven rebounds in a game where the Trojans won the rebounding battle 49-33.

"We boxed out and got to a lot of loose balls," 16-year MOC coach Bill Clingan said. "We're hoping that some of our inside people are starting to play better basketball, and that's going to be big for us down the stretch."

Mount Olive hit the century mark for the third time this season and the first time since Nov. 19, but Clingan was equally impressed with his teams ability to share the ball offensively and turn in a stifling defensive effort.

The Trojans dished out a season-high 31 assists with five players posing at least three "helpers." Melton led the way with seven assists, while Coffield added five. Meanwhile, Mount Olive took advantage of Abbey's 20 turnovers -- scoring 23 points off the miscues -- and tied a season-high with seven total blocked shots.

The Crusaders (4-8, 3-4 CVAC) rarely got a second look at the basket as the Trojans fluidly moved from defense-to-offense off of turnovers and missed shots.

"They really shared the ball tonight. Offensively and defensively, everything worked," Clingan said. "Our defensive pressure was key. I hope we can get some semblance of that the rest of the season."

Mount Olive shot an impressive, 57 percent from the field on 38-of-66 shooting, while Abbey managed just 18-of-67 and shot 26 percent. The Crusaders were just 4-of-15 from behind the arch as the early deficit seemed to frustrate the visitors and force them into quick shots.

Greg LaVann led Abbey with 13 points as teammate Damien Humphrey added 12 points.

The Trojans will put their 17-game home winning streak on the line on Saturday in a CVAC contest against Lees-McRae. Game time is 4 p.m.

Notes: The win was one of the most lop-sided CVAC victories for MOC during 16-year coach Bill Clingan's tenure ... Mount Olive set or tied team season-highs in five statistical categories; 3-pointers made (18), 3-pointers attempted (31), defensive rebounds (35), assists (31), blocks (seven) ... The 18, 3-pointers made is an NCAA Division II season high ... All but two MOC players scored ... Division II Regional Rankings come out on Wednesday.

BELMONT ABBEY (4-8, 3-4)

Damien Humphrey 3 1 3-3 12, Israel Ferreira 2 0 0-0 4, Greg LaVann 1 3 2-2 13, Steve Williams 1 0 0-0 2, Anthony Bell 3 0 2-4 8, Jonathan Jackson 1 0 0-0 2, Fred Morales 2 0 3-5 7, Paul Petway 1 0 0-1 2. TOTALS -- 14 4 10-17 50.

MOUNT OLIVE (11-3, 5-2)

Elijah Rouse 4 0 0-1 8, Chris Bartley 1 4 0-0 14, Maurice Horton 2 0 0-0 4, Victor Young 3 1 2-2 11, Melvin Creddle 1 0 2-2 4, Paulius Dziugelis 1 3 0-0 11, Montel Jones 4 4 0-0 20, Chris Holloway 1 0 0-0 2, Justin Melton 2 2 2-2 12, Elton Coffield 0 4 0-0 12, Antoine Griffin 1 0 2-2 4. TOTALS -- 20 18 8-9 102.

Halftime -- MOC 47, BA 15. 3-point goals -- BA 4-15 (Humphrey 1-5, LaVann 3-5, Williams 0-1, Bell 0-3, Bauza 0-1), MOC 18-31 (Bartley 4-5, Horton 0-1, Young 1-3, Creddle 0-2, Dziugelis 3-4, Jefferson 0-1, Jones 4-4, Melton 2-4, Coffield 4-7). Rebounds -- BA 33 (Bell 5), MOC 49 (Rouse 7). Assists -- BA 7 (Morales 3), MOC 31 (Melton 7). Blocks -- BA 3 (Humphrey, Bell, Bauza), MOC 7 (Young 2). Turnovers -- BA 20, MOC 18. Total fouls -- BA 15, MOC 18. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- Horton (MOC).