Conference Championship Ends Swarthmore’s Win Streak
Johns Hopkins defeats Swarthmore College in the Centennial Conference Championship contest on February 29 in a game that proves all the basketball-isms true. Photo: Stefan Roots
Stefan Roots
Swarthmore College was defeated by Johns Hopkins 73-71 on Saturday, February 29, in a game that proved all the basketball-isms true: it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row; Sports Illustrated feature stories are always followed by bad luck; three-pointers are worth more than two-pointers; UCLA’s 88-game win streak will never be shattered; and, basketball games become way more interesting with four minutes left to play.
All you really need to know about the game is that Conner Delaney from Johns Hopkins was a one-man wrecking crew. He played all 40 minutes, scored 32 points, made 12 shots — including five three-pointers — had eight assists, and made all his free throws. He also put on one of the most impressive two-minute drills I’ve ever seen an individual perform on a basketball court, putting his entire team on his back to come away with the win.
Let me walk you through the last 4:20. Swarthmore hit two foul shots to take a 65-62 lead, only to see it disappear with a Hopkins three-pointer at the 3:14 mark. Swarthmore drained two more free throws to go up 67-65 before Conner Delaney put on his Superman cape and played hero. With 2:36 left, he hit a long three-pointer with a defender draped all over him to put Hopkins up 68-67. Swarthmore made a couple more foul shots to go up by one point, before Superman made an even tougher three-pointer — with another defender in his face — putting Hopkins up 71-69. With 1:36 to go, Vinny DeAngelo of Swarthmore tied the game at 71.
The night before, when Swarthmore played Muhlenberg, Muhlenberg had the ball at the end of the game and missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it up at the final buzzer. Tonight, Conner Delaney wasn’t going to be that guy. With his teammates spreading the floor and taking their defenders with them, Delaney worked the clock down to the final moment. Then — with a defender covering him as close as anyone could — Superman hit nothing but net from about 17 feet to seal the victory for Johns Hopkins.
Swarthmore couldn’t have played two more similar games than the two they played on Friday and Saturday nights. Both games were close with many lead changes. Unfortunately, the grind of Friday’s game may have worn the Garnet down a tad. Johns Hopkins had a much easier time defeating Haverford in their semi-final round on Friday night than Swarthmore did overcoming Muhlenberg. Against Hopkins, Swarthmore missed six free throws, and they made only six three-pointers to Hopkins’ 13. One of the most glaring stats is points from the bench: Swarthmore could only muster one point, compared to Hopkins’ 21.
Swarthmore was led by the talented and crafty freshman Vinny DeAngelo with 23 points, followed by the muscle in the middle, Nate Shafer, with 18, and reliable George Visconti with 14. No one scored in double digits besides Conner Delaney, who was the obvious choice for tournament MVP honors.
I imagine Swarthmore will still land top seed in the NCAA tournament. If they end up playing Johns Hopkins a fourth time this season, let’s hope they find Conner Delaney’s kryptonite first.
Read more from Stefan Roots at his Chester Matters Blog.
