Purchase and Kean Face Off in a Nail-Biting Basketball Season Opener

By Lena Flamm

Purchase’s game attendance record for the school year hit 240 as the crowd gathered in the gymnasium for the men’s basketball season opener. The Panthers, who ended last season with a 14-12 record, were returning refreshed and with new faces, ready to blow last year out of the water. However, they were facing no easy opponent to start. The Kean University Cougars, who finished last year with the exact same record, were hungry to take home their first win of the season.

Panthers forward Desmond Ward plays defense against a Kean player making a shot in the paint. (Photo by Marin Tyree)

 The crowd exploded when the first three-pointer of the game was scored one minute in by the Panthers senior forward Desmond Ward, assisted by forward Antuan Darden. From there on, the next few minutes were a fast-paced game of rebounds. “In the first half, our defense capabilities were definitely there,” said junior forward Sean Holzman, who was responsible for eight rebounds during the game, the highest of the team. “We run through this type of stuff each and every single day at practice.”

Forward Sean Holzman sinking it into the basket. (Photo by Marin Tyree)

The first free throw opportunity was given to Kean seven minutes into the half after a foul by Desmond Ward. The crowd drew in a breath, but in the end, there were only 13 points scored from free throws by both teams combined in the game. In the end, a great defensive game caused the Purchase Panthers to go into halftime leading 30-24.

 Purchase fans were cautious going into the second half, hoping with everything they have that the Panthers could keep the momentum going for 20 more minutes. Purchase had established a strong defense, so it was up to Kean to make key changes to thwart them. Only time could tell if these efforts would be successful.

 The Panthers knew they also had their work cut out for them when, eight seconds into the half, Cougars forward Phil Brown Jr. had a layup in the paint with an assist by forward Daniel Dextraze. But Purchase responded with speed, and 20 seconds later, the crowd cheered for a layup by the Panthers’ Darden, assisted by freshman guard Maurice Western.

Forward Ricky Rollins attempts a free throw. (Photo by Marin Tyree)

 The second half proved to be a nail-biting affair of back-to-back leads taken by the two teams, with 12 leads gained by each team in the game total. More than ever, the Panthers and Cougars were playing a game where every single play and point counted, and a temporary lead made no player or fan feel any safer. However, the Panthers were faltering, with 16 missed field goals and 11 missed three-pointers in the second half, ultimately costing them a crucial amount of points. After a nerve-wracking half, the Kean Cougars took the game 62-58.

For the Panthers, victory was so close they could taste it. “Their zone defense- it messed us up towards the end,” said senior guard Chris Hunter. “I think we shared the ball pretty well. I think we could’ve been a little bit better on defense towards the end of the game.” Sean Holzman agreed with the sentiment. “In the second half, we started circling away from our defense, and it ultimately led to the decline of the game. In the end, it was a tough loss, but I think, you know, first game of the season, that kind of sets the tone, and definitely steppingstones for the rest of the season, and we know that we gotta move up. We gotta get back to work.”

Desmond Ward and guard Nate Maldonado struggle for control with the Cougars’ Daniel Dextraze. (Photo by Marin Tyree)

 Over on the other side of the court, the Cougars were celebrating the win that opened their season but recognized they didn’t come by it easily. “In the first half, they [the Panthers] were killing us from the outside,” said Cougars assistant coach Jerry Henderson. “Second half, they cooled off. When we went to the zone, we were able to slow them down.”

Where will the Panthers go from here? It seems this loss has lit a fire under them, and they will be working hard to make sure they don’t lose a victory that comes so close to their grasp. They’ve got an exciting season ahead of them, facing heavy hitters like Lehman, Bard and Mitchell this month, who all finished last season with impressive winning records. If the Panthers' future games are anything like their opener, fans can rejoice.