2008 Woodie Awards
Hawks overcome Fairfield, 63-47; Stagnant play in home opener
Sean Woods '07
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: Sports
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The 12th-year Head Coach referred to his team's play as "bad basketball" as he criticized the excessive turnovers (22), fouls (21), and the offensive rebounds lost (21).
"It is not a formula we will be successful using during the year," Martelli said.
"So there is cause for concern, and even more cause for practice tomorrow. Thoughtless turnovers and unwilling[ness] to physically block out - that's not healthy for us at all."
The only thing he did like:
The result. Saint Joseph's 63, Fairfield 47.
The one praise Martelli had for his team, was its perimeter defense, which held the Stags to just 1-15 shooting on three pointers.
That aggressive defense, led by the Hawks' new corps of freshman guards, was the bright spot of an all-around shaky effort by St. Joe's.
Starters Jawan Carter and Garrett Williamson, as well as Darrin Govens and Derrick "D.J." Rivera provided the SJU backcourt threat, but it was the Hawks' frontcourt that carried the team on its large shoulders.
Sophomore center Ahmad Nivins led the way with 20 points and nine rebounds with junior forward Rob Ferguson supplying 14 points. Junior Pat Calathes added 13 plus nine rebounds, but his seven turnovers didn't help to please his coach.
The Hawks led by as many as 19 and never trailed the Stags, whose three freshmen and one sophomore formed an even younger group of starters than the Hawks.
Fairfield was limiting SJU to 28 percent shooting from the field in the first half as St. Joe's took an 11 point advantage into halftime.
Govens fractured his right ring finger during a fall in the first half and did not return for the second. The length of his absence will not be known until it is determined whether or not his injury requires surgery.
Despite finding themselves a man down, the Hawks maintained their double-digit lead through the second half. This was largely thanks to offensive spurts by Nivins, who hit his first five shots to score 15 of his career-high 20 points in the half, as well as collecting seven rebounds.
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