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LANCASTER, PA - Center Steve Juskin (So., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) scored a game high 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as the Franklin & Marshall College Diplomats (2-0) claimed the 35th Annual S. Woodrow Sponagule Basketball Classic courtesy a 77-67 defeat of Salem State University (1-1).
Leading 35-33 at the half behind 10 points and seven assists from Juskin in the opening 20 minutes, the Diplomats would reel off eight straight points in the opening three minutes of the second half to build a lead they would see dwindle to four at times, but would never yield. Juskin and point guard Duran Searles (So., Camden, NJ/Peddie School) led the charge in the closing minutes by pouring in 10 and 15 points, respectively, to polish off the Vikings and advance to a perfect 2-0 record and their third straight Sponaugle title. The key to the game for the Diplomats was the inside play of Juskin, who dominated within ten feet of the basket by connecting on 8-of-14 short jumpers and lay-ups and four of five at the three throw line. In addition, turnovers and fouls would doom the Vikings as Salem State turned the ball over 23 times, including 14 times in the second half, and fouled the Diplomats 25 times, yielding 30 foul shots, 19 of which Franklin & Marshall converted into points. Jyima Ofori-Atta led Salem State with 20 points to earn All-Tournament team honors. He is joined on the All-Tournament team by teammate Bob Michalczyk who scored one point in the loss to F&M. For the Diplomats, Juskin earned the Carl Witmeyer Most Valuable Player award, while guard Larry Fain (Sr., Crum Lynne, PA/Chester) earned All-Tournament honors by scoring 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. The honor marks the second straight year that Fain has been named to the All-Tournament squad following his inclusion following his second game in a Franklin & Marshall uniform last year. The only time that F&M and Salem met previously in men's basketball occurred in 2000 as the Diplomats fell to the Vikings 79-75 in the third place contest at the 2000 NCAA Final Four. In the consolation game, Springfield College edged the University of Scranton 104-103 in a thrilling and controversial overtime contest. Down four with 1.9 seconds to go, Scranton's Derek Elphick drained a jumper to cut the lead to two. Springfield's Michael Parker missed a 10 foot jumper with 1.1 seconds left, before Ryan Rogen launched a shot from beyond mid-court to tie the game with 0.3 to go. Springield called timeout to stop the clock in hopes of a miracle pass and shot. Amazingly, on the ensuing entry pass, Scranton's Owen Baillie fouled Parker as he caught a full court heave under the basket for a pair of foul shots. Parker would make one of two shots to clinch the victory as the Pride escaped from Lancaster with a 1-1 record, while Scranton falls to 0-2. Scranton's Ryan Rogen, who drained 11 of 18 shots and 8 of nine three point attempts, including four of four in overtime, for 30 points and Springfield's John Gleason, who connected on 10 of 15 shots and six of eight three-pointers for 30 points, were both named to the All-Tournament team. Historically, the Sponaugle Classic, a landmark event in the history of college basketball in Lancaster County, is sponsored by the F&M Athletic Department for the benefit of the American Field Service Scholarship Program and the students of Franklin & Marshall College. Founded by Carl Witmeyer, a well-known figure in Lancaster area athletics, and then F&M Athletic Director S. Woodrow "Woody" Sponaugle in March of 1966, the tournament was intended to create an event that would bring together area college basketball teams in an annual "tip-off" tournament. With Witmeyer's guidance, the first tournament was played in December 1967, seven months after the death of Sponaugle, for whom the tournament is named. From the beginning, the tournament was organized as a benefit to support Lancaster activities of the American Field Service scholarship program for international student exchanges. Co-sponsors with the McCaskey High School Chapter of AFS over past years have included the Lancaster Jaycees, the Wheatland Sertoma Club and the Lancaster Alumni Council of F&M. Since Witmeyer's death in December 1997, F&M's Athletic Department has managed the Classic, with support from the McCaskey High student and adult AFS chapters. One half of the proceeds from the tournament go toward McCaskey AFS exchange scholarships with the remaining fifty percent earmarked for projects at F&M of direct benefit to students. Last year, F&M claimed the tournament title over Elizabethtown College behind a season high 33 point performance from Searles after downing York 81-60 in the opening round. In the previous 34 tournaments, F&M claimed 17 titles, while Lebanon Valley (5), Millersville (5), Elizabethtown (4), Alvernia (1), Goucher (1) and Juniata (1) have also claimed championships.
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