Yellow Jackets Sting Spartans

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  Twenty-one of Defiance's 32 made baskets came from long range as the Yellow Jacket men's basketball team defeated Manchester (iInd.) University, 89-50, in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

As a team, DC shot an impressive 56.1 percent (32-of-57) overall from the field, including an equally impressive 56.8 percent (21-of-37) from behind the arc and eight different players connected from downtown.  Senior guard Travis Schomaeker (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) led three Yellow Jackets in double-figure scoring with a game-high 22 points on seven-of-13 shooting (53.8 percent) and six-of-eight (75.0 percent) from three-point range.  Senior forward Bernard Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Warren Cousino) was second in scoring with 16 points and freshman forward Michael Kaminski (Medina) added 14 points with 12 points scored via the three-pointer.  In addition, junior forward Wade Wooley (Wauseon) grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and was a perfect four-of-four from the field.

Manchester (1-5, 0-1 HCAC) jumped out early and built a four-point advantage, 14-10, at the 12:12 minute mark of the first half.  Defiance (3-2, 1-0 HCAC) responded with an ensuing 17-2 scoring run that ended with a triple by senior forward Kent Tietje (Hamler/Patrick Henry) that gave the Jackets an 11-point lead, 27-16, with 4:52 left in the period.  Manchester got to within seven points on two ocassions before the end of the half, but a three pointer by Bernard Edwards as time expired put DC back up by double figures with a halftime score of 36-26.

The DC offense caught fire in the second half, scoring 53 points and had 13 successful three-pointers.  The Yellow Jackets took control of the game with a series of scoring runs and reached the 20-point lead plateau with 10;12 remaining in the game following another triple by Bernard Edwards to make the score 60-40.  The Jackets ended the game outscoring the Spartans, 20-3, with the final points coming on a three-pointer by senior guard Drew Frizell (Smithville) as DC cruised to the 89-50 final.

Manchester shot 36.7 percent (18-of-49) for the game and was led in scoring by Jarod Schrock with 17 points to go along with a team-tying high eight rebounds.  Brady Dolezal was the only other Spartan in double figures with 11 points.

Defiance will host Mount St. Joseph University on Saturday (Dec. 6) as part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket women's team.  Both teams will take on the Lions with the women's game set to begin at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 p.m.