Men's Basketball Takes Purple & Gold Tournament Title

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College men's basketball team defeated Heidelberg University, 78-51, in the championship game of the annual Purple and Gold Financial Tournament at the Karl H. Weaner Center.  The Yellow Jackets capture their first tournament title since the 2011-12 season.

Senior guard Travis Schomaeker (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) was one of four DC players to score in double figures with 14 points on six-of-12 shooting (50.0 percent) and was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.  Senior forward Bernard Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Warren Cousino) led all scorers with a game-high 16 points on seven-of-14 shooting (50.0 percent) and added six rebounds.  The duo of senior guard Mason Roth (McComb) and sophomore guard Michael Parker (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) rounded out the high scorers with 13 points each.  

In addition, senior guard Drew Frizell (Smithville) scored nine points, with all of his points coming from behind the three-point line, and was named to the All-Tournament Team.  Senior forward Kent Tietje (Hamler/Patrick Henry) was also acknowledged with his efforts during the tournament by being named the recipient of the Gerry Boomer Sportsmanship Award.

Both teams played a competitive first half as Defiance (7-3) shot 50.0 percent (13-of-26) from the field and Heidelberg (4-6) converted 42.3 percent (11-of-26) of its attempts.  The teams traded the lead six times and were tied four times in the opening 20 minutes.  The Yellow Jackets led by five points early, 7-2, with five of its seven points coming from junior forward Wade Wooley (Wauseon).  The Student Princes came right back outscoring DC, 14-5, to take a four-point advantage, 16-12, with just under 12 minutes left before halftime.  With the game tied at 20-20, DC regained control and got some breathing room with a 13-5 run to go up by eight points, 33-25, following a layup by Schomaeker at the 3:58 mark.  The Jackets never relinquished the lead the remainder of the half and recorded its largest lead of the period with a halftime score of 37-28.

DC opened the second half with a layup by Edwards to post its first double digit lead of the game, 39-28.  Heidelberg answered with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to single figures, but an ensuing 7-0 run by Defiance put the Yellow Jacket lead back to double figures and never looked back.  The Jackets continued to pull away and extended the lead to their largest of the game of 28 points with 1:41 to go thanks to a jumper by Parker.  DC also tallied the final points of the game on a layup by senior guard Shaquille Smith (Flint, Mich./Flint Northern) as the Jackets cruised to the 78-51 win and the tournament championship.

Heidelberg shot 35.8 percent (19-of-53) from the floor and just 23.8 percent (five-of-21) from long range.  The Student Princes had two players score in double figures led by Kiere Bennie with 14 points.  Chris Moxley was the other player in double digits with 11 points.

Defiance will seek its third straight victory when it hosts Hanover (Ind.) College on Saturday, Jan. 3 in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Weaner Center.  The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket women's team.  The women will also take on Hanover in a game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 p.m.