Bates’ Brian Gerrity and Rob Stockwell gang up on Wesleyan.
LEWISTON – The one-two punch of Bates College junior guard Brian Gerrity and freshman swingman Rob Stockwell delivered a knockout blow to the visiting Wesleyan Cardinals in the first NESCAC basketball game of the season for both teams Friday night.
Bates rolled to a 77-56 win, improving to 10-3 on the season.
The Bobcats looked flat in the opening minutes of the game, exchanging the lead with Wesleyan six times in the first half before Stockwell hit from behind the arc and Gerrity nailed a three and a two to give Bates the lead for good.
Stockwell closed out the last eight minutes of the half with four buckets and two free throws, sending Wesleyan into halftime down 43-25.
Stockwell’s performance added to an already successful freshman campaign.
“I love it here. It’s a great atmosphere. We really came together in the last eight minutes of the first half, shooting the ball well and running the floor with confidence,” Stockwell said.
Two Maine natives controlled the pace in the second half, as rookie Zak Ray of Bangor dished out five assists and Brian Gerrity of Augusta drained three from long range.
Menacing defense and strong rebounding prevented Wesleyan senior standout Kanem Johnson from getting into an offensive flow. He finished the game with 14 points, half his scoring effort from last year’s contest and well below his season average.
“Wesleyan is a great team. The difference for us this year has been defense, and tonight I thought our defense was phenomenal,” said Bates coach Joe Reilly. “They are a high-scoring team, and to hold them to what we did in the first half, I think that was pretty impressive.”
The rowdy crowd at Alumni Gymnasium, the intense physical nature of the game and the deep Bobcats bench only added further problems for the Cardinals, who lacked offensive patience and defensive energy.
Wesleyan head coach Gerry McDowell remarked, “I think that Bates played very well. They executed well, and they took advantage by getting good shots, and second shots as well. We were not alert, and they out-rebounded us.”
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