Dec. 3, 2013 - There was a lot to be happy about this evening if you were Tyler Jones, the sixth-year head coach of the Concordia-Chicago men's basketball team. Jones watched his Cougars team put on a display of fast-paced basketball marked by excellent ball movement, 53 percent shooting and strong rebounding. All of this added up to a 93-69 win over Silver Lake College at Geiseman Gymnasium.
The Cougars also received a career-highlight performance by senior forward Marcus Elston (Chicago, IL/Benito Juarez). The 6'4" Elston dominated the paint with 17 rebounds, nine coming on the offensive glass. Elston also pumped in 32 points on the strength of 15-20 from the field, many of his baskets coming on second-chance opportunities.
If there was anything more impressive than Elston's performance this evening, it might have been the outstanding passing by the entire team. The Cougars put up 19 assists against just nine turnovers, led by Kostas Doxakis' (Thessaloniki, Greece) five assists and Mike Walmer's (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian) four. Many of the assists came on the run as Concordia-Chicago netted 18 points on fast breaks.
Tonight's game was the first time that CUC and Silver Lake (from Manitowoc, Wisconsin) had ever met in men's basketball. The two teams spent much of the first half getting accustomed to each other and playing fairly close to the vest. But it was an 11-0 run by the Cougars late in the first half that changed the face of the game. Leading 24-23, Shalav Hogue (Arad, Israel/Tel Aviv) split a pair of free throws to start the uprising. Moments later, Hogue rebounded a Lakers' miss and fed Elston for the fast-break bucket. Walmer, Nat Pearson (Palatine, IL/H.S.) and Brandon Stinson (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden) all added layup baskets to the run. Silver Lake finally ended the run with a basket by Darius Barnes, but Elston, Pearson and Stinson all answered within moments. The half ended with the Cougars holding a commanding 41-25 lead.
The Lakers' Kyle Lundberg scored to begin the second half, but that was as close as the visitors would get the rest of the way. The Cougars took their first 20-point lead less than three minutes in on Pearson's tip-in. While the Lakers put up 44 points in the second half, they could not make any sustained charges on the Cougars. Concordia-Chicago shot 24 of 39 (.615) for the half and maintained control of the boards. The lead remained in the twenties for most of the half, peaking at 28 three times down the stretch.
Four Cougars finished with double-figure scoring. Elston's 32 was followed by Stinson who had his second straight 19-point performance off the bench. Walmer added 16 points and Pearson 15.
Silver Lake (3-9) was led by Anthony Parker Jr., woth 18 points. Lundberg scored 16 points, followed by Barnes with 13 and 10 rebounds, and John Duke with 12 points.
Concordia-Chicago (2-3) returns to action Thursday night with a conference game at Benedictine University.
