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Princeton University
Santa Clara
Santa Clara Survives Late Princeton Rally, Wins Cable Car Classic
December 28, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2002
Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Despite a career-high 20 points be junior Ed Persia and a wild late comeback, the Princeton men's basketball team fell 77-71 in the championship game of the 36th Cable Car Classic. Tournament MVP Ethan Rohde led all scorers in the final with 22 points, while all-tournament team selection Spencer Gloger had 19 points for Princeton.
Santa Clara outrebounded Princeton 34-21 and shot 63.6% from beyond the arc. Santa Clara also made 30 free throws, 12 more than any other team has made against Princeton this season.
Princeton had four players in double figures for the second consecutive night. Will Venable and Ray Robins each had 10 points apiece. Judson Wallace led Princeton with seven rebounds, while Kyle Wente had team highs in assists (four) and steals (five). The game began in significantly different fashion than Friday's 76-62 semifinal win over Texas A&M. Instead of jumping out to a big lead, thanks to an array of backdoor layups and three-point shots, Princeton missed jump shots and fell behind early. Following a long scoreless stretch by the Tigers, Santa Clara's J.R. Patrick buried a three-pointer from the right wing to give the Broncos its first double-digit lead of the game. Jim Howell followed with a turnaround jumper, opening a 22-9 lead.
Once again, it was Venable who was there to alter the momentum. As he did four times the night before, the San Rafael native created his own opportunity, driving through the drawn-out zone defense and getting fouled on a layup. He hit the free throw to complete the three-point play.
Princeton got back-to-back three-pointers from Ed Persia to make it a 9-0 run and get the Tigers back within four points. Santa Clara would convert a three-point play on its next possession, but Persia completed his own hat trick with his third three-pointer on his third straight possession. Santa Clara freshman Brandon Rohe, a high school teammate of Spencer Gloger, hit a three-pointer to reopen a seven-point lead.
And then Persia hit another three-pointer. Four possessions, twelve points for the Beaumont, Texas, native. And none came from 85 feet, which was the distance of Persia's game-winning buzzer beater against Monmouth from earlier in the season.
Persia finally cooled, but not after a pair of free throws gave Persia 14 straight points for the Tigers. His teammates picked up the pace, as Gloger and Judson Wallace hit from beyond the arc to cut the halftime deficit to one point (33-32).
Princeton got its first lead since the early moments of the game when Persia converted turned his own steal into a fast-break layup at the 16:15 mark. Following a defensive stop, Kyle Wente found a cutting Wallace for an open layup to move the score to 40-37.
Neither team would gain much separation over the next eight minutes, and by a media timeout at the 7:37 mark, both teams were deadlocked at 53-53. Santa Clara scored the next six points, forcing Princeton head coach John Thompson to take a timeout. Venable missed a three-pointer after the timeout, and Rhode added a three of his own to bring the lead to 62-53. He came off a screen on the next possession and stroked a 10-footer to reclaim a double-digit lead.
Princeton was stripped on its next possession, but appeared to have earned a big defensive stop, forcing the shot clock to one before Rhode took a tough three-pointer. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Jordan Legge got between three Princeton defenders for the offensive rebound and, eventually, a pair of free throws.
A putback by Robins would get the deficit to nine points with less than two minutes left, and following a free throw by Santa Clara, Robins buried a three pointer from the left corner to cut the score to 69-62 with 1:01 remaining. Rohe followed with a pair of free throws, but the gritty Tigers continued to claw back into the game. Venable drained a three-pointer, his first basket of the half, to get it to a two-possession game. Kargbo missed a pair of free throws, but Santa Clara appeared to get a break as the rebound went off Wallace's hand and out of bounds. The Broncos were called for a travel on their inbounds, and Wente sent his pass downcourt to Robins, who buried another three-pointer to get it to 71-68 with 38 seconds remaining.
Rohe was fouled by Gloger and made both free throws, but Persia got it back to a three-point deficit with a pair of free throws. Those shots at the charity stripe gave Persia his 20th point and set a new career high.
Patrick hit two free throws, and Persia again took the ball down court, where he spotted an open Wallace for a three-pointer. The attempt rimmed out, and Santa Clara would hit enough free throws to claim the win.
Princeton is finished with the 2002 portion of its season. It will next play on Friday, Jan. 3, when it faces Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. The game, which will begin at 7 p.m., can be heard on WCTC 1450 AM and on GoPrincetonTigers.com.
All-Tournament Team
Spencer Gloger, Princeton
Jim Howell, Santa Clara
Attarius Norwood, Mississippi Valley State
Ethan Rohde, Santa Clara
Brandon Rohe, Santa Clara
Most Valuable Player
Ethan Rohde, Santa Clara