Jan. 3, 2008

Box Score

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Led by senior Stephan Bolt (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North)'s double-double and team highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds, the Lewis Flyers hung on to defeat Saint Joseph's 68-64, Thursday night in a hard-fought Great Lakes Valley Conference divisional game.

The Flyers (9-2, 2-1) won for a third straight game, while Saint Joseph's (6-5, 2-1) dropped its first league game of the season.

Lewis led by 11 points, the largest lead of the night by either team, with 14:45 to play in the second half but saw that lead evaporate in a hurry, as Saint Joseph's exploded on a 14-0 run over the next 3:23 to take a 48-45 lead.

The game remained nip-and-tuck the rest of the way, as the teams exchanged the lead four more times before the final buzzer. Neither club held more than a four-point advantage during the game's final 10 minutes.

Lewis was aided by the fact that Saint Joseph's put the Flyers into the bonus at the free-throw line with more than 10 minutes to play in the game. After losing their lead, the Flyers went 10-of-13 from the charity stripe for the remainder of the game. The Pumas did not take a single free throw over the same span.

A 3-point basket from junior Brandon Dagans with 2:56 to play put Lewis ahead for good. Saint Joseph's cut the lead to one point with 31 seconds left when Andrew Helmer netted a tough layup, but forced to foul, the Pumas never got any closer.

Senior Matthew Marino was sent to line with 23 seconds on the clock, and he hit both shots to put Lewis up by three.

Ronald Coleman attempted to tie the game with a trey on the other end, but his off-balance shot from the right corner missed, and Lewis freshman Lonnie Lawrence won the battle for the rebound.

Junior Jason Genova added one more free throw to give Lewis the four-point win.

Bolts' double-double effort was his eighth of the season and third in as many games. He also registered two blocks and one steal. Dagans and Genova also scored in double figures for the Flyers. Dagan totaled 16 points, hitting 5-of-5 from the line in the second half. Genova scored 14 points.

Junior Ryan Sharp hit 2-of-3 from long distance and dished out three assists. Marino totaled five points and three assists.

Helmer led a trio of Pumas to score double digits with a game-high 19 points. Ronald Coleman poured in 16, going 3-of-6 from downtown, and Devin Thomas had 12 points.

The Flyers face Indianapolis on Saturday at 3 pm.