Jenfrin Rodriguez
Sports Editor
The Anchormen are playing differently than the previous shortened season and are 2-0 on the year so far. Eastern Nazarene was the most recent outing that ended in a 89-75 victory in RIC’s favor. The game was won due to a well executed gameplan from start to finish.
To start, Keyshaun Jacobs scored nine out of RIC’s first 14 points after multiple three pointers. Taking it a step further, Shion Darby and Jacobs accounted for 16 out of the first 18 points. Both players were able to keep the Anchormen in it early after starting off slow.
Coach Tom Glynn showed how capable he is with the in game adjustments rather than sticking to the same philosophy all game. While the team used the full court press for the majority of the game against MIT, against Eastern Nazarene they were forced to adapt. RIC played full court defense to start the game but had to switch due to too many points in the paint. This being the first real test where they were needed to change their approach, and that they did.
When on a team, everything is based on the collective group as a whole. When one player gets better, the team as a whole improves. Jordan Riley was effective for the Anchormen with 22 points and four assists. As the season progresses, having a third consistent option will surely be something the team has been missing in years prior. Points are a good indicator of contribution but certain things don’t show up in the box score. Damian Tucker was impressive because of every contribution he made on the other end of the floor. Tucker played with a lot of energy and his hustle plays helped the team. This includes closeouts on jumpshots after a defensive breakdown, running back on defense when everyone else was a step behind, etc.
Although the game ended in a convincing win, the score at one point was much closer. In the early stages of the second half, the game saw both teams trading baskets back and forth. How did the Anchormen manage to pull away late? Defensive stops. RIC settled down and were able to take control of the pace and limited Eatern Nazarene’s scoring while converting on the other end.
Jacobs led the way with 29 points for the team, followed by 22 from Riley, and 19 from Darby.
The team’s next game was set for Nov. 12 but had to be cancelled due to a hurricane and pending a new date. Nov. 16 will see the Anchormen head out on the road to match up with Fitchburg State College.