11/9/2001 - Men's Basketball
Midshipmen Play Final Exhibition Game Sunday
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men's basketball team will play its final preseason exhibition contest Sunday afternoon (3 p.m./no radio) against Team Champion at Alumni Hall. Admission to the game is free of charge.
Navy is coming off an 82-70 victory over Lee University (NAIA) last Sunday in Annapolis. Forward-turned-center Francis Ebong (Omaha, Neb.) had the performance of his career against the Flames, scoring a team-high 33 points, grabbing 13 boards and tallying six steals. Ebong owned the paint, hitting 14 of the his 21 shots while having a strong effort from the charity stripe, making 5-of-8 free throws.
Junior guard Jason Jeanpierre (Clifton Park, N.Y.) scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, giving Navy its inside-outside game. Meanwhile, DeVoe saw solid performances from players who had seen limited minutes in the past. Junior forward/center Mitch Moore (Fairborn, Ohio) came off the bench to give Navy seven points, five rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes. Sophomore Jeff Charles (Montclair, Va.) played in just six games last season, but has earned a starting spot early on this season. He was 3-for-4 from the field, while dishing out a team-high six assists and grabbing two steals.
Coached by Annapolis High School's John Brady, Team Champion is coming off an 83-57 loss to Towson Monday night. Team Champion's roster features former UMBC standout Rick Moreland, as well as former Mount St. Mary's guard John Moore and Bloomsburg State's Dale Chambers.
In last season's battle between the two squads, the backcourt play of point guard Reggie Skipworth, alongside Jeanpierre helped lead the Mids to a 91-72 victory over Team Champion.
In a game of spurts, Navy found itself with just a 43-40 decision going into the half.
The Mids came out in the second half aggressive, as senior captain Robert Reeder scored one of his two free throw attempts and fed Skipworth on the ensuing play off a steal.
Down 46-40, Brady's team refused to give in. Once again, it went on a 7-0 run to take a 47-46 lead with 14:33 remaining in the game. Jeanpierre sparked Navy, however, with a three-pointer, along with a bucket off a steal and before Navy knew it, it was up 55-47 and began pulling away.
Jeanpierre came off the bench to lead all scorers with 19 points on a 5-for-10 shooting effort and connected on seven of his 10 free throw opportunities. Meanwhile, Skipworth, who had been regarded as a reserved shooter during his career, let loose for 15 points, including 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. He also dealt out a team-high seven assists and swiped three steals.
Navy opens the regular season next weekend on a Texas road swing. The Mids face Rice Friday in their opener at 8:05 p.m. EST, while concluding the road trip Sunday afternoon with a 3:05 p.m. contest at Southern Methodist.
G-o N-a-v-y
