GENEVA, N.Y.--The Hobart College basketball team overcame a 10-point second half deficit to defeat Skidmore College 76-71 in the regular season finale for both teams. Statesmen senior forward John Grazioli (St. Anythony's/Melville, N.Y.) scored a game-high 25 points.
Hobart overcame the hot shooting Thoroughbreds (13-of-23 3FG) by committing a season-low seven turnovers and making far more free throws than Skidmore took (19-9). The Thoroughbreds (6-19, 1-13) hit 13 three pointers, the last by junior forward Jake Shechtmen (Shipley School/Wynnewood, Pa.) gave Skidmore a 52-42 lead with 11:15 remaining. He finished with six points.
The visitors still held a seven-point lead four minutes later, but a 13-2 run fueled by eight of first-year guard Rob Estep's (West York/York, Pa.) 24 points put Hobart (12-13, 7-7) in front 67-61, with 4:20 remaining.
A traditional three-point play by senior guard Ryan Fischer-Werner (Brooklyn Friends/Brooklyn, N.Y.) got Skidmore within one, 67-66. Fischer-Werner scored a team-high 17 points. Estep answered with a layup on the other end of the floor to make it 69-66.
After the Thoroughbreds missed on a jumper, sophomore forward Bobby Langford (Holy Name/Worcester, Mass.) got a steal and drew an intentional foul on his breakaway attempt. He made one of the two freebies, but an offensive foul cost Skidmore a chance to tie or take the lead.
Estep made sure the miscue proved costly by hitting the last of his four three-pointers with 39 seconds left, essentially securing the win. Four made free throws in the last 22 seconds completed Hobart's scoring. Twenty-two of Estep's points came in the second half.
Skidmore's first-year guard Jeff Altimar (Medfield/Medfield, Mass.) and sophomore forward Jon Douglas (Amherst/Shutesbury, Mass.) also hit double digits, contributing 15 and 14 points, respectively. Altimar was 5-of-6 from behind the arc, while Douglas was 4-of-10.
SKIDMORE (6-19, 1-13 LL)--Ryan Fischer-Werner 7-11 1-1 17; Jeff Altimar 5-6 0-0 15; Jon Douglas 5-15 0-0 14; Bobby Langford 4-7 1-4 9; J.Haviland-Markowitz 2-6 4-4 8; Jake Shechtman 2-6 0-0 6; Dave Phelps 1-5 0-0 2; Sam Cohen-Devries 0-1 0-0 0; Rob Moore 0-1 0-0 0; Matt Belsito 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 6-9 71.
HOBART (12-13, 7-7 LL)--John Grazioli 9-18 7-7 25; Robert Estep 7-9 6-8 24; Rob Genovese 3-5 0-0 7; Adam Salzmann 1-7 2-2 5; Tim Llewellyn 2-8 0-0 5; Dan Birney 1-3 1-2 3; Mark Bruce 1-3 1-1 3; Dan O'Grady 1-3 0-0 2; Sean McHugh 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 25-58 19-22 76.
Halftime--Tied 30-30. 3-point goals--Skidmore 13-23 (Altimar 5-6; Douglas 4-10; Shechtman 2-3; Fischer-Werner 2-4), Hobart 7-19 (Estep 4-4; Llewellyn 1-5; Genovese 1-1; Salzmann 1-3; McHugh 0-2; Bruce 0-1; Grazioli 0-3). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Skidmore 32 (Haviland-Markowitz 7), Hobart 33 (Estep 7). Assists--Skidmore 16 (Douglas 4), Hobart 20 (Llewellyn 7). Total fouls--Skidmore 19, Hobart 15. Technical fouls--None. A-300
