Saint Anselm basketball is back in action on the Hilltop
November 20, 2021
The men’s basketball team at Saint Anselm College started off their season this year by going up against the Division I University of Vermont team on Saturday. It was a hard fought game with a close score for most of the game, but the Hawks unfortunately lost with a final score of 94-72 in the exhibition play.
Miles Tention, a Senior guard, was the main scorer for Saint Anselm College in this game. He scored 26 points over the course of the game. Gustav Suhr-Jessen, a Senior forward, dropped another 18 points for Saint Anselm. In addition, Matt Becker, a Sophomore guard, and Alonzo Jackson, a Senior forward, were important on the boards, grabbing six rebounds each.
Even though they lost, this was an important game for the men’s basketball team to prepare for the season with. The experience and depth of this roster puts them in a great position for success.
“We have three guys that returned for a 5th year and still maintain the same roster as last year. Having the experience of the three super seniors will definitely help us go far this year. Being able to understand our seniors and how they play, interact and lead by example on and off the court is a good example for our younger guys,” said Junior forward/guard, Owen McGlashan.
This is a very close group of guys with a lot of chemistry. And the fact that the team didn’t have a season last year and hasn’t played in so long only makes them hungrier to get out on the floor.
“There’s no real words or expressions you could use for what it’s going to be like in the gym tomorrow. For me it’s been 641 days since the last time I stepped onto a court to compete in a real game and 619 days for my teammates that return from that 2019-2020 season. For many of us, playing is our sense of therapy and not playing anybody last year really eats at you. It’s going to be a very insane atmosphere tomorrow,” said McGlashan.
The men’s first official game for their season is on Wednesday, November 17 against Bentley in the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium at home, starting at 7:30 p.m. On January 4, 2020, the Hawks went up against Bentley and lost 65-76, but won against them 94-55 on February 25 2020. So this upcoming game should be a close match. With the Hawks bringing back their exact roster from last season, it will be very interesting to see how strong the Hawks come back, especially after the unique circumstances of last year.
The women’s basketball team is also expected to have a very strong season this year. They’ve already played against Daemen College in Rochester, N.Y. on November 12, and they won 75-70. Gabby Turco, a Sophomore guard, scored 19 points in the game, as well as adding four steals, four assists and two rebounds. Peyton Steinman, a Senior guard, tallied 14 points and five rebounds. Liv Robles, a Junior forward, added 13 points. Robles and Jenoyce Laniyan, a Senior forward, both grabbed six rebounds over the course of the game.
The team has a very close bond and plenty of talent. The combination of experienced players and new faces provides the Hawks with lots of depth and skill.
“We only have a total of two players, including myself, that have decided to come back this season for a 5th year. However, we also have a decent amount of players who have experience playing at the college level. This has made it possible for our team to not miss a beat since the experienced players are able to share their wisdom with the younger ones,” said Laniyan.
The Hawks also played Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester on November 13 and won 63-59 in overtime. Steinman and Turco led the way, each scoring 17 points. Macy Spinks, a Junior guard, had a well rounded stat sheet, with six points, four steals, four rebounds, and three assists. Stephanie Jankovic, a Senior guard, grabbed a career best five rebounds during the game. Robles and Turco both had clutch baskets down the stretch to help seal the win. Their next big game is also against Bentley, and it is also a home game on November 17 but at 5:30 p.m. in the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
“Our team goal this season is the same as every year. And it is not just winning the NE10 championship or making it to the NCAA tournament. It is making sure our process to get there is solid. If we feel good about the process, the rest will fall into place,” said Laniyan.
The men’s and women’s basketball teams are both very talented groups, who have experienced a lot of success in past seasons. For this season, both teams have very high expectations and will work as hard as ever to achieve their goals.
