On the rise
February 22, 2007
Cedric Thompkins lit up Hornet Gym this past week,averaging 12.6 points and 9.3 rebounds during athree-game home stand, which saw Sacramento State blowout Big Sky Conference leader Montana StateUniversity, but ended with a 88-78 loss to theUniversity of Montana Grizzlies.
The Hornets 78-56 massacre over MSU was by far theirbiggest win as a member of the Big Sky Conference. Sac State used its team depth to pull away from theBobcats in the second half as the Hornet benchoutscored Montana State’s bench 50-10.
Sac State was led off the bench by Rashaad Hooks, whodished out 10 assists without committing a turnover.Hooks also scored seven points, had a team-high threesteals and shot a perfect 3-3 from the field.
“The talent (Jerome Jenkins) brought in isunbelievable,” senior guard Rene Jacques said. “I lovewatching (the new talent).”
The Hornets used their depth to push the tempo of thegame, which resulted in numerous fast break baskets,including a Joe Dawson alley-oop to Joel Jones in theclosing minutes of the first half.
“We want to run, run and keep on running,” Jenkinssaid.
The Hornets used a 19-3 second half run to pull awayfrom the Bobcats, snapping their nine-game winningstreak.
The Hornets started off the three-game home stand withan 81-63 victory over Northern Arizona University.
Thompkins led Sac State over the Lumberjacks with 21points and 13 rebounds.
With dominating wins over Northern Arizona and MontanaState, all Sac State needed was a win over Montana tocomplete their first three-game winning streak sincethe beginning of the 1999-2000 season.
Montana used a 13-2 run, in which guard David Bell hittwo 3-pointers, to open up a 24-12 lead with 11minutes left in the first half.
The Hornets came back with five points from Joe Dawsonin the final two minutes of the first half to cut theGrizzly lead to 10 points, 40-30. Dawson finished thegame with a team-high 17 points, despite shooting just27 percent from the field.
A basket by Brent Cummings gave Montana their largestlead of the day, 74-55, with just over eight minutesremaining in the game. The Hornets then went on a 15-4run, to cut Montana’s 19-point lead to 78-70 with 5:15to go.
After Montana stretched their lead to 11 points, theHornets went on a 6-0 run to close within five points,83-78, with 58 seconds remaining. The Hornets wouldn’tget any closer, however, as the Grizzlies went on a5-0 run to close the game.
“We wanted the win, but we also showed that this isnot the same program,” said senior guard RonnieWalton, referring to a Sacramento State program whichwon only one game four years ago, and had a 5-22record a year ago.
Dan Trammel finished with a team-high 21 points and 12rebounds for the Grizzlies. Cummings finished with 20points, while Bell finished with 17 on 5-11 shootingfrom beyond the arc.
Sac State guards Jacques and Ronnie Walton scored 11and 10 points respectively, while Joel Jones chippedin with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.Walton also contributed five assists with noturnovers.
Montana’s zone defense gave the Hornet offense troubleall night. The Hornets were unable to get good looksat the basket and finished the game shooting a meager33 percent from the field. The Hornets also hoisted 283-pointers, connecting on only nine.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies were shooting the lights out,connecting on 50 percent from the field, and 39percent from 3-point range.
“When you have a program that’s growing, you have todeal with some adversity,” Jenkins said.
The Hornets, who had lost two road games to WeberState University and Idaho State University cominginto the home stand, have moved from 8th place (last)to 5th place in the Big Sky over the recent three-gamestretch. The top six teams qualify for the Big Skytournament.
The Hornets will next head on the road where they willgo to Portland State University and Eastern WashingtonUniversity in an attempt to record there first roadwins of the year.
“Once we get that first road win, it should get theball rolling,” Walton said.
