Ohio Wesleyan 83, Hiram 58

Dec. 3, 2005

Junior guard Matt Shirer (Medina) scored back-to-back baskets to kick off a 15-2 first-half run that put Ohio Wesleyan ahead to stay, and sophomore post Jesse Jean (Alexandria, Va./Hyde (Conn.) School) scored 9 straight points to highlight a 14-0 second-half run that broke the game open as the Bishops knocked off Hiram in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener on Saturday in Hiram.

Junior post Ben Chojnacki (Medina) opened the day's scoring with a jumper on the first possession, but Hiram took the lead on a basket by Brandon Pool. The Terriers stretched the lead to 9-4 on a basket by T.C. Spencer with 15:22 left in the first half, and still led, 11-6, on Brandon Pool's basket with 13:35 remaining.

Shirer answered with a bucket on Ohio Wesleyan's next possession, and after a steal by Jean, Shirer scored again to bring the Bishops within 11-10. Jean's lay-in gave the Bishops the lead for good, and sophomore post Dustin Rudegeair (Yellow Springs) followed with a 3-point play for a 15-11 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

The Terriers got a free throw from Phillip Goll to momentarily end their drought, but Ohio Wesleyan answered with buckets from senior wing Andy Warnock (Delaware/Hayes) and junior post Ben Chojnacki (Medina) in rapid-fire succession, and after Rick Baldwin hit a free throw for Hiram, senior guard Ross Rybarczyk (Oberlin/Elyria Catholic) capped the run with a 3-pointer for a 21-13 Bishop lead with 6:22 left in the half.

Hiram closed to within 27-25 on Michael McDevitt's lay-in with 2:28 left in the period, but Jean converted a 3-point play and Warnock added a basket to finish the half and Ohio Wesleyan led, 32-25, at the intermission.

With the Bishops leading, 44-35, with 14:43 left in the game, Shirer started the decisive run with a 3-pointer. Jean followed with a 3-pointer, then added 2 jumpers and a lay-in. Freshman wing Kyle Holliday (Van Wert) closed out the 14-0 spurt with a basket that gave Ohio Wesleyan a 58-35 lead with 10:36 to play.

Jean led the Bishops with a career-high 20 points and 9 rebounds. Warnock finished with 13 points and Chojnacki added 10 points. Rybarczyk and Shirer shared the team lead with 3 assists apiece.

Chuck Williams led Hiram with 14 points, while White scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds and Baldwin also scored 11 points. White led the Terriers with 6 assists.

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