The men’s basketball team hasn’t been able to find consistency yet this year. Can they find it in time for the playoffs in March?
Over the last six games, the Flash have won two, lost two, and won two. The last two losses came on the road at Stonehill (Feb. 13) and Central Connecticut State (Feb. 15).
Both games were hard fought, but scoring droughts at key moments and second-chance opportunities for SFU’s opponents contributed to the two losses.
Against Stonehill in a 79-74 loss, the team was able to generate consistent offense. Junior Valentino Pinedo scored 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the floor. Daemar Kelly (12 points) and Riley Parker (10) also scored in double figures against the Skyhawks.
SFU’s defense just wasn’t quite enough in the setback, however, with three of Stonehill’s five starters going for at least 17 points (Todd Brogna, Ethan Meuser and Hermann Koffi).
This game was especially important to Saint Francis because the teams in the second tier of the NEC are in an extremely tight race for tournament seeding. Stonehill and SFU are both in this group and both teams are battling for a home game in the conference tournament.
The top four teams in the NEC will host an opening-round playoff game.
SFU led at the half last Saturday at first-place CCSU, but the Blue Devils bookended the first and second halves with a 27-0 run to put the game out of reach on their way to an 83-67 victory.
Pinedo had an efficient game again, with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting, but the Red Flash gave up 45 of CCSU’s 83 points to junior Devin Haid (21) and senior Jordan Jones (24).
Kelly (11 points), Jeremy Clayville (11) and Chris Moncrief (10) joined Pinedo in double figures for SFU in the loss. The Flash only had two free throw attempts in the CCSU game.
SFU (10-17, 5-8 NEC) has three regular-season games remaining, including two this week: Thursday at 7 p.m. at LeMoyne and Saturday at 2 p.m. against FDU at the Stokes Center.
“The key will be staying consistent and putting a complete 40 minutes together,” said Parker, the team’s leading scorer at 12.5 ppg.
“We’ll put together one good half and the second we just can’t finish it, or vice versa.”
Parker, a junior point guard from Western Australia, said that there are two keys to finishing the season strong.
“Communication and effort.”
Pinedo was named an NEC Prime Performer earlier this week. In the two games at Stonehill and CCSU, the forward from Spain averaged 19.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg while shooting 72.0 percent from the floor.
He leads the team in rebounding (6.6 rpg) and field goal percentage (59.4) and ranks second behind Parker in scoring (10.6 ppg).
