Waynesburg Kenyon
WAYNESBURG — When you’re a fourth-year head coach of a college basketball program, such as Waynesburg University’s Tim Fusina is this season, it’s comforting to know that in close games you can rely on a player who has been in the program even longer you have been.
That’s what Fusina has in senior swingman Matt Popeck. The former Washington High School standout is a rare six-year player. When games are tight down the stretch, Popeck gives the Yellow Jackets a go-guy player who was a first team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selection and one of its top scorers a year ago.
The problem for Waynesburg in its season opener Tuesday night was the Yellow Jackets’ weren’t in a position to make such experience a factor. Kenyon, a team with five returning starters but picked to finish at the bottom of the North Coast Athletic Conference, used its superior bulk in the low post and some stellar long-range shooting to defeat Waynesburg 71-54 at Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.
It was a disappointing start for Fusina and his team as Kenyon broke open a close game late in the first half, then used a 12-0 run midway through the second half to secure the victory.
The good thing for the Yellow Jackets is they don’t have to search long to find the reasons why their season opened on a sour note.
“(Kenyon’s) physicality was the difference,” Fusina said. “Plus, we made too many mistakes.”
The score was tied 28-28 late in the first half following a three-pointer by Popeck. Kenyon then got consecutive steals that led to layups, which was followed by a three-pointer by David Mazon that gave the Owls a 35-28 lead.
A basket by Waynesburg’s Antone Baker made it 35-30 at halftime.
“Out of a timeout we had a bad possession, turned it over twice, then we took a bad shot and they got a trail three-pointer. They score seven straight,” Fusina lamented.
In the second half, Kenyon’s size – an advantage in terms of upper-body size and strength rather than height – showed when the Owls put together a 12-0 run to open a 55-38 lead.
Gefen Bar-Cohen, who scored 16 points, had two consecutive baskets off offensive rebounds and a three-pointer during the spurt.
The Owls had 16 offensive rebounds that they turned into 20 second-chance points.
“With (Jansen) Knotts, (Jake) Scheidt and (Antone) Baker, we have guys inside who are capable,” Fusina said. “Tonight, we made to many mistakes.
“A talking point at halftime was that Kenyon had 35 points but we gave them 22 on second-chance points and off turnovers. We go into games with a goal of limiting our opponent to seven offensive rebounds or less and they got 16. I’m really disappointed in that.”
Meanwhile, Waynesburg was struggling to score. Popeck, who was the only Yellow Jacket to score in double figures with 17, went 15 minutes between field goals at one stretch. Waynesburg didn’t have another reliable scoring option on this night. Knotts was second in scoring with nine points.
“There is a lot of attention paid to him,” Fusina said of Popeck. “If we don’t get secondary scoring we’re not going to be very good.”
Even with a double-digit loss to start the year, Fusina still like his team’s chances in the PAC, which begins play next Wednesday with Waynesburg playing at Chatham. The Yellow Jackets play their first four PAC games away from home.
“I like us a lot,” Fusina said. “I’m very interested to see us in conference play next week. I think there are four teams who have a legitimate chance to win the league and I think we’re one of them a lot of the time – but not tonight.”
Anthony Testa led Kenyon with a game-high 19 points that included five three-pointers. Mazon finished with 10.