Saint Joseph's nips Drexel

POINTS WERE always going to be a premium this season for Saint Joseph's, as the Hawks lost so much scoring from the Atlantic 10 champions. Hard to tell what was going to be up with Drexel's offense as two potential starters were on the bench last night, wearing matching walking boots.

Legendary University of the Sciences coach Dave Pauley, seated right behind press row at Drexel's DAC, watched the first few minutes last night and declared "first team to 50 wins."

He was correct. SJU hit 50 with 29.3 seconds left. Drexel never got there.

It was SJU 52, Drexel 49. It was not basketball ballet.

Six of Drexel's first 12 baskets were dunks. One of them resulted in an elbow to SJU redshirt freshman Jai Williams' face. He played the first 2 minutes of his college career and will get two root canals today.

SJU (1-1) could hardly generate halfcourt offense. Wearing a patch with the letters "JR" over their hearts, the players did Jack Ramsay proud. It was the 1-2-1-1 zone press that Ramsay popularized that was not only the Hawks' best defense, it was also their best offense.

"Pretty interesting, huh?" St. Joe's coach Phil Martelli said. "It's something that we've committed to . . . We ran offense and scored 52 points. The other night, we ran offense and scored [57 points]. Unless we get those breakaways and scramble plays . . . That's the way it's going to be."

Drexel, missing starters Major Canady (ankle, out for the season) and Kazembe Abif (out indefinitely with a knee injury) as well as top sub Austin Williams (injured at practice after playing 18 minutes in the Friday opener at Colorado), was game enough, but . . .

"We got nine points from two guys you think are going to score for you," coach Bruiser Flint said. "What are you going to do? One guy is 1-for-8 and one guy is 3-for-9. And we're open."

That would be Tavon Allen and Rodney Williams.

Drexel (0-2) actually led 36-29 with 12 minutes left. SJU (1-1) got control of the game with its press, running off 12 straight points. The Dragons got it tied at 47, but Aaron Brown (11 points off the bench) gave SJU the lead for good and freshman Shavar Newkirk (seven points) set the final score by making two free throws with 11 seconds left.

Drexel senior star Damion Lee, a year after that ACL tear at Madison Square Garden, already had 23 points when he rose up from deep on the left wing. His shot was on line, but just short.

"I thought it was good," Lee said. "I'm sure everybody else in the gym did too. I was pretty far out, but once it released from my hand, I thought it was in."

Lee's return was welcomed by everybody in the gym.

"In a lot of ways, college basketball is about the kids," Martelli said. "Unfortunately, people get confused and think it's about the coaches. To see a Damion Lee back playing, I think it's a wonderful thing and that's what I just said to him. I admire the way he plays. That's what's good about this game. What 'Bru' is going through with these injuries and they keep fighting."

After struggling in the Friday loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, DeAndre Bembry filled up the stat sheet for SJU with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

"He was different in practice because he accepted that the game couldn't be played at warp speed," Martelli said.

Friday, Bembry "followed," according to his coach.

"He kind of chased the emotion and it didn't work," Martelli said.

His star sophomore was a "leader" against Drexel, "had a fire in his belly."

The teams combined to shoot 36-for-104, 4-for-23 from three, 0-for-9 in the second half.

"We had our chances to get away from them," Flint said. "We kept them in the game because we just kept handing it to them."

St. Joe's was scheduled to leave campus this morning at 8:30 to catch a charter to Spokane, Wash., for a game with nationally-ranked Gonzaga tomorrow night. Drexel is off to Charleston, S. C., for a tournament that begins Thursday with a game against Miami.

Trying was not the issue with either team. Making baskets was the issue. Drexel needed one more or it might have been first team to 60 in overtime.