Enechionyia leads Temple past Delaware, 69-50
When Temple's Obi Enechionyia went to the locker room after hurting his right ankle with 3 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first half of the Owls' home opener Sunday against Delaware, it created some anxious moments.
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When Temple's Obi Enechionyia went to the locker room after hurting his right ankle with 3 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first half of the Owls' home opener Sunday against Delaware, it created some anxious moments.
Enechionyia, the 6-foot-9 sophomore who missed the opening loss to North Carolina with a right ankle injury, returned with 33 seconds left in the first half, and his form returned in the second half during a 69-50 win over Delaware at the Liacouras Center.
Enechionyia scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half. For the game, he shot 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Enechionyia also had six rebounds after totaling seven in his first three games.
"I was worried because it was the same ankle, but I was able to get out there again and keep playing," he said.
And play he did, hitting 3 of 4 treys in the second half.
"You won't believe the scouting report was not to let him have any open threes," Delaware coach Monte Ross said about Enechionyia. "We wanted to make him bounce the ball and not give him any open looks."
For Enechionyia, the 16 points were a season high and one shy of his career high of 17 set during last year's NIT semifinal loss to Miami.
Temple, which has faced three teams that were ranked when they played, improved to 2-3, while Delaware fell to 2-2. The Owls shot 9 of 29 from three-point range.
"We shot too many [threes]," Temple coach Fran Dunphy said. "We need to drive and kick and get ourselves to rim a little more and get to the foul line more."
The Owls attempted 12 free throws but also committed just five turnovers and held Delaware to 3-of-18 shooting from three-point range.
Jaylen Bond added 11 points and four rebounds, and Quenton DeCosey contributed 10 points and eight rebounds for the Owls. Guard Cazmon Hayes led Delaware with 17 points.
Temple pulled away after Delaware guard Kory Holden scored on a traditional three-point play to tie the score at 23 with 5:25 left in the first half.
The Owls closed the half on a 14-2 run to take a 37-25 halftime lead.
Delaware guard Chivarsky Corbett will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee late in the first half.
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