DiRugeris Recognized With
Honorable Mention on CACC Weekly Report
New Haven, Conn. – (1/3/2013) – Senior guard
Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, N.J.) averaged 27 points-per-game (PPG) to lead Chestnut Hill College to a 2-0 start in the new year., After an indecisive first half against Dowling College, DiRugeris fronted an aggressive attack that reversed the Griffins fortunes and eventually won the home team a 69-63 overtime victory. Two days later, on January 5, another hot second half left DiRugeris with a season-high 33 points in a 66-52 CACC victory at Nyack College.
Chestnut Hill College (7-7, 3-2) stumbled out of the gates while Dowling College, who took advantage with four double-digit, leads in the first half. The Griffins struggled to find their shot (8-of-27, 29.6%) and made cuts into the Golden Lion lead, but at intermission they still trailed by the same spread, 30-20. After the break, the Golden Lions briefly continued their shooting success, growing their lead to as many as 15 points, 35-20 (17:56), before a determined DiRugeris willed the Griffins back into the contest. Flanked by Radtke and senior guard
Francis Ashe (Hyattsville, Md.), DiRugeris scored 14 points in a 27-10 run that left the home team up two points, 47-45, midway through the second half (9:52). From there the Griffin lead momentarily grew to seven points, 56-49 (3:38), before a well-choreographed play found sophomore center
Seamus Radtke (Philadelphia, Pa.) for a game-tying bucket, 58-58, with 0:13 remaining in regulation. In the extra stanza Ashe beat his defender to the bucket first, 60-58 (4:13), leaving the Golden Lions reeling and DiRugeris, Radtke, and freshman guard
Christian Walck (Lancaster Pa.) to seal the deal from the free throw line. Despite a 4-of-16 (25.0%) shooting performance, DiRugeris shot a perfect 10-of-10 (100.0%) from the free throw line to go along with his six rebounds and a steal. DiRugeris led all scorers with 18 of his 21 points coming in the second half.
Every Griffin pitched in to help the Griffins keep pace early at Nyack College. The Warriors allowed their initial lead to slide, and afforded the Griffins a 29-28 halftime advantage, before giving way to the hot hand DiRugeris. The Griffins senior guard went for a season-high 33 points, splitting six three-pointers between the two periods and fueling an offense anchored in the complimentary hustle and defense of his supporting cast. DiRugeris began to find his touch at the end of the first half and in the second period he hit full stride, piloting a six-minute span that blew apart a 34-34 tie at 17:00 and afforded the Griffins a 48-34 advantage with 11:06 to go. The Warriors twice brought the Griffin lead to nine, first at 6:39, 50-41, and again at 5:16, 52-43, however, DiRugeris and a pride of Griffins, headlined by Ashe and Radtke, reinforced the defensive efforts and reestablished the lead at 14 points twice, first at 4:43, 57-43, and again at 3:18, 59-45, before the contest finished on a 66-52 final. DiRugeris was 12-of-19 (63.2%) from the field, including his six three-pointers (6-of-10, 60.0%), and 3-of-3 at the free throw line in his season’s best scoring performance.
This is the first mention on the CACC Weekly Report for DiRugeris who is currently second in the league for three-pointers made (39-of-89, 43.8%) and scoring (18.7 PPG), while also tying for third in free throws made (67-of-72, 93.1%).
The men’s basketball team continues their CACC schedule at home on Saturday, January 12, with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Philadelphia University.
