Men's Basketball - 2002-03 Season

DeSales University 62, Delaware Valley 61

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - A controversial call proved to be the difference as the number one team in the Mid-Atlantic Region, DeSales University, edged host Delaware Valley College, 62-61, in a Freedom Conference game.

DeSales is now 12-1 overall and 4-0 in the conference while the Aggies fell to 4-9 and 0-4.

The call came with 3:25 left in the game and DeSales holding a 56-51 lead. Delaware Valley freshman Kevin Wright was fouled and he went to the line with what was supposed to be a 1-in-1 situation. However, the officials let him shoot two foul shots, the first of which he missed and the second of which he hit for a four-point game.

DeSales' coaches protested at a timeout about 15 seconds later and the officials changed their call. The point was taken off the scoreboard and the clock was not reset back to the time of the foul.

This proved to be pivotal as, down 61-56 with 1:45 to go, Delaware Valley rallied with a Tim Smink 3-pointer to make it a two-point game with 55 seconds. Smink later had a wide-open go in-and-out and the Aggies fouled Jeff Clifford with eight seconds left. Clifford hit one of two foul shots but Delaware Valley managed just a two-point basket at the buzzer to lose by one.

The Aggies led 27-24 at halftime and held the Bulldogs to 28.1 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes. DeSales rallied in the second half and hit 58.3 percent of its shots.

Wright and Josh Wurtz finished with 13 points apiece for Delaware Valley with Wright grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. James Avant scored 12 points off the bench in the losing effort.

Michael Venafra led all scorers with 20 points for the Bulldogs.