Terriers enter winter break on a downer

SFC comes up short in non-conference loss to Saint Peter's

December 24, 2020 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Rob Higgins and the rest of the SFC Brooklyn Terriers came back but came up short in their bid to beat visiting Saint Peter's in Brooklyn Heights last Wednesday afternoon. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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Graduate swingman Travis Atson rebounded from his worst game as a Terrier and senior guard Chauncey Hawkins scored a team-high 17 points Wednesday afternoon, but it just wasn’t enough as St. Francis Brooklyn suffered a 70-64 loss to visiting non-conference rival Saint Peter’s.

Atson, who managed just seven points on 2-of-9 shooting in last week’s loss at Central Connecticut State, looked more like the player who earned Northeast Conference Player of the Week honors and averaged nearly 20 points per contest in his first three games at SFC.

The former Christ the King High School standout and Brooklyn native scored 16 points and pulled down a career-best 12 rebounds for the Terriers (2-3), who never led against the Peacocks (6-3), but did shave the deficit to three points on Atson’s corner 3-pointer with just over 5 1/2 minutes to play.

But that was as close as SFC would get despite Hawkins’ 7-for-13 shooting effort, including 3-of-6 from long range, at the fanless Pope Center.

Fousseyni Drame and Doug Edert scored 18 points apiece for the Peacocks, who have won three of their last four games.

Sophomore Rob Higgins added 15 points for the Terriers, who will head into winter break having lost two straight.

SFC will return to the hardwood Jan. 7, when it hosts Mount St. Mary’s on Remsen Street in the opener of a back-to-back, two-game NEC series.

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Senior Ally Lassen was named NEC Player of the Week after helping the Terriers top Central Connecticut State at the Pope Center on Remsen Street last week. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Though they are off until Jan. 7 as well, the SFC women’s hoops squad got some good news Wednesday as senior Ally Lassen received the NEC Player of the Week award while freshman forward Fruzsina Horvath was tabbed the league’s Rookie of the Week.

Lassen averaged 20.5 points per game last week as the Terriers (1-3, 1-3 NEC) ended a season-opening three-game losing streak by edging CCSU, 80-77, in Brooklyn Heights.

The Point Pleasant, N.J., native scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for her third career double-double in the Terriers’ win, which sent them off to winter break on a more pleasant note than the men’s team.

Horvath enjoyed her first career double-double against the visiting Blue Devils, scoring 17 points and pulling down 10 boards while shooting 70 percent (7-for-10) from the field.

Lassen, Horvath and reigning NEC Rookie of the Year Nevena Dimitrijevic were all named NEC Prime Performers for their respective efforts last week.

Over at LIU, the Sharks’ men’s (1-1) and women’s (1-1) basketball teams are both off until Jan. 7 as well after each split a season-opening series with Sacred Heart last week.

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Though they had their entire 2020 season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SFC women’s volleyball team restocked its roster with 13 newly signed players last week. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

In other local college sports news, the SFC women’s volleyball team, which had its entire 2020 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, announced the signing of 13 new student-athletes last week, including one from our borough.

Brooklyn native Amber Phillips, Bianca Brierre, Alasha Colón, Mackenzie Gilchrist, Naomi Hockless, Simone Jackson, Camelia Meléndez, Cristal Paulino, Lainie Putt, Izabella Santiago, Monica Vargo, Elaina Vaughan and Tessa Winkleman have agreed to play for the Terriers in 2021

“We are extremely excited about the incoming class of freshmen. I think we were able to address many of our needs and add incredible depth to our program,” said SFC head women’s volleyball coach Amable Martinez.

“Through this tough time during the pandemic, these young ladies, and their families believed in our vision and committed to be part of what I feel is a bright future.”

Martinez guided the Terriers to a 14-17 record in 2019, and is hoping this new infusion of talent will take SFC to greater heights next fall.

“We are not only bringing talent, size, athleticism, power, and energy, but great academic student-athletes with even better character,” he noted.

“We are fired up here at SFC with the direction of our volleyball program.”

Phillips, a middle blocker from Millennium High School, where she played both volleyball and basketball, was named to the Honor Roll in each year of her high school career and is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.

“Amber is local product with great size at the middle, she is very athletic with a very high upside,” said Martinez.