COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL: Oakland finds another way to win, topples Hartford
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — With 10 new players, it’s quite understandable that each game for Oakland University will be considered a dose of baptism under fire.
Due to graduation and transfer defections, Oakland has a point guard that has never played the position anymore and steam with seven freshmen.
Yet, the Golden Grizzlies found a way to win another game Monday at the O’rena.
After Hartford closed to within 55-50 on a jumper by Traci Carter, OU went on a 5-0 game-ending run to down visiting Hartford, 60-50, in a non-league contest to move to 4-2 on the campaign.
Oakland led by as many as 18 points in the first half before allowing Hartford to climb back to within close range in the final five minutes.
Oakland University junior point guard Kevin Kangu aided the Golden Grizzlies 60-50 non-league victory Monday over Hartford. All Photos | Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photographer
“It’s not easy to win any basketball game. I told them afterwards that all wins are good,” sighed OU coach Greg Kampe, who had more turnover on this year’s roster than in the 22 seasons OU has been a Division I school. “I’m never disappointed in a win. I have tremendous respect for their coach (John Gallagher). I think he’s one of the great coaches out there and they have a really young team. We guarded (well) — we really guarded. We shot ourselves in the foot on the offensive end which allowed them to stay around. They made their run. But we stopped them in the end and won the game. I am pleased with that and looking forward to our next game.”
Xavier Hill-Mais, one of just two returning starters, scored a game-high 17 points and added 11 rebounds to pace Oakland. Daniel Oladapo added 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Kevin Kangu had 11 points and is a work-in-progress at the point guard position.
Tray Maddox Jr. added seven points and five rebounds, and 6-11 center Brad Breathing chipped in with six points and four boards for Oakland.
Photos | Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photographer
“I think in the first half I was struggling a little bit. I had four fouls, so I had nothing to lose. If I was going to foul out — I was going to foul out,” said Kangu. “I was going to go out and battle and that’s what I did.
“(Xavier) took over and for me, it was late in the game and I had to step up,” continued Kangu. “It’s something I had to do.”
Photos | Amanda Thick, Amanda Leigh Photographer
Hill-Mais, Oladapo and Kangu accounted for most of the Grizzlies points and rebounds down the stretch to aid OU’s cause.
“We have three good guys that can score with our backs to the basket, facing up and shoot the ball,” offers Hill-Mais. “I think it’s a tremendous advantage for us to have the ball in Kevin’s hands who can see over the defense and get us the ball. I think our freshmen got some time and Kampe played 12 guys out there and nobody disappointed.”
Oakland had 15 turnovers as a team, but none in the final 3:02 when Hartford had trimmed the lead down to 53-45.
“This is the first time I have ever played the point guard and it;’s going to be a learning process,” said Kangu. “I’m taking it as I have to learn it really quick. I’m not a freshman — I’m not a (freshman Christopher Gettelfinger) where I can make mistakes. I’m a junior and have to figure this out now. Day-by-day that is what I’m doing.”
DJ Mitchell and Hunter Marks both scored 11 for Hartford, while Marks pulled down a game-high 13 points for Hartford.
Oakland led 34-19 at the half, as both teams struggled from the floor. Oakland shot 44 percent from the floor, while the Hawks made just 7-of-25 shots for 28 percent.
In the second half, Oakland cooled to a just 39.1 percent shooting (9-for-23) while Hartford warmed up to a 36.4 clip (12-for-33) and the Hawks were able to close the gap to single digits for most of the final 3:45.
Oakland dominated on the boards, holding a 45-29 rebounding edge to help keep the Hawks at bay.
“We have some bigs that can really rebound the ball and at our level, that will help us
“I though (Kevin Kangu) was phenomenal in Florida and I thought in the Maryland (loss) we saw more of what I expected to see,” said Kampe. “that is a learning process. I voted Maryland No. 1 in the country, as I vote in the coaches poll. they are the best team that I’ve seen this year. He struggled in that game. We were toe-to-toe with them for 18 minutes and have the game right where we wanted. We made a couple of mistakes and (Maryland pulled away).
“He came back from that today and started not very good. Kevin’s last 7-8 minutes was (really good),” continued Kampe. “What we’re hoping to get going forward is what we saw tonight — a majority of the teams in our league and out level can’t guard us in the post. There might be a couple out there that might be able to. We have some really big bodies and as good as we are offensively with those three big guys, the way they need to guard us is to heat it up on both ends of the floor and make it hard for us to get the ball into our offense and get the ball in there. It’s going to be a learning experience for Kevin. He’s never had to do this before.”
The Golden Grizzlies return to the hardwood Monday, Nov. 25 as they travel to DeKalb, Ill. to take on Northern Illinois at 8 p.m.
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