Men's Basketball Edges Out Lehigh in Second Half, 65-64

Some time in late November, the focus in college sports begins to shift from football to basketball. This is especially true in the Ivy League, where the football season ends without playoffs or bowl games.

It is, perhaps, fitting that the spectacular 1997-98 season in Harvard athletics has transitioned with such fluidity from a near-perfect football performance to solid play by the men's hoopers.

On Saturday, the Crimson basketball team outlasted an aggressive Lehigh (3-1) squad by the score of 65-64 to improve to an unblemished 3-0 record.

First-year forward Dan Clemente nailed a 12-foot baseline fade-away on a feed from senior captain Mike Scott with 32 seconds remaining to give Harvard the lead. The defense proceeded to thwart the Engineers' final opportunities by its trademark stingy play.

Despite some scheduling confusion, the game in Bethlehem, Pa., started at 7 p.m., rather than 3 p.m. It seemed, at first, that Lehigh was better prepared for the contest.

"They came out really aggressively and set the tempo of the game," Clemente said.

Pressing nearly the entire time, the Engineers forced the Crimson to take quick shots.

"They got us a bit flustered in our half-court offense," said senior forward Paul Fisher.

Harvard quickly recovered, however, and neither team really had a break-away run or a double-digit lead. At halftime, the score was tied at 32-32.

The see-saw battle continued until the final whistle. With Lehigh ahead by three points with about a minute left, junior point guard Tim Hill drained his first trey in five attempts. A few seconds later, Lehigh's Fido Willybiro hit one of two free throws to put his team up 64-63.

After the Clemente clutch shot put the Crimson ahead, Lehigh tried desperately to set up a quality look at the hoop, but the ball was deflected out of play twice. With six seconds remaining, the inbounds play was tipped by the Harvard defense and the last pair of shots by Brett Eppehimer and Damien McGill fell harmlessly short without ever hitting the iron.

Eppehimer led the Engineers with 31 points, continuing his torrid scoring pace (he had a 39-point effort earlier in the week). His 9-18 performance (including 4-5 on 3-pointers) provided nearly half of Lehigh's scoring.

"Eppehimer had a super game," Hill said.

Harvard's offense was far more balanced, as five Crimson players ended up in double-figures. Sophomore Damian Long led Harvard with 15 points, with Scott adding 12. Hill, Fisher, and Clemente each contributed 10 points.

"The balanced scoring has been a pleasant surprise," Scott said.

While the Crimson are perfect this season, players are not altogether pleased with their level of play.

"No one expected us to be anything but 3-0, and we haven't been playing up to the standards that we need for Ivy League play," Scott said.

One area that needs obvious work is free throws. The Crimson went to the line an astoundingly meager five times, and only converted a pair of these chances. However, the players argue that this is not totally their fault.

"There was some sketchy home-town refereeing," said Fisher.

Harvard out rebounded Lehigh 38 to 36 (led by Clemente's 10) and held a 16-14 assist advantage. But Hill, who had seven assists, also committed five turnovers, and the team gave up the ball a disturbing 17 times in all.

"The press rattled us a lot more than it should have," Scott said.

After enjoying a day off, the Crimson prepare for a physical contest against Army tomorrow.

"There will be some elbows thrown in that game," Scott said. HARVARD, 65-64 at Bethlehem, Pa Harvard  32  33  --  65 Lehigh  32  32  --  64

LEHIGH: Hess 2-8 2-2 8; Willybiro 4-8 2-4 10; McGill 3-9 0-1 6; Hawkins 1-2 0-0 2; Eppehimer 9-18 9-11 31; Willis 0-3 0-0 0; Handerhan 1-3 0-2 2; Aylsworth 1-3 0-0 2; Delea 1-2 1-3 3; Fry 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-56 14-23 64.

LEHIGH: Scott 5-11 0-1 12; Fisher 5-8 0-0 10; Ewing 0-1 0-0 0; Hill 4-12 1-2 10; Beam 2-9 1-2 5; Lewis 0-0 0-0 0; Dexter 1-2 0-0 3; Long 6-9; 0-0 15; Clemente 4-8 0-0 10. TOTALS: 27-60 2-5 65.

LEHIGH: Hess 2-8 2-2 8; Willybiro 4-8 2-4 10; McGill 3-9 0-1 6; Hawkins 1-2 0-0 2; Eppehimer 9-18 9-11 31; Willis 0-3 0-0 0; Handerhan 1-3 0-2 2; Aylsworth 1-3 0-0 2; Delea 1-2 1-3 3; Fry 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-56 14-23 64.

LEHIGH: Scott 5-11 0-1 12; Fisher 5-8 0-0 10; Ewing 0-1 0-0 0; Hill 4-12 1-2 10; Beam 2-9 1-2 5; Lewis 0-0 0-0 0; Dexter 1-2 0-0 3; Long 6-9; 0-0 15; Clemente 4-8 0-0 10. TOTALS: 27-60 2-5 65.