The Hamilton men’s basketball team has started their season with a six-game win streak for the third year in a row. They have scored an average 91.8 points per game and defeated six non-conference opponents. The team graduated four of their five starting players last year but the team does not seem to have missed a beat so far. Five first years were added to the roster, which is already filled with talented and experienced upperclassmen players, and have made an immediate impact. Several returning players have stepped up and excelled in their heightened roles.
The Continentals started their season with the Rose City Classic tournament at Drew University in Madison, N.J. on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17. They won their first game against The College of New Jersey, 88–81. The next day, Hamilton went up against Drew University and came away with the tournament title, with a winning score of 88–80.
Kena Gilmour ’20, last season’s NESCAC Player of the Year, scored 27 points against The College of New Jersey, which included five three-pointers. In the tournament championship game, he had 24 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
First-year players Nkosi Cooper ’23 and Patrick Mogan ’23 also impressed during their college debuts. Cooper started both games as point guard; in the game against Drew, he had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mogan scored 19 points against The College of New Jersey and was named to the all-tournament team.
The team’s home opener was on Wednesday, Nov. 20 against Bard College. They were in control of the game from the beginning, coming out to a 22–6 lead halfway through the first half. On the way to their eventual 101–57 win, six different Hamilton players scored at least ten points and every available player on the roster scored at least two points for an all-around team win. Elliott Tirbaso ’22 scored a career-high 17 points in only 19 minutes of play. Vince Conn ’21 made four three-pointers and had seven assists. He is currently ranked second in the NESCAC in three-point percentage (60.0).
The following Saturday, Nov. 23, the Continentals traveled to Keene, N.H. to take on Keene State. It was another decisive win, 83–70, with several crucial contributors. Keene State got within three points with around nine minutes left in the game, but Hamilton was able to pull away again with a run sparked by a three-pointer from Eric Anderson ’22.
Four players scored in double digits, including Tirbaso, Gilmour, Nick Osarenren ’22 and Spencer Kendall ’21. Kendall scored a team-high 17 points, which is also thehighest of his career so far. He currently leads the NESCAC in field goal percentage (70.3).
Over Thanksgiving break, the men’s basketball team traveled to Southern California to play Caltech and California Lutheran on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 29. In the game against Caltech, Gilmour led the team with 30 points. Kendall added 12 points and Cooper bagged 11 on the team’s way to a 94–82 win.
The Continentals were ahead by 62–40 at one point in the second half, but Caltech was able to claw their way back and tie at 80–80 with less than four minutes left. Gilmour took over at this point and consecutively scored 12 of Hamilton’s final 14 points to win the game.
Hamilton soundly defeated California Lutheran two days later, 94–68, after creating a solid lead for themselves during the first half. They were up 45–32 at the start of the second half and led by double digits for the rest of the game. The Continentals outscored their opponents 50–17 in points off the bench and 24–0 in second-chance points. Gilmour scored 18 points and surpassed his 1,500th career point. Mark Lutz ’20 made three three-pointers in five shots. Cooper and Mogan led the team in assists (4) and rebounds (8), respectively. The team as a whole made an impressive 61.8% of their field goal attempts in a strong ending to the California trip.
Men’s basketball have their next home game Sunday, Dec. 8 against Johnson & Wales at 4:00 p.m. in the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. They will begin NESCAC play in January.
