Quaker men’s basketball held their position atop the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) on Feb. 7 when they hosted and defeated the Washington & Lee Generals, 75-61. The Quakers understood that they were evenly matched with their opponents. Both teams’ style of play was very similar. Not having played the Generals this season, the coaching staff relied upon game film.

“Washington & Lee is one of the most disciplined (teams) in the conference, said head coach Tom Palombo. “They run on offense and don’t give up very many points.”

The opening tip went to the Generals, but the ball was quickly back in the Quakers’ hands, which led to a bucket by junior Tyler Sanborn. Both teams played great defense, causing the score to remain modest. With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the Generals led 14-13.

The Generals (12-8) (5-6) could not hold on during the second half. The Quakers scored more effectively, and focused on getting the ball to post players Sanborn and senior George Neville. With new emphasis on easy, high-percentage buckets, the Quakers gained the lead.

“The Quakers really turned up the offense in the second half,” said junior fan Chad Currin.

Junior guard Rhett Bonner picked up the intensity when he drove past three Generals, acrobatically laying the ball in the basket with 13 minutes left. With this mindset, the Quakers kept the lead for the rest of the game. The score was 63-59 in favor of the Quakers with four minutes left on the game clock.

As expected, the teams battled until the last second. When the Generals were forced to foul in order to regain possession, the Quakers made both sets of free throws and an easy lay-up, converted from an in-bounds pass. This sparked an even louder wave of crowd support, coming mostly from children.

It was youth day at Ragan-Brown and the crowd did not allow the Quakers to lose momentum. The noise rarely dulled in the last 10 minutes of play; the youth stomped on the bleachers and cheered loudly. Noise filled the field house as the seconds wound down.

“I really like when young kids come out and support us,” said junior leading scorer Clay Henson. “The crowd support helps us get into the game and helps us keep up our energy level.”

The Quakers remain tied for first place in the ODAC with Randolph-Macon, boasting a 9-2 record.

“Knowing we control our own destiny pushes us to be the best we can be, and keeps morale high,” explains Henson. “Every team wants to knock us off the top.