Winning Start for AMU Men's Basketball Season

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Published on Sunday, 01 November 2009 03:29

Tough defense helped the Ave Maria University men's basketball team win their season opener Saturday 55-42 over Trinity College of Florida. Both teams played tight defensively and unevenly on offense, particularly in the first half which ended in a 17-17 tie.

The game remained close until midway through the second half when, with the score tied at 30-30, Ave Maria began to hit more consistently from the floor.

The Donahue Academy gym was packed to overflowing for the game, and the noisy crowd took on a festive air as many of the students marked the Halloween holiday by coming in costumes. Left, sophomore Michael Tondo dressed as Gandalf and senior Mary Karol dressed as Arwen, both characters from "Lord of the Rings," sang the national anthem at the start of the game.

The Gyrenes are playing their first season as members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, although they won't play an NAIA team until January. Their next game is an exhibition match at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville Nov. 5, and the next home contest is Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. against College of the Bahamas.

One proud parent, Mike Wright, came from Colorado to watch his son, freshman John Wright, play his first game for AMU. At right, Mr. Wright holds a laptop computer with a webcam aimed at the court to stream video of the game to friends back home.

Below, students line up at halftime for a costume contest.