BERKELEY, Calif. -- Eastern Washington coach Ray Giacoletti viewed game films of 10th-ranked St. Joseph´s all summer.
“And I felt sick about it every time I watched,” Giacoletti said. “We didn´t know how in the world we were going to defend them.”
The Eagles found a way, and pulled off an upset on Thursday night. Chris Hester scored 20 points to lead Eastern Washington to a 68-67 victory in the first round of the Black Coaches Association Classic.
“When you get the opportunity to play in a tournament with national exposure, you need to make the most of it,” Giacoletti said. “We made the most of it.”
St. Joseph´s entered the game ranked in a preseason poll for the first time since 1965, but the Hawks began the season with a loss to a moderately regarded Big Sky Conference team.
Delonte West had a chance to tie the game for St. Joseph´s with 3 seconds left, but missed the second of two free throws. The ball was batted around, and a desperation shot by Na´im Crenshaw bounced off the iron as the horn sounded.
“Hopefully we´ll just take this as a lesson learned,” St. Joseph´s coach Phil Martelli said. “No matter who you play if you shoot free throws like that, don´t box out and commit 22 turnovers you´re going to get beat.”
Jason Humbert added 16 points and a seven rebounds for Eastern Washington. The Eagles, who outrebounded St. Joseph´s 37-28, made just 14-of-30 free throws in the victory.
In the first meeting ever between the two teams, the Eagles controlled the boards and forced 22 turnovers while moving into Friday night´s championship game against Princeton or California.
“We gave up 106 and 95 points in our two exhibition games, so I don´t know where this came from,” Giacoletti said. “That kind of defensive effort I won´t tolerate. This was more like it.
Marvin O´Connor led the Hawks with 19 points, but fellow guard Jameer Nelson had just two points and was 1-for-8 from the field. The duo is considered one of the best backcourts in the country.
Damian Reid had 14 points, and Crenshaw added 11.
The Hawks returned four starters to a team that went 26-7 last season, losing in a second-round NCAA tournament game to Stanford.
Eastern Washington closed the first half with a 16-2 run, capped by Hester´s steal and a driving layup that gave the Eagles a 35-34 halftime lead.
St. Joseph´s shot 61 percent from the field for the half, but 12 turnovers kept the Eagles close.
“Sometimes when you´re in a street fight, you have to deliver the first blow,” Martelli said. “We didn´t then and they pretty much took it to us the entire 40 minutes.”
Eastern Washington was 17-11 last season and came within a game of earning an NCAA tournament bid, losing to Cal State Northridge 73-58 in the final of the Big Sky tournament.
