Solid defense in the first half kept the Red Hawks in the game, holding the Continentals to 28 points on 25.8% shooting. Hamilton had jumped out to an early lead but RPI charged right back into it led by Neal Wesson (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth), who led all scorers in the first half with nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. Junior forward Nick Jones (Washington, DC) and senior guard Phil Valenti (Pittsford, NY) tallied six points apiece for Hamilton.
In the second half, the Continentals went on an 8-0 run early to build up a 36-31 lead, but the Rensselaer stormed back into it, pulling to within a point (49-48) at the 10:33 mark. Capitalizing on 5-of-6 three-point buckets and numerous fast-breaks in the half, Hamilton began to pull away, leading by as many as 15-points (68-53) late in the game.
Senior guard Tim Welchons (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) led all scorers with a game-high 18 points with three rebounds and four assists. Welchons and Valenti, who chipped in 11 points both nailed a trio of three-pointers to extend Hamilton’s second half offensive break. Jones finished with 14 points and seven rebounds (six offensive), while Tsakane Ngobeni (Soweto, S. Africa/Saint Annes-Belfield School) chipped in with 11 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes.
The Red Hawks were led offensively by Wesson, and senior forwards Tom Schneider (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) and Matt Zepernick (Northport, NY/Northport), who all recorded 11 points in the game. Schneider added 10 rebounds (five offensive), while Zepernick added eight rebounds, two assists, one block and a steal.
Rensselaer returns to action on Tuesday at Vassar for an 8pm game against the Brewers. Hamilton returns to action next Friday night for an 8pm game at St. Lawrence.