Cedarville dominates Boyce in home opener

By Emily Tuttle

Fans had waited for this night, and players had practiced tirelessly for this chance. The Cedarville University men’s basketball home opener surely did not disappoint. The pep band led the lively, navy-wearing crowd in spirited dances and chants, and students studied the opposing team’s roster, ready to troll the competition for even the smallest mistake.

The men fed off this energy, starting strong and finishing even stronger. The Jackets beat the Boyce College Bulldogs in a definitive 91-64 fashion and kept their foot on the gas all night, slowly building their lead. 

After starting the first half with ball-handling errors and rushed shots, the men looked a little frazzled but quickly settled in and hit three early three-pointers. Led by first-year coach Rob Jones, the Jackets focused on their court performance and the habits they’ve forged in practice.

“I was asking the guys to rely on the habits that we developed in practice to continue to build on those,” Jones said. 

These habits have been drilled into the men’s minds, but Jones reminds them they must stay aggressive and not become bored with the game’s monotony. The defense took this defensive challenge: they forced turnovers and played a tight man-to-man defense on the Bulldogs, allowing them to build a solid lead.

Players like junior guard Kyle Thomas contributed to that lead. He kept the crowd entertained with 10 points in the first, splashing 3 out of 5 attempts from downtown. The 18-inch rim must have looked much larger for Thomas, who finished the game 60% from three-point land. Big man Tymoteusz Pszczola, standing 6 feet 10 inches tall, used his height to the Jackets’ advantage and grabbed a team-high nine boards. 

But at the end of the first half, the men got comfortable. Boyce came crawling back and cut Cedarville’s lead to a mere four. The men dialed in their effort, focusing on their habits, and each team member pulled their weight. And just when they needed a spark, Jaylen Davis stepped onto the court, ready to provide timely energy. 

Davis, a redshirt freshman from Liberty University, showed his versatility all evening, scoring everywhere from the paint to beyond the three-point line. He revitalized the crowd with finishes like a mid-range jumper and an electric dunk, riling up the first row of the student section.

He ended with 23 points, taking no credit for the team’s impressive victory but reflecting it on his teammates. 

“Our brotherhood is very strong, even off the court, which helps us on the court with chemistry, David said. 

This chemistry showed when the men shared the ball, with the bench contributing 36 points and three players in double figures, propelling them to their 27-point victory. In the final minutes, the Jackets stripped the Bulldogs of their spirit, going on a 29-7 run and putting the final nail in their coffin.

The once close game had turned into a blowout, with Cedarville fans on their feet cheering for the bench players to score. The men’s habits of endurance and tenacity from practice to the game showed on the hardwood exhilaratingly.

The Jackets will look to continue this momentum on Monday at 7 p.m. against Wilberforce and capitalize on their strong habits. 

Emily Tuttle is a sophomore journalism major and the sports editor for Cedars. She is passionate about Philly sports, weight lifting, and all things silly.