By Dylan Butler
That's about the only positive Knights coach Kyrk Peponakis can take from Tuesday night's game at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.The other stuff – the lack of intensity, the matador defense, the selfishness of some players – was not so good. It's a trend Peponakis has noticed and a potential cancer that can derail a team that has a chance at the best record in program history, its first NYCAC regular-season title and another berth in the NCAA tournament.”I think some of our defense stinks, I think some of our offense stinks and I think our effort stinks,” Peponakis said. “It's bad because I can't deal with guys not being committed.”Queens (16-5, 12-2 NYCAC) nearly blew a 14-point lead with 9:38 left in the second half and needed a spectacular Anthony Mauceri steal and free throw with 6.5 seconds remaining to clinch the league win.Bradd Wierzbicki had his worst shooting game of the year, scoring 15 points on 5-of-16 from the field and Shaun Bertin, after netting 11 of the Knights' first 21 points, was saddled with foul trouble for much of the second half.Without its potent 1-2 punch, Queens needed scoring help from other sources and found it in Hassan Washington and Lance Hazel.Washington had 16 points – all in the second half – and Hazel added a critical nine points on three three-pointers as Queens turned a 32-29 halftime deficit into a 58-44 lead thanks to an 18-1 run.”Bradd and Shaun have been going all year, so I just ride them,” Washington said. “If they don't need me to score, I don't try. But I saw that Shaun was in a little bit of trouble and Bradd was having a little trouble so I thought I'd relieve a little pressure off them and get my shot off.”But led by Vinny Falzone, the former Archbishop Molloy product who had 25 points and 18 rebounds, and Mark Pierre, who added 19 points, Molloy (7-14, 6-8 NYCAC) crept back into the game. And when Mike Mooney buried a three-pointer – his only bucket of the game – the Lions were within 75-74 with 13.4 seconds left.”If you asked me to describe Molloy College, the first thing I would say is they play harder than anyone else,” Peponakis said. “And it's been that way from when I was an assistant to now, for 14 years.”Washington sank a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left and Falzone was set to inbound the ball to Mooney. But Mauceri crept in and intercepted the pass, knocking down a free throw and sealing the win for Queens.”He threw towards our bench and I just tipped it away,” Mauceri said. “I was just trying to keep him in front of me, but it just fell in my lap so I took it.”Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
