It’s safe to say that the beginning of Jason Grochowalski’s senior season didn’t go as planned. Now he’s looking to make sure the ending is just right.
The senior from Shrewsbury came off the bench last night to score a team-high 13 points, grab a team-high eight rebounds and help lead the Boston University men’s basketball team to a 71-65 win over the University of Maine at Case Gym.
Grochowalski sat out five games first semester after being suspended by BU coach Dennis Wolff. In his first six games back, he struggled to fit in offensively, failing to reach double digits in scoring. In his last four games, however, he has put up two figures in the point column three times.
“It took some time, but slowly and surely my minutes and productivity have been increasing,” Grochowalski said. “Sitting out was something I needed to do, but coach has helped me get back into the flow of things.”
Last night, he played a season-high 23 minutes. With less than 12 minutes to play in the first half, he helped spark a 10-0 BU run that brought the Terriers from a six-point deficit to a four-point lead. Grochowalski did it with a three-pointer from the corner, then a three-point play the old fashioned way – a layup and a foul shot.
In the second half, he helped seal the BU victory when he sunk another three-pointer from the corner with 1:07 to play that extended BU’s lead to seven, 66-59. It’s the kind of effort Wolff expects out of Grochowalski every night.
“Jay is a high-energy guy. He was ready to play,” Wolff said. “Not only in the first half, but with that three he made. Jay is working hard to be a guy that is contributing. It’s good for us that he had a good game.”
Dependable Daccarett?
Meaningful minutes have been hard to come by for senior forward Daniel Daccarett during his four years at BU. But after last night’s performance, that might start to change.
Daccarett was inserted into the lineup about halfway through the first half with BU down 20-14 and senior center Ryan Butt on the bench with two fouls. He scored two quick baskets and was able to disturb Maine’s frontcourt offense with his physical play. When he left the game five minutes later, BU was ahead.
“The guys I had in there were not playing physical enough,” Wolff said. “He is an aggressive kid – he went in, scored a couple of baskets and banged them around a little bit.”
Grochowalski showered even more praise on his senior teammate, a walk-on from Peru who is at BU on an academic scholarship.
“One of the biggest differences in the game was Daniel Daccarett,” he said. “We needed him to play. We were in foul trouble when he came in, and he gave us huge minutes.”
Balanced Bostonians
Eight different players made BU’s first eight field goals last night, as sure a sign as any that this year’s squad is willing to share the offensive spotlight.
Sophomore Shaun Wynn opened the game with a drive down the lane for a layup. Butt then drained a three-pointer from the top of the key. Junior Chaz Carr nailed a fall-away three-pointer from the wing. Junior Rashad Bell grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a reverse layup. Sophomore Jason Gardner sunk a 15-footer from the wing. Senior Kevin Fitzgerald converted a layup. Daccarett then hit a layup, and Grochowalski finished off the barrage with a three-pointer from the corner.
“The consistent thing with our team is that, if we’re going to win and if we’re going to be successful, we need everybody,” Wolff said. “You hear coaches say that all the time, but I think that’s clear with our guys.”
The team depth is an advantage most other teams at the top of the standings in the America East lack. Northeastern University relies on a trio of Jose Juan Barea, Marcus Barnes and Javorie Wilson. The University of Vermont is even less balanced, with the bulk of the offense going through T.J. Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath. BU, however, has had five different players lead the team in scoring for at least two games, with only 16 games played.
“We have guys who have strengths, and if they all play together, then we can have a good team,” Wolff said. “I don’t think they’re overly concerned with who does what and who scores what.”