On Tunji, Balling and A Terrific Trio

Not to detract any attention from the Boston University hockey team (they are ranked sixth in the country after all, and with that sweep of BC, are deservedly the biggest sports story on campus), but you have to look upstairs as well. Both basketball teams, men’s and women’s, have ample reasons to draw your attention.

When Matt Turner went down with a shoulder injury requiring season-ending surgery, it seemed like the Terriers were in more than a bit of trouble. With all due respect to the remaining players, none of them has the capability of Turner to explode for a 73-point game, hitting 64-of-66 three-pointers (if the math doesn’t add up, don’t bother me, I may just be exaggerating).

Or so it seemed. Freshman Chaz Carr — who in build and leaping ability, more than slightly resembles Turner — has stepped in and provided that offensive contribution, including a 36-point explosion this weekend against Northeastern that was — dare I say — Awojobi-esque (look him up kiddies, best basketball player this program has ever seen), let alone a performance that must have made coach Dennis Wolff rub his eyes to ensure he wasn’t dreaming of another Turner scoring explosion.

Carr is scoring at a clip of 13.7 points per game, while junior Billy Collins is right there with Carr, scoring 13.4 while also averaging 8.1 rebounds a contest. Collins has become a versatile assassin for BU, scoring inside and hitting the timely three-pointer.

And if these aren’t good enough reasons to watch the men’s ballers, here’s a stylistic reason: some of these guys can fly. They are good for at least a couple of dunks a game, and folks, you haven’t lived — at least in a sports sense — until you’ve seen a 5’10” guard (that’s Carr, by the way) throwing them down like a slightly larger version of Spud Webb.

The showtime style isn’t limited to the men. The Better Half of BU basketball has its own bona-fide star in Katie Terhune. With the graduation of Alison Dixon, Terhune officially became The Gunslinger for the Terriers. She is averaging 19.6 points per game, including her own 35-point explosion against the Huskies this weekend.

Terhune presents the total package. She can flat out shoot the rock, but she takes it to the basket with ferocity, taking many trips to the free-throw line, where she is money in the bank. Small wonder she was named America East Player of the Week for the third time this season. I smell a postseason award in the future.

The ladies of the court aren’t limited to the basketball stylings of Miss Terhune either. Dia Dufault has that flashy touch to her game that turns a simple looking pass into a no-look special delivery, or a smooth drive through the lane ending in a tasty finger roll. Looking for grit? Look no further than point guard Courtney Jones. A captain in her sophomore year for a reason, Jones is one of those players who is often overlooked by outsiders but never by those in the know. She’s the kind of leader that makes teams go with her heart and tenacity.

Not a roundball fan? Looking for a little more crunch on your weekend sports excursions? Look no further than those Icedogs, who, with a sweep against Newton University (a.k.a. Boston College) this past weekend, showed some balls in a sport that has none.

Leading the way from the back was soft-spoken goalie Sean Fields. He saved 57-of-59 shots he faced this weekend, earning the honorific title of greatest goalie alive (or Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week). But trust me on this one, don’t ask him about it, because Fields is the kind of kid who will never, ever acknowledge that he is a damn good player.

He is apparently the luckiest player alive, because he hasn’t made a save with skill all year. I doubt very much that Jack Parker really cares, as long as his team keeps winning (quick sidenote here: BU has now tied last season’s victory total … yeah, it was that bad last year, but that’s ok, because it is this good this year, and living in the past is something for Yankees fans now).

While Fields will never, ever, acknowledge that his defense — like any defense — on occasion hangs him out to dry, it isn’t as though they have performed poorly this year. Led by two seniors, Chris Dyment and Pat Aufiero, the blue liners have progressed as the season has gone on, and there has been no better example of this than brilliant performances by Dyment and Aufiero on Sunday.

Aufiero in particular had the best goal I’ve ever seen in person, weaving from red line to blue line with NHL 2001-like precision before tucking a great shot under BC goalie Tim Kelleher’s arm.

Kelleher’s big brother, Chris, was a player here, from 1994-98. Needless to say, Tim was obviously being punished for his school choice.

Also on the defense is the top-rated, that’s right, No. 1 collegian in the Central Scouting Bureau’s rankings of top North American skaters, freshman defenseman Ryan Whitney, who has shown poise beyond his years in his partnership with Dyment this year.

Up front there is a bit of a “Kill Ya By Committee” approach. There are no Darren Haydars with 53 points in 23 games on this team, but there is Mike Pandolfo and a cast of thousands (sorry, 11). Pandolfo has scored 15 goals, and with his nine assists, is the leading scorer on the team. He has been a streaky scorer in the past but a steady scorer this year, and he finds himself seven points away from joining the 100-point club for his career.

Pando has been joined up front by two freshmen, Brian McConnell and Justin Maiser, who have shown good scoring touches along with an obvious willingness to play tough hockey. Also shining for BU has been the third line of sophomores: Gregg Johnson, Frantisek Skladany and Kenny Magowan. After doing very little in their freshman year (apparently, they wanted to fit in with most of the other guys on the team), the line has consistently been BU’s best and is guaranteed to provide at least one highlight-quality play in every game, usually from Skladany, who is pure electricity with the puck.

Now couple BU sports with pro sports and there is a veritable boom right now. Obviously, there has been no lack of support for Tom Brady and the Pats; Paul, Antoine and the Funky Bunch (that’s an ugly image), and Jumbo Joe and the Big Bad Bruins. But folks, don’t you think its time we support those who ply their trade at our school, representing us, as they excel this winter? Try these games on for size, and not just a hockey contest. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to check out everybody.