Nick Havener steps up for men’s basketball in losing effort

Facing a 14-point halftime deficit against Harvard University Tuesday night, someone on the Boston University men’s basketball team had to step up.

Sophomore guard Cheddi Mosely and senior guard John Papale struggled to get any open looks from distance, going a combined 0-for-7. Starting freshman point guard Kyle Foreman hadn’t practiced in nine days. Junior guard Cedric Hankerson, who had made his season debut just one week earlier, suffered a setback in his recovery from an ACL tear and will likely redshirt the 2015-16 campaign. Due to a coach’s decision, senior forward Nathan Dieudonne was not even in the building.

So, sophomore forward Nick Havener took it upon himself to infuse the Terriers (3-5) with hustle and heart as they mounted a second-half comeback against the Crimson (3-6). Making his first start of the season in place of Dieudonne, Havener led the BU charge with 10 points and seven rebounds in the final 20 minutes of action. He ended the night 18 points and 11 boards, good for his first career double-double in the 75-69 loss.

“[Heading into the second half] we needed a spark,” Havener said. “We needed some kind of energy that I didn’t think we brought to the game in the beginning.”

Havener surpassed his career-high of 12 points just over three minutes into the second frame, as he scored six points in an 8-2 BU run.

“My main focus was being able to get to the rim and work in our system,” Havener said. “I thought our guards did a really good job of circulating the ball. They were able to open up the driving lanes and me and obviously Eric Fanning capitalized on that and took it to them strong.”

But beyond the statistics, Havener gave BU coach Joe Jones something he has been looking for all season — consistent, strong effort.

“[Havener] got going and really gave us a lot of energy,” Jones said. “It gave us some confidence. That’s what you want to be able to build on. That’s how we have to play throughout the game.”

Even when on the bench, Havener brought life to the team. After junior guard Eric Fanning hit an acrobatic lay-up to cut the Harvard lead to 63-53 and drew contact on the play, Havener — likely exhausted from playing a career-high in minutes — was the first BU player to jump off the bench and let out a yell of emotion.

Still, Havener’s biggest contributions came on the court. He played an even bigger role down the stretch as senior forward Justin Alston succumbed to injury midway through the final frame. Down just eight points with a little over four minutes left in regulation, Jones subbed Havener back into the game after a short rest in the hopes that he could keep BU’s momentum going. Immediately Havener made an impact, driving in the lane and finishing a tough layup.

“He’s got a lot to learn, but he played with a lot of toughness in the second half,” Jones said.

With 15 seconds remaining trailing 71-65, Havener battled for a key offensive rebound that turned into a put-back basket for Fanning, keeping BU’s comeback efforts alive.    

As the Terriers try and figure out their identity in what has become a season of inconsistencies, Havener’s energetic play has emerged as a factor Jones can count on.

“Personally, every single game I just try to do my best in playing in our core values — communication, respect, enthusiasm, selflessness and toughness,” Havener said. “That’s what we live for no matter if we’re coming off the bench or if we’re starting. We just try to do what we do in our system and try to play our best no matter what.”