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(2005 - NAIA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

2006 - NAIA "ELITE 8"

2007 - "Sweet 16"

2008 - "Sweet 16"

NAIA Men's Basketball Officlal Bracket: http://naia.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/naia/sports/m-baskbl-div2/auto_pdf/2009DIIMBBBracketB

BASKETBALL CAMP:

Walsh University Head Basketball Coach Jeff Young will host two day camps for boys in grades 4-9

Basketball Camp

June 22-25

July 13-16

Camp runs from 9am – 4pm, Monday thru Thursday.

Each camper receives lunch, a camp basketball, t-shirt and written evaluation.

Fundamentals Camp

A fundamentals camp will be offered to boys and girls in grades 4-9, August 3-6.

Camp runs from 9am – noon for grades 4-6 and from 1pm – 4pm for grades 7-9.

Shooting, ball handling, offensive moves and footwork will the emphasis of the camp.

All camps will be held in Walsh’s new gym.

For further information, or a camp brochure, contact Jeff Young at 330.490.7020

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

"Megan McDonald, Joe Shardo Selected Female and Male Athletes of the Year"

Walsh University has selected Megan McDonald (5-10, Sr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) and Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) as Female and Male Athletes of the Year (2008-09) in a vote of University head coaches. McDonald led Walsh to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament, while Shardo led the men's basketball team to their fifth straight NAIA National Tournament appearance. They will be honored at halftime of Walsh's home opening football game on Saturday, September 19 (12 pm) against Ohio Dominican University at Fawcett Stadium.

McDonald earned Second-Team NAIA All-American accolades in guiding the Cavaliers to a 29-13 overall record. Walsh won the American Mideast Conference regular season crown (13-1) and earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament, finishing 21st in the final NAIA poll. McDonald was named AMC Player of the Year, while also earning first-team Honors. Megan was also tabbed AMC Player of the Week four times. She was also named to the AVCA Northeast Region Team, while being selected the Northeast Region Player of the Year. McDonald averaged 4.01 kills per game (1st AMC/11th NAIA), totaling 602 for the year.

Shardo, who earned NAIA First-Team All-American and First-Team National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) State Farm Coaches’ NAIA All-America teams honors led Walsh to 27 wins, a co-American Mideast Conference Championship and a fifth straight NAIA Tournament appearance. Shardo, who was named American Mideast Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-AMC, scored 788 points in his two years at Walsh after transferring from Missouri-Rolla. Shardo was a three-time AMC Player of the Week, and led the Cavs in scoring (18.6 ppg). Joe shot .510 from the field, .843 from the free throw line, averaged 6.5 rebounds, handed out 72 assists and had 37 steals. He scored 30 points or more in a single game four times, with a career high of 45 points against Ohio Dominican University. He scored 31 points in Walsh's AMC Tournament Championship win against Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

"Joe Shardo Named First Team 2009 State Farm Coaches NAIA All-American by National Association of Basketball Coaches "

KANSAS CITY, MO. (April 20, 2009) -- The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced today the 2009 State Farm Coaches’ NAIA All-America teams. Selected and voted on by coaches, these student-athletes represent the finest basketball players across America. Walsh University's Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) was named First Team NAIA Division ll.

Shardo, who also earned NAIA First-Team All-American honors, and American Mideast Conference Player of the Year honors, scored 788 points in his two years at Walsh. He transferred from Missouri-Rolla. Shardo was a three-time AMC Player of the Week, and led the Cavs in scoring (18.6 ppg). Joe shot .510 from the field, .843 from the free throw line, averaged 6.5 rebounds, handed out 72 assists and had 37 steals. He scored 30 points or more in a single game four times, with a career high of 45 points against Ohio Dominican University. He scored 31 points in Walsh's AMC Tournament Championship win against Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Monday, March 23, 2009

"Brandon Speck Named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Walsh University's Brandon Speck (Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) has been named to the Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete Team. Speck carries a 3.74 grade point average and is majoring in business.

In order to be a recipient of the Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete award, one must fulfill these requirements: the recipient must be a junior or above in academic standing; has been in attendance at the nominating institution a minimum of one full year of attendance; has a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of nomination at the nominating institution; has been certified as eligible.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

"Joe Shardo First Team NAIA All-American, Jeremy Shardo HM"

Walsh's Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) has been selected First Team NAIA All-American. Shardo is the fourth Cavalier to receive first team recognition. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), Joe's younger brother, was named honorable mention. Walsh finished the season 27-4 and advanced to the NAIA Division ll National Tournament for the fifth straight year.

Joe Shardo, who also earned American Mideast Conference Player of the Year honors, scored 788 points in his two years at Walsh. He transferred from Missouri-Rolla. Shardo was a three-time AMC Player of the Week, and led the Cavs in scoring (18.6 ppg). Joe shot .510 from the field, .843 from the free throw line, averaged 6.5 rebounds, handed out 72 assists and had 37 steals. He scored 30 points or more in a single game four times, with a career high of 45 points against Ohio Dominican University. He scored 31 points in Walsh's AMC Tournament Championship win against Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Jeremy Shardo led the NAIA in assists (249), averaging 8.0 per game. He shattered the Walsh single season mark in the AMC Championship game against Mount Vernon Nazarene when he handed out 12. Shardo averaged 15.4 points and scored a career-high 34 points in Walsh's 91-83 national tournament loss to Ottawa University. Jeremy shot .777 from the line, .467 from the field and .451 from three-point. He also led the team with 54 steals and earned AMC Player of the Week honors.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

"Cavs Upset in First Round"

(Point Lookout, MO) Unseeded Ottawa University (19-13) led from start to finish, in upsetting fourth seeded Walsh University (27-4) 91-83 in a first round game at the NAIA Division ll National Championships at the Keeter Gymnasium in Point Lookout, MO. The loss snaps Walsh's 15-game winning streak, and is their first opening-round loss at the national tournament since the 2001-02 season, and first under Head Coach Jeff Young. Ottawa advances to the second round on Friday, and meets the winner of the Grace College/Warner Pacific College game.

Ottawa shot a blistering 68% (21-31) in the first half, and led 46-37 at halftime. The Braves' two top scorers, Phil McClintock (19) and David Birch (17) combined for 36 first half points, while shooting a combined 16-22. Walsh, on the other hand, couldn't find the range in the opening half, shooting 36% (13-36) from the floor and 13% (2-15) from three-point. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) kept the Cavs in the game with 14 and 10 points respectively.

The Cavs would shoot much better in the second half, but were still unable to slow down the Braves, who continued their outstanding shooting from the field. Walsh fell behind by 15 points (52-36) in the opening minute of the second half, but would whittle away and keep the deficit between six to ten points most of the second half. Jeremy Shardo single handily kept the Cavs close, scoring 24 second half points to finish with a game and career-high 34 points. Walsh would trim the lead to six points in the final minutes and down to four in the final 30 seconds, but costly turnover would prove too much to overcome.

Jeremy Shardo finished 13-25 from the field and 4-9 from three-point. Joe Shardo added 21 points and eight rebounds, as the Shardo's combined for 55 of Walsh's 83 points. No other Cavalier reached double figures. McClintock and Birch scored 28 points each to lead the Braves. McClintock was 10-17 from the floor, while Birch was a sizzling 11-14. McClintock also grabbed eight rebounds.   Walsh outrebounded the Braves 34-29, and kept better care of the ball, could just could not overcome their poor shooting first half, especially from three-point.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

"Cavs 4th Seed For National Tournament"

Tournament Bracket: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/naia/sports/m-baskbl-div2/auto_pdf/2009Bracket_1st.pdf

Walsh (27-3) has earned the fourth seed for the 32-team NAIA Division II Menï¿½s Basketball National Championships. The 18th annual event will be held March 11-17 in Point Lookout, Missouri. The College of the Ozarks (Mo.) serves as host for the 10th straight year. All Walsh games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh will play its first game on Thursday, March 12 at 12 pm (CST), against Ottawa University (18-13). The Braves are a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. They qualified for the national tournament by winning their conference tournament. The Braves will be making their sixth tournament appearance and have a tournament record of 1-4. They enter the championships on a three-game winning streak.

Walsh is makings its 10th NAIA D-II tourney appearance. The Cavs won the national championship is 2005, reached the "Elite Eight" in 2006, and the "Sweet 16" in each of the last two years. The Cavs sport a 13-7 national tournament record and enter the tournament with the NAIA's longest current winning streak at 15 games. They will be meeting Ottawa for the first time.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

"Joe Shardo Named AMC Player of the Year"

All-AMC Team: http://www.amcsports.org/Sports/mbball/2009/mbk_allamc09.asp?path=mbball

Walsh's Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) has been named American Mideast Conference Player of the Year. Shardo is the second straight Cavalier to earn the award and the third in the last five years. Brandon Weems won the award last year and Robert Whaley in 2004-05, when Walsh won the national championship.

Shardo was also named first-team with brother, Jeremy (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles). Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) was selected second team and L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) was named to the All-Freshman Team.

Joe Shardo, a three-time AMC Player of the Week, lead the Cavs in scoring (18.5 ppg), and is second in field goal percentage (.514), free throw percentage (.833), rebounding (6.4), assists (71) and steals (37). He scored 30 points or more in the single game four times, with a career high of 45 against Ohio Dominican. He scored 31 points in Walsh's AMC Tournament Championship win against Mount Vernon Nazarene on Monday night.

Jeremy Shardo leads the NAIA in assists (247), averaging 8.1 per game. He shattered the Walsh single season mark on Monday against Mount Vernon Nazarene when he handed out 12. Shardo averages 14.6 points, and is shooting .789 from the line, .462 from the field and .451 from three-point. He also leads the team with 49 steals and is a former AMC Player of the Week.

Kyelce Cescato averages 14.4 points and leads the AMC in field goal percentage (.648). Cescato also leads the Cavs in rebounding, averaging 8.5 per game. L.J. Sutton played in all 30 games and has started the last 14. Sutton is shooting .492 from the field, is averaging 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds.

Walsh (27-3) ranked fourth in the NAIA, will find out tomorrow who they play at the NAIA National Tournament, which starts next week at the College of the Ozarks (MO).

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

"Cavs Remain Fourth in Final NAIA Poll"

KANSAS CITY, Mo. ï¿½ In the 11th and final edition of the 2008-09 NAIA Division II Menï¿½s Basketball Coachesï¿½ Top 25 Poll (March 4), Oklahoma Wesleyan holds onto No. 1 for the fourth straight week. Winning the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, OWU earned 12 of the 16 possible first-place votes and 433 total points. The Eagles, who stand with a 30-2 overall record, are looking to be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Division II Menï¿½s Basketball National Championship, scheduled for March 11-17.

Walsh (27-3) remained fourth in the final NAIA Division II Menï¿½s Top 25 Coaches Poll. Seeding for the National Tournament will be announced by 1 pm (EST) on Thursday.

The Cavs defeated Mt. Vernon Nazarene University 97-85 in the American Mideast Conference Tournament Championship last night and will take a 15-game win streak to the national tournament.

The official announcement of the 2009 Championship qualifiers will be announced by 3 p.m. CST today (March 4).

Cedarville (Ohio) tied with Bethel (Ind.) at No. 2. Both teams totaled 415 points while the Pilots snared the remaining four first-place votes. No. 4 Walsh (Ohio) and No. 5 Black Hills State (S.D.) both hold their positions from last week.

Three teams hopped into the Top 25 after looking from the outside last week: No. 23 (tie) King (Tenn.), No. 23 (tie) Evergreen State (Wash.) and No. 25 Iowa Wesleyan.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents.

In the conference/independent tournaments, click here for all the brackets and score updates.

For more information on NAIA menï¿½s basketball, please click here.

Notes: Oklahoma Wesleyan leads Division II with 28 victoriesï¿½ Oregon Tech has now been ranked in the Top 10 in the last 16 straight pollsï¿½ Bluefield (Va.) has earned a Top 10 ranking the last six weeks ï¿½ the Top 10 mark is the first for any intercollegiate varsity sport in Bluefield College historyï¿½ There are four teams to receive the No. 1 ranking this season (Oregon Tech, Bethel (Ind.), Cedarville (Ohio) and Oklahoma Wesleyan)ï¿½ Oregon Tech and Walsh (Ohio) own the Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 51 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005ï¿½ Warner (Fla.) (No. 22), Sterling (Kan.) (No. 23) and Cardinal Stritch (No. 24) all fell out of the Top 25 this week.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

"Cavs Capture AMC Tournament Championship/Shardo's Combine for 54 Points"

(North Canton, OH) NAIA No. 4 Walsh (27-3) won its 15th straight game, defeating NAIA No. 12 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (23-8) 97-85 in the American Mideast Conference Tournament Championship game. Both teams will now head to the College of Ozarks next week for the NAIA Division ll National Tournament. Tournament pairings will be announced tomorrow night.

Tonight's game was also the final game in Alumni Arena, as the Cavs will move next door, next year. Wall of Famer Hop Collier, who played in the first game, in the then, called Physical Education Center in December of 1970, tossed-up the ceremonial "jump ball" on the last night. Both teams shot the ball well in the first half, as the Cavs led 41-39 at the break. Walsh's largest first half was six points (16-10, 20-14), while MVNU led by as many as eight points (33-25) with 5:02 left in the half. Walsh would close the half with a 16-6 run to lead by two. Jeremy Shardo's (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) layup with 1:53 remaining in the half, gave Walsh the lead for good at 37-35. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) led the way for the Cavs with 12 first half points, while brother, Jeremy added eight and became the single all-time assist leader. Shardo dished out six assists in the first half, to eclipse Brandon Weems mark of 237 in 2006-07. Shardo had totaled 241 assist at the half, with more to come. Walsh shot .531 (17-32), while the Cougars connected on .500 (15-30). Bryce Sanborn led MVNU with 10 first half points and nine rebounds.

Walsh opened up a seven point lead at 49-42, when the Cougars sliced it to three points at 52-49 with 15:51 to play. Walsh went on a 6-0 run to lead 58-49 with 15:21 to play. Walsh used the three-ball to answer every Cougar run in the second half, connecting on 10-13 from behind the arc. MVNU's Ben Falkenberg cut the Walsh lead to 58-55 with a three, when Joe Shardo answered, to put the Cavs up 61-55 with 13:50 left. Andy Francis matched Shardo's three on the next possession to cut the lead to 61-58, when Shardo dialed from long range again to give Walsh a 64-58 lead with 13:05 left. Walsh led by 10 points at 70-60, when Mount Vernon went on a 7-2 run to close to 72-67 with 9:17 left. The Cougars would close to within five points twice, at 75-70 and 77-72 with 6:54 to play, but would get no closer. Another Joe Shardo three would put the Cavs in front 86-74 with 4:45 to play. The closest the Cougars would get in final four minutes was 88-81 with 3:19 to play. Walsh would connect on 7-8 free throws in the final 2:26.

Joe Shardo recorded his fourth 30-point game of the season, leading all scorers with 31 points. Shardo was 11-19 from the floor and 7-12 from behind the arc. Jeremy finished with 23 points and 12 assists, and has totaled a Walsh record 247 assists for the season. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) became Walsh's single three-point leader, nailing 5-7 for 19 points. Speck's 98 three's is three better than Jason Hicks 95 from 2005-06. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 14 points, on 7-8 from the floor, to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds. Ben Falkenberg led MVNU with 21 points. Bryce Sanborn added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jadin Thomas and Dan Borcherdt also tallied 16 points each.

Walsh shot a blistering .769 (10-13) from behind the arc in the second half, and .556 (15-27) for the game. Overall, the Cavs shot .574 from the field on 35-61. The Cavs out-rebounded the Cougars 35-24 and handed out 24 assists, against only eight turnovers.

Walsh closes Alumni Arena as the opened it, with a win. The Cavs won their final 20 home games, and won 65 of their final 71 game played on their home floor. Wow, Home Sweet Home.

Monday, March 2, 2009

"Cavs (26-3, 12-1) Meet Mt. Vernon Nazarene in AMC Tournament Title Game"

NAIA No. 4 (new ranking 3/4) Walsh (26-3, 12-1) will host NAIA No. 12 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (23-7) on Tuesday at 7 pm in the American Mideast Conference Tournament Championship game. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for non Walsh students and senior citizens. Walsh students will be admitted for free by signing-up in the lobby and showing a valid ID.

Walsh, the top seed for the AMC Tournament, defeated Notre Dame College 70-63, while second seeded Mount Vernon Nazarene cruised past Northwestern Ohio 81-66. The winner receives the AMC's second automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament, March 11-17 at the College of the Ozarks (MO). Due to their high NAIA rankings, both Walsh and Mount Vernon will qualify for the national tournament, regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's game. The winners of all conference tournaments will decide final qualifiers and seeding for the tournament. Walsh last won the AMC Tournament championship in 2006-07, defeating Notre Dame College.

The Cavs extended their winning streak to 14 games, with a hard-fought 70-63 win over Notre Dame at Alumni Arena last Saturday. Walsh erased a five-point Notre Dame lead in final 13 minutes to notch the win. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 14 first half points, and led the Cavs with 25 points and eight rebounds. The Falcons led 49-44 with 13:06 to play when the Cavs went to work. L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney), who scored eight first half points, scored to cut the lead to 49-46 with 12:24 to play. After a Notre Dame turnover, Joe Shardo nailed a jumper to pull the Cavs to within one-point at 49-48 with 11:41 to play. Notre Dame followed with their second straight turnover, which led to Walsh regaining the lead for good. Walsh's Nick Foster (6-7, Fr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) was fouled and converted two free throws to give the Cavs a 50-49 lead with 10:58 to play. The Cavs would then hold Notre Dame scoreless for almost three minutes and take a 53-49 lead with 10:05 to play. The Falcons would come to within two points twice, at 57-55, and the final time at 60-58 with 3:12 to play.   Sutton would then convert an old fashioned three-point play to push the Walsh lead back to five points at 63-58 with 2:11 to play. The Cavs would then convert seven of eight free throws in the final 38 seconds to seal the win. Walsh placed four players in double figures, Sutton added 13 points, Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) 12 and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) had 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Cavs and Cougars are meeting for the just the second time this season. Walsh defeated MVNU 85-66 in the AMC opener for both teams on January 3 at Walsh. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) led the Cavs with 24 points and seven assists. Brandon Speck added 17 points. Dan Borcherdt paced the Cougars with 19 points. Walsh leads the all-time series 38-26 and is 2-1 in post season games. Walsh won in 1992-93, 87-73, in the District 22 semifinals and 86-84 in the first round of the Mid-Ohio Conference Tournament in 1997-98. The Cougars won 84-72 in the AMC Championship game in 1999-2000. Mount Vernon won their 11th straight game, 81-66 over Northwestern Ohio on Saturday. Ben Falkenberg poured in 37 points on 12-17 from the field and 7-12 from three-point. Bryce Sanborn pulled down 14 rebounds. Falkenberg is averaging 19.2 points per game and is shooting .492 from the field, .458 from three-point and .913 from the stripe.

Joe Shardo leads the Cavs in scoring, with an 18.1 (3rd AMC) per game average. He is shooting .511 (7th AMC) from the field and .434 (3rd AMC) from three-point and .830 (2nd AMC) from the foul line. He is also averaging 6.4 rebounds per contest. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.5 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 235 assists for an 8.1 per game average. Shardo is two assists shy of tying Brandon Weems' single season record of 237 from the 2006-07 season. He also leads the AMC in assist/turnover ratio (3.18/NAIA 3rd). Shardo is shooting .443 from the field, .443 from three-point and .789 (3rd AMC) from the line. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.4 points per game, with a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. He also leads the team, and AMC in field goal percentage (.642/3rd NAIA). Brandon Speck is averaging 12.2 points and leads the AMC in three-point shooting (.470). Speck is also shooting .904 from the free throw line.

As a team, the Cavs lead the AMC and are among the NAIA leaders in numerous categories. In scoring; 87.0 (AMC 1st, NAIA 5th), scoring margin 21.4 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), free throw percentage .740 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), field goal percentage .505 (AMC 1st, NAIA 3rd), 3-PT FG percentage .438 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 11.3 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assists per game 16.3 (AMC 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.60 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Saturday, February 28, 2009

"Cavs To Play Mt. Vernon Nazarene for AMC Tournament Championship"

NAIA No. 4 Walsh (26-3) will play host to NAIA No. 12 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (23-7) on Tuesday night in the championship game of the American Mideast Conference Tournament. Game time is 7 pm.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

"Cavs Advance to Tournament Title Game"

Walsh (26-3) has advanced to the American Mideast Conference Championship game, with a 70-63 come-from-behind win over Notre Dame College (19-12) today at Alumni Arena. The NAIA fourth ranked Cavs will host the winner of tonightï¿½s Northwestern Ohio/Mount Vernon Nazarene game on Tuesday at 7 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh erased a five-point Notre Dame lead in final 13 minutes to notch its 14th straight win. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 14 first half points, as the Cavs led 34-31 at halftime. Walsh led by as many as seven points (18-11) in the first half, and trailed by as many as three points (29-26), before outscoring Notre Dame 8-2 in the final 3:05 to take the lead into the locker room.

Notre Dame opened the second half with an 8-2 spurt, to take their largest lead of the game at 41-36 with 16:08 to play. The Falcons also led 49-44 with 13:06 to play when the Cavs went to work. L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney), who scored eight first half points, scored to cut the lead to 49-46 with 12:24 to play. After a Notre Dame turnover, Joe Shardo nailed a jumper to pull the Cavs to within one-point at 49-48 with 11:41 to play. Notre Dame followed with their second straight turnover, which led to Walsh regaining the lead for good. Walsh's Nick Foster (6-7, Fr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) was fouled and converted two free throws to give the Cavs a 50-49 lead with 10:58 to play.

The Cavs would hold Notre Dame scoreless for almost three minutes and take a 53-49 lead with 10:05 to play. The Falcons would come to within two points twice, at 57-55, and the final time at 60-58 with 3:12 to play. Walshï¿½s L.J. Sutton would then convert an old fashioned three-point play, to push the Walsh lead back to five points at 63-58 with 2:11 to play. The Cavs would then convert seven of eight free throws in the final 38 seconds to seal the win.

"We held them to just to four baskets in the final eight minutes, which has to be the key", said Walsh Head Coach Jeff Young. "The Shardo's again were big. I can't take them out, they played 80 minutes again.   Joe didn't shoot quite as well from three (4-11), but none the less, 25 points and eight rebounds were major. Jeremy didn't have a whole going on scoring wise, but he dishes out nine assists and has four steals and between the two of them, we canï¿½t' win without them. Sutton knocked down some early shots, which really helped his confidence and Foster brought a lot of energy on both ends, was aggressive, with a dunk and and one."

Joe Shardo led the Cavs with 25 points and eight rebounds, as Walsh placed four players in double figures. Sutton added 13 points, Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) 12 and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) had 10 points and eight rebounds. Notre Dame's Eric Dummermuth led all scorers with 27 points and with 14 rebounds. Dan Jones added 14 points and Karim McFarlane 13.

Jeremy Shardo is two assists shy of tying Brandon Weems single season assist mark of 237. Shardo leads the NAIA in assists and is averaging 8.1 per game.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

"Joe Shardo Wins AMC Player Week Honors For 3rd Time"

CEDARVILLE, Ohio - Walsh forward Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) has been named the American Mideast Conference Menï¿½s Basketball Player of the Week for the third time in the past five weeks. He averaged a double-double in games played on Feb. 16-22 helping the Cavaliers grab a piece of the AMC title for the fifth straight year.

Shardo exploded for 32 points and 14 rebounds in a 78-58 win over Daemen which avenged one of Walshï¿½s three setbacks this year. He came back 24 hours later with 15 points and seven boards as the Cavs recovered from a five-point halftime deficit to post a 60-50 victory at Northwestern Ohio.

Shardo averaged 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the week. He shot 47 percent from the field, 35 percent outside the arc, and 75 percent at the charity stripe. He added three assists and a steal while playing all but three minutes in the two games.

Walsh, 25-3 overall and 12-1 AMC, completed the regular season with a 13-game winning streak. The Cavaliers are the #1 seed in the AMC Tournament and host Notre Dame College at 4 pm on Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

"Cavs to Meet Notre Dame in AMC Semifinal"

NAIA No. 4 Walsh (25-3) will host Notre Dame College (19-11) in an American Mideast Conference semifinal game at Alumni Arena on Saturday at 4 pm. Notre Dame, the fifth seed in the tournament, defeated the fourth seeded University of Rio Grande 81-74 in overtime last night in a first-round game. The winner advances to the AMC Tournament Championship game on Tuesday, and on to the NAIA National Tournament. Walsh is the top seed in the tournament. In the other first round game, Northwestern Ohio (#3) defeated Daemen College (#6) 100-81, and will play at Mt. Vernon Nazarene (#2) on Saturday.

Walsh defeated Notre Dame 83-66 on February 14, at Walsh, in their only regular season meeting. This is the second post season meeting between the two teams. Walsh beat the Falcons 78-61 in the AMC Championship game in 2007. The Cavs lead the all-time series 4-0.

All playoff games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 23, 2009

"Cavs Remain 4th in Latest NAIA Top 25"

NAIA Top 25: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/022309aaf.html

Walsh (25-3, 12-1) remained fourth, as the top six teams all held their spots, in the 10th edition of the NAIA Top 25. The Cavs received 385 votes.

Walsh returns to action on Saturday, as the top seed of the American Mideast Conference Tournament. Walsh plays the winner of Tuesday's Notre Dame College/University of Rio Grande game at 4 pm. The Cavs defeated both teams at Alumni Arena during the regular season.  All playoff games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 23, 2009

"Cavs (25-3, 12-1) Earn Share of AMC Title and Top Seed for AMC Tournament"

NAIA No. 4 (new ranking 2/23) Walsh (25-3, 12-1) stretched its season long winning streak to 13 games, with back-to-back American Mideast Conference wins over Daemen College and Northwestern Ohio. The Cavs close the season tied with Cedarville University for the AMC crown and share the title with the Yellow Jackets. It marks the fifth straight season that Walsh has won the AMC title outright, or shared the championship. Cedarville receives the NAIA automatic tournament berth because of their victory over the Cavs on January 10. Walsh, while almost assured a fifth straight national tournament berth because of their ranking and season, has secured the top seed for the upcoming AMC Tournament. Walsh plays the winner of Tuesday's Notre Dame College/University of Rio Grande game on Saturday at 4 pm. The Cavs defeated both teams at Alumni Arena during the regular season. Ticket information and tip-off time will be announced on February 23. All playoff games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored a game-high 32 points, as Walsh tripped up Daemen College 78-58 in an AMC game on Friday night. Shardo was 7-11 from the floor in the first half, scoring 18 points, as the Cavs built a 40-32 halftime lead. The Cavs extended the lead to double digits in the second half, and held it throughout the remainder of the game. Shardo finished 12-19 from the floor, which included 5-10 from three-point, as he eclipsed the 30-point mark for the third time this season. He also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 14 points, NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out 10 and Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill/Bradley) chipped in 12 points off the bench.

Walsh turned in of their gutsiest performances of the season in a 60-50 road win at Northwestern Ohio on Saturday night. Early in the contest, the Cavs were showing the effects of having played Daemen the night before and traveling the next day. The Cavs were having trouble finishing, and shot a disastrous 25% in the first half on 8-31. The Cavs, the NAIA's top three-point shooting team, also missed all seven of their long range attempts. Despite the poor shooting, the Cavs trailed by just five points (27-22) at the half. In the second half, the Cavs displayed the talents that have produced a number four ranking and 25 wins. After falling behind 29-22 in 63 seconds, the three-balls began to fall, as the Cavs climbed back into the contest. The Cavs caught fire and ran off 12 quick points in the next three minutes to take a 34-29 lead at the 15:35 mark. Joe Shardo, who scored 32 points against Daemen on Friday, came to life. After scoring just three points on 1-8 from the field in the first half, Shardo would score eight points in the Cavs 12-0 run, on his way to 15-point night. He would play 77 minutes in the back-to-back games. The game was tight until the final minutes. Walsh held the lead, until NW Ohio took their final lead at 44-43 with 6:29 to play on a Josh Vorst jumper. Kyelce Cescato would give the Cavs the lead for good on the next possession at 45-44 with 6:08. The turning point of the game came in the Cavs' next three possessions; as Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) nailed three straight three-balls to give the Cavs a 54-45 lead with 3:39 to play. The Cavs outscored the Racers 15-6 in the final 6:08. Joe Shardo led the Cavs with 15 points, while playing in front of over 50 family and friends. Younger brother, Jeremy, played 40 minutes for the second straight night and finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Cescato scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while Speck finished with 12 points.

Walsh beat both Notre Dame and Rio Grande in the regular season. The Cavs beat the Falcons 83-66 on February 14, and downed Rio Grande 107-100 on January 31.

The Cavs are averaging 87.0 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. Joe Shardo leads the Cavs in scoring, with a 17.9 (3rd AMC) per game average. He is shooting .513 (6th AMC) from the field and .438 (3rd AMC) from three-point and .820 (2nd AMC) from the foul line. Shardo has reached double figures in each of the last ten games and is averaging 24.4 points per game over the period.   He is also averaging 6.4 rebounds per contest. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.5 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 226 assists for an 8.1 per game average. Shardo is shooting .470 from the field, .442 from three-point and .792 (3rd AMC) from the line. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.5 points per game, with a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. He also leads the team, and AMC in field goal percentage (.647/4th NAIA). Brandon Speck is averaging 12.2 points and leads the AMC in three-point shooting (.464). Speck is also shooting .917 from the free throw line.

As a team, the Cavs lead the AMC and are among the NAIA leaders in numerous categories. In scoring; 87.0 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), scoring margin 21.9 (AMC 1st, NAIA 3rd), free throw percentage .739 (AMC 1st, NAIA 5th), field goal percentage .507 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .438 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 11.8 (AMC 1st, NAIA 3rd), assists per game 16.4 (AMC 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.60 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Sunday, February 22, 2009

"Cavs Earn Number One Seed in Men's Basketball Tournaments"

Walsh University owns the top seed for the American Mideast Conference Tournament. The six-team event will be played on Feb. 24, 28, and March 3. All game times are listed as TBA.

The top two seeds went to #1 Walsh, 25-3, as well as #2 Mount Vernon Nazarene, 22-7. They earned first-round byes. Four teams tied for the final three spots with tiebreakers used to settle the outcome.

Tuesdayï¿½s opening round has #5 Notre Dame, 18-11, at #4 Rio Grande, 20-10, while #6 Daemen, 20-9, travels to #3 Northwestern Ohio, 17-13. Saturdayï¿½s semifinal match-ups have the Notre Dame/Rio Grande winner at Walsh and the Daemen/Northwestern Ohio winner at Mount Vernon Nazarene. The higher remaining seed will host the championship game on March 3.

The AMC men receive two automatic bids to the 18th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. on March 11-17. Cedarville earned the first one by virtue of its AMC victory over Walsh. The second is awarded to the AMC Tournament champion.

[2009 AMC MENï¿½S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET (pdf)]

Saturday, February 21, 2009

"Cavs Earn Share of AMC Title and Top Spot for AMC Tournament"

(Lima, OH) It was a good day for the NAIA fourth ranked Walsh University Cavaliers. First, they earned a share of the American Mideast Conference crown for a record fifth straight season; second, they secured home court and the top seed for the AMC Tournament; third, they won their 13th straight game; and finally, gave their gutiest performance of the season in a 60-50 road win at Northwestern Ohio. The Cavs finish the regular season 25-3 and 12-1 in the AMC. They are sharing the AMC title with Cedarville University, who earns the automatic NAIA berth by virtue of their win over the Cavs on January 10, the last time the Cavs lost. The AMC Tournament begins on Tuesday, with Walsh meeting the winner of the Notre Dame/Rio Grande winner on Saturday. All Cavalier post season games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. Game time and ticket information for Saturday will be announced on Monday.

Early in the contest, the Cavs were showing the effects of having played Daemen the night before and traveling the next day. The Cavs were having trouble finishing, and shot a disasterours 25% in the first half on 8-31. The Cavs, the NAIA's top three-point shooting team, also missed all seven of their long range attempts. Despite the poor shooting, the Cavs trailed by just five points (27-22) at the half. In the second half, the Cavs displayed the talents that have produced a number four ranking and 25 wins. After falling behind 29-22 in the 63 seconds, the three-balls began to fall, as the Cavs climbed back into the contest. The Cavs caught fire and ran off 12 quick points in the next three minutes to take a 34-29 lead at the 15:35 mark.

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), who scored 32 points in 40 minutes against Daemen on Friday came to life. After scoring just three points on 1-8 from the field in the first half, Shardo would score eight points in the Cavs 12-0 run, on his way to 15-point night. He would play 77 minutes in the back-to-back games.

The game was tight until the final minutes.  Walsh held the lead, until NW Ohio took their final lead at 44-43 with 6:29 to play on a Josh Vorst jumper. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) would give the Cavs the lead for good on the next possession at 45-44 with 6:08. The turning point of the game came in the Cavs' next three possessions, as Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) nailed three straight three-balls to give the Cavs a 54-45 lead with 3:39 to play. The Cavs outscored the Racers 15-6 in the final 6:08.

Joe Shardo led the Cavs with 15 points, while playing infront of over 50 family in friends. His younger brother, Jeremy (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), played 40 minutes for the second straight night and finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Cescato scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while Speck finished with 12 points.

Even though it was not one of the most artistic wins of the season, it may very well have been the most rewarding.

Friday, February 20, 2009

"Joe Shardo Carries Cavs to 24th Win"

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored a game-high 32 points, as NAIA No. 4 Walsh improved to 24-3 overall, and to 11-1 in the American Mideast Conference, with a 78-58 win over visiting Daemen College (19-9, 6-6).The win was the 12th straight for the Cavs.Walsh closes the regular season at Northwestern Ohio tomorrow night.The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Shardo was 7-11 from the floor in the first half, scoring 18 points, as the Cavs built a 40-32 halftime lead.The Cavs extended the lead to double digits in the second half, and held it throughout the remainder of the game. Shardo, finished 12-19 from the floor, which included 5-10 from three-point, in eclipsing the 30-point mark for the third time this season.He also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.

Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 14 points, NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out 10 and Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill/Bradley) chipped in 12 points off the bench.

Monday, February 16, 2009

"Cavs Fourth, Up One Spot in Latest NAIA Top 25"

NAIA Top 25: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/021609aaa.html

Walsh (23-3, 10-1 AMC) moved up one spot to number four in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. The Cavs received 387 total points in the ninth edition of the top 25. This is the highest the Cavs have been ranked this season. Oklahoma Wesleyan University (25-2) remained the number one team in the NAIA with 14 first place votes and 435 total points. Cedarville University (25-3) moved into the number two spot with 419 total points, with Bethel College (25-3) moving into the third spot with 410 total points. Oregon Tech (23-5) lost last week and fell from number two to tenth.

Oregon Tech and Walsh own the Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 49 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005.

Walsh returns to action on Friday, with an AMC contest at home against Daemen College at 8 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 16, 2009

"5th Ranked Cavs (23-3, 10-1) Extend Win Streak to Eleven/Still Tied for AMC Lead"

NAIA No. 5 (new ranking 2/16) Walsh (23-3, 10-1) stretched its season long winning streak to eleven games last week, with a non-conference win at Miami University-Middletown and an American Mideast Conference triumph over Notre Dame College. The Cavs are still tied for first place in the AMC with Cedarville University (10-1), with two conference games remaining. Should the Cavs and Yellow Jackets remain tied, the tie-breaker would go to Cedarville because of their victory over the Cavs on January 10 and the Cavs would fall into the AMC Tournament. This week, the Cavs close the regular season with two AMC games. Walsh will host Daemen College on Friday night (8 pm), and then travel to Northwestern Ohio on Saturday night (7:30 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 53% from the floor and outscored Miami University-Middletown (21-6) 52-26 in the first half, on their way to an 88-66 non-conference road win last Tuesday night. The win was the tenth straight for the surging Cavs, who led by as many as 30 points. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) scored 22 and 20 points respectively. Speck finished 7-13 from the floor and 5-9 from behind the arc. Cescato scored a double-double, as he also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, and was 10-14 from the floor. NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out eight, to go with 12 points and eight rebounds. AMC Player of the Week Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 16 points and Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 11 points off the bench. Walsh out rebounded the ThunderHawks 52-28.

Walsh notched its 11th straight win, and remained perfect at home (11-0), with an 83-66 AMC win over visiting Notre Dame College (17-10, 6-5) at Alumni Arena on Saturday. Walsh shot 10-16 (.625) from behind the arc in the first half and led 46-34 at halftime. Joe Shardo scored 16 of his 24 points in the half, and Brandon Speck added 12 points on 4-5 from three-point. Jeremy Shardo dished out eight of his game-high 11 assists in the opening stanza. Walsh would hold a double digit throughout a majority of the second half. Notre Dame cut the lead to nine points (51-42) with 16:37 to play, but would get no closer. Joe Shardo led Walsh with 24 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Speck added 21 points on 7-8 from three-point range. Jeremy Shardo tallied 13 points and Kyelce Cescato added 12 points and seven rebounds. Walsh shot .558 (29-52) from the floor and .583 (14-24) from three-point, while holding the Falcons to just .441 (26-59) from the field.

Walsh and Daemen (19-8, 6-5) meet for the second time this season on Friday. Daemen handed the Cavs one of their three losses back on November 18th, 101-99 in overtime in New York. Kyelce Cescato scored a career-high 32 points in the non-conference loss, with Jeremy Shardo adding 28. Daemen is tied for fifth place in the AMC with Notre Dame. They have lost three of their last five games, including a 100-85 defeat against Rio Grande on Saturday. Walsh leads the all-time series 10-5.

The Cavs close the regular season at Northwestern Ohio (16-12, 8-3) on Saturday. The surging Racers have won six straight games and are tied with Mount Vernon Nazarene for third place in the AMC. They defeated Houghton 76-62 on Saturday and are 9-3 at home this season. They play at home against Wilberforce University on Tuesday. Walsh defeated the Racers 88-69 in a non-league game on December 4 at Alumni Arena. Lamar Skeeter (6-0, So., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmont) paced the Cavs with 21 points and seven rebounds. Walsh leads the all-time series 3-0.

The Cavs are averaging 88.4 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. Joe Shardo leads the Cavs in scoring, with a 17.4 (3rd AMC) per game average. He is shooting .519 (5th AMC) from the field and .451 (3rd AMC) from three-point and .827 (2nd AMC) from the foul line. Shardo has reached double figures in each of the last eight games and is averaging 24.6 points per game over the period. He is also averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 15.2 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 209 assists for an 8.0 per game average. Shardo is shooting .498 from the field, .446 from three-point and .785 (3rd AMC) from the line. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.7 points per game, with a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. He also leads the team, and AMC in field goal percentage (.649/4th NAIA). Brandon Speck is averaging 12.5 points and leads the AMC in three-point shooting (.467). Speck was 12-17 from three-point in two games last week.

As a team, the Cavs lead the AMC and are among the NAIA leaders in numerous categories. In scoring; 88.4 (AMC 1st, NAIA 4th), scoring margin 22.5 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), free throw percentage .737 (AMC 1st, NAIA 5th), field goal percentage .515 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .445 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 11.8 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assists per game 16.6 (AMC 1st), assist/turnover ratio 1.60 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Saturday, February 14, 2009

"Cavs Notch 11th Straight Win"

NAIA No. 5 Walsh (23-3, 10-1) notched its 11th straight win, and remained perfect at home (11-0), with an 83-66 American Mideast Conference win over visiting Notre Dame College (17-10, 6-5) today. The Cavs close the season with back-to-back AMC games next Friday and Saturday. Walsh will host Daemen College on Friday (8 pm) on Senior Night, and then travel to Northwestern Ohio on Saturday (7:30 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 10-16 (.625) from behind the arc in the first half and led 46-34 at halftime. AMC Player of the Week Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 16 of his 24 points in the half, and Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 12 points on 4-5 from three-point. NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) also dished out eight of his 11 assists in the opening stanza.

Walsh would hold a double digit throughout a majority of the second half. Notre Dame cut the lead to nine points (51-42) with 16:37 to play, but would get no closer. Joe Shardo led Walsh with 24 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Speck added 21 points on 7-8 from three-point range. Jeremy Shardo tallied 13 points and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 12 points and seven rebounds. Walsh shot .558 (29-52) from the floor and .583 (14-24) from three-point, while holding the Falcons to just .441 (26-59) from the field. Notre Dame's Dan Jones led all scorers with 25 points.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

"Strong First Half Propels Cavs to 10th Straight Win'

(Middletown, OH) NAIA No. 5 Walsh (22-3) shot 53% from the floor and outscored Miami University-Middletown (21-6) 52-26 in the first half, on their way to an 88-66 non-conference win tonight. The win was the tenth straight for the surging Cavs, wqho led by as many as 30 points. Walsh is back in action on Saturday, when they host Notre Dame College in an American Mideast Conference game at 4 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) scored 22 and 20 points respectively in the win. Speck finished 7-13 from the floor and 5-9 from behind the arc. Cescato scored a double-double, as he also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. He was 10-14 from the floor. NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out eight, to go with 12 points and eight rebounds. AMC Player of the Week Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 16 points and Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 11 points off the bench. Walsh out rebounded the ThunderHawks 52-28.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

"Joe Shardo AMC Player of the Week'

Walsh forward Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) averaged 34.5 points in two victories for the NAIA Division II No. 5 Cavaliers and earned the AMC Player of the Week honor in menï¿½s basketball for contests played on Feb. 2-8.

Itï¿½s the third straight week that a Shardo from Walsh has picked up the award. Joe won it two weeks ago and his younger brother, Jeremy, was the most recent recipient.

Shardo capped off his week by exploding for a career-high 45 points in a 90-85 win versus Ohio Dominican. It was the second-highest single-game output in school history and tied for the fourth-highest game in AMC history. His 18-for-18 showing at the free throw line established a new league mark for perfection in a single game.

Shardo also netted 24 points with six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in an 87-75 non-conference victory at Point Park.

For the week, Shardo shot 52 percent from the field overall, 43 percent from beyond the arc, and hit 19-of-21 free throws for 90.5 percent. He totaled nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks.

Walsh has the longest current winning streak in the league at nine in a row. The Cavaliers are 21-3 overall and 9-1 AMC.

The Cavs are back in action tonight, when they travel to Middletown, Ohio for a non-conference game with Miami University-Middletown at 7:30 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 9, 2009

"Cavs Remain 5th in Latest NAIA Top 25"

NAIA Top 25: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/020909aab.html

Walsh (21-3, 9-1) remained fifth in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. The Cavs received 376 votes. Oklahoma Wesleyan moved into the top spot, up one spot from number two. Bethel College dropped from the top spot to number four. Cedarville University moved from fourth to third and Oregon Tech moved up one spot to number two.

Oregon Tech and Walsh own the Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 48 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005.

The Cavs are back in action tomorrow night, when they travel to Middletown, Ohio for a non-conference game with Miami University-Middletown at 7:30 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 9, 2009

"Fifth Ranked Cavs (21-3, 9-1) Extend Win Streak to Nine/Joe Shardo Explodes"

NAIA No. 5 (new ranking 2/9) Walsh stretched its season long winning streak to nine games last week, with a non-conference win at Point Park University and an American Mideast Conference triumph over Ohio Dominican University. The Cavs are tied for first place in the AMC with Cedarville University (9-1), with three conference games remaining. Should the Cavs and Yellow Jackets remain tied, the tie-breaker would go to Cedarville because of their victory over the Cavs on January 10. This week, the Cavs travel to Miami University-Middletown for a non-conference game on Tuesday (7:30 pm) and return home for an AMC contest with Notre Dame University on Saturday (4 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) produced one of the biggest weeks in Cavs' history, averaging 34.5 points in the two victories. On Tuesday at Point Park, Shardo combined with younger brother, AMC Player of the Week Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), for 48 points in the Cavs 87-75 win. Joe scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Jeremy put together a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 15 points, on 7-10 from the floor.

On Saturday, Joe Shardo provided Cavs' fans with one of the finest performances in team history, in the Cavs 90-85 come-from-behind win over Ohio Dominican University. Shardo poured in 45 points, second most in a single game in team-history (Billy Jo Williams, 48 points, 1985). Working inside and out, Shardo connected on 12-21 from the field, 3-5 from three-point, and was perfect in 18 attempts from the foul line. But, with all of Shardo's efforts, the Cavs did not gain control of the game until the final minute. Ohio Dominican drilled 8-14 from three-point in the first half, and led 45-36 at the break. The second half produced seven lead changes and five ties. After trailing the first 10 minutes of the second half, Walsh tied the game (65-65) on a three-point play by Joe Shardo with 9:41 to play. The half would see four more ties (69, 71, 72, 82), the final at 82-82, on another Shardo three-point play. Walsh would then take the lead for good at 84-82, with 1:16 to play on two free throws from Jeremy Shardo. The Cavs were 7-7 from the stripe in the final two minutes, with the final margin producing the Cavs largest lead of the game. Jeremy Shardo added 19 points and six assists and was 11-12 from the line. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 13 points and Kyelce Cescato added nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. The Cavs connected on 32-38 free throws (.842) and outscored Ohio Dominican 54-40 in the second half.

The Cavs travel to Middletown, Ohio to meet Miami University-Middletown on Tuesday night. This is the first meeting ever between the two schools. The ThunderHawks are currently 21-5, with 12 straight wins. They defeated Oakland City University 86-84 on Saturday. They are a regional campus of Miami of Ohio. On Saturday, the Cavs meet Notre Dame College (16-9, 5-4) in an AMC game. The Falcons are in a three-way tie for fifth place in the AMC with Daemen College and Malone University. Notre Dame has dropped four of their last five games, and were defeated 64-53 by Cedarville University on Saturday. The Cavs lead the all-time series 3-0.

The Cavs are averaging 88.6 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. Joe Shardo now leads the Cavs in scoring, with a 17.2 per game average. He is shooting .527 (6th AMC) from the field and .457 (3rd AMC) from three-point and .824 from the foul line. He is also averaging 5.8 rebounds per contest. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.5 points per game, with a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. He also leads the team, and AMC in field goal percentage (.641/4th NAIA). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 15.4 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 100 assists for a 7.9 per game average. Shardo is shooting .495 from the field, .449 from three-point and .793 (2nd AMC) from the line. Brandon Speck is averaging 11.7 points and is shooting .440 from three-point, and leads the team with 72 three's.

As a team, the Cavs are among the AMC and NAIA leaders. In scoring; 88.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), scoring defense 65.9 (AMC 2nd), scoring margin 22.7 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), free throw percentage .742 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), field goal percentage .516 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .437 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 11.5 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Saturday, February 7, 2009

"Joe Shardo Nets Career-High 45 Points in Come From Behind Win"

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored a career-high 45 points, in Walsh's 90-85 come from behind win over Ohio Dominican University today in an American Mideast Conference game. The NAIA 5th ranked Cavs improve to 21-3 overall and to 9-1 in the AMC. The win was the ninth straight for the Cavs and 16th straight at home. Ohio Dominican falls to 12-14 overall and to 5-6 in the AMC.

The Panthers drilled 8-14 from three-point in the first half, and led 45-36 at the break. Donald Suel scored 13 first half points, and finished with 27 points. The second half produced seven lead changes and five ties. After trailing the first 10 minutes of the second half, Walsh tied the game (65-65) on three-point play by Joe Shardo with 9:41 to play. The half would see four more ties (69, 71, 72, 82), the final at 82-82, on another Shardo three-point play. Walsh would then take the lead for good at 84-82, with 1:16 to play on two free throws from Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles). The Cavs were 7-7 from the stripe in the final two minutes, with the final margin producing the Cavs largest lead of the game.

Joe Shardo was 18-18 from the foul line, 3-5 from three-point and 12-21 from the field. Shardoï¿½s 45 points were three points shy of Billy Jo Williamsï¿½ 48 point outburst against Cedarville on February 23, 1985. Jeremy Shardo added 19 points and six assists and was 11-12 from the line. The Shardo brothers combined for 64 points. Last Tuesday, each scored 24 points in the Cavs 87-75 win at Point Park. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 13 points and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. The Cavs connected on 32-38 free throws (.842) and outscored Ohio Dominican 54-40 in the second half.

The Cavs play a non-conference game at Miami-Middletown on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

"Cavs Hold Off Point Park for 20th Win"

(West Mifflin, PA) NAIA No. 5 Walsh won its 20th game of the season, defeating Point Park University 87-75 in a non-conference game tonight. The win was the eighth straight for the Cavs, who reached the 20-win plateau for the 20th time and fifth straight time under Head Coach Jeff Young (129-33, 5th yr.). The Cavs return to American Mideast Conference action on Saturday, when they host Ohio Dominican University (12-13, 5-5) at 4 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

AMC Player of the Week Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), and brother, Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) combined for 48 points in the Cavs hard fought road win. Walsh led 43-38 at halftime, largely due to seven straight points from Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) in the final minute of the half, which erased a 38-36 Point Park lead. Speck nailed a three-ball, then hit four straight free throws from a technical foul on Pioneer Head Coach Bob Rager. Walsh led the entire second half, but held off Pioneers when they made runs to cut the lead to six points on two occasions. Walsh led by as many as 13 points in the final minute.

Jeremy Shardo put together his fifth double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 assists. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Joe poured in 24 points and grabbed six rebounds. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 15 points, on 7-10 from the floor.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

"Jeremy Shardo AMC Player of the Week"

Walsh University point guard Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) is the American Mideast Conference menï¿½s basketball Player of the Week after averaging 22 points and 10.5 assists in two victories during games played on Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. Last week, Jeremy's older brother, Joe, earned the same honor.

Shardo tallied 16 points and handed out 12 assists with five rebounds in an 86-62 win versus Canton rival Malone. He also piled up 28 points, nine assists, and four boards while playing all 40 minutes of a 107-100 decision against Rio Grande.

For the week, Shardo hit 45 percent of his shots from the field overall, was 4-for-10 outside the arc, and made 22-of-29 free throws for 76 percent. He also came away with three steals.

Monday, February 2, 2009

"Cavs Up to 5th in Latest NAIA Poll"

NAIA Top 25: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/020209aae.html

Walsh (19-3, 8-1AMC) moved up two spots to number five in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. The Cavs received 381 total points, two shy of fourth ranked Cedarville University, who dropped from the number one spot. Bethel College (23-2) moved into the top spot from number two. The only top ten team to retain its spot from the previous week was 10th ranked Bluefield College.

The Cavs are on the road on Tuesday, for a non-conference game at Point Park University. Game time is 7 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, February 2, 2009

"7th Ranked Cavs (19-3, 8-1) take over First Place in AMC "

NAIA No. 7 Walsh stretched its season long winning streak to seven games last week, with American Mideast Conference wins over Malone University and the University of Rio Grande. The Cavs now lead Cedarville University (7-1) by one-half game in the AMC standings. Cedarville, however, still owns the tie-breaker for the automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament because of their victory over the Cavs on January 10. Walsh has four AMC games remaining, while the Yellow Jackets have five. Look for the Cavs to move-up when the NAIA releases its next top 25 poll. Five teams ranked above the Cavs all suffered losses last week, with Cedarville falling twice.

This week, the Cavs travel to Point Park University for a non-league game on Tuesday (7 pm) and return home on Saturday (4 pm) for an AMC contest with Ohio Dominican University. Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 73% (16-22) from the floor, and outscored Malone University 54-31 in the second half on their way to an 86-62 AMC win last Tuesday night. The win was the sixth straight for the Cavs and gave them a season sweep of the Pioneers (7-15, 3-3). Walsh trailed 19-9 in the first half, but rebounded to take a 32-31 halftime lead. Brandon Speck's (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) three-pointer with 55 seconds left gave the Cavs the lead heading into the locker room. Speck finished with a game-high 21 points on 7-12 from the floor and 5-9 from three-point. Walsh led 41-38 with 15:07 to play, when they quickly increased their lead to 49-39 in less than two minutes. Malone would cut the lead to 49-40 with 13:14 to play, but would trail by double digits the rest of the contest. Walsh held its largest lead at 81-54 with 3:39 to play. The Cavs balanced attack produced six players in double figures. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) had a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. LJ Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) added 13 points, Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 12 points off the bench and Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) each scored 10 points.

Walsh outscored visiting University of Rio Grande (16-8, 3-4 AMC) 107-100 in an AMC game at Alumni Arena on Saturday. The win kept the Cavs perfect at home at 9-0 this season. The Cavs are 20-1 at home over the last two years. Walsh led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but took only a four-point lead (46-42) to the locker room at the half. Rio would score the first four points of the second half to tie the game at 46, when Walsh went on a 14-4 run to lead 60-50. Walsh led by as many as 16 points (83-67), with 6:38 to play, but could not completely put away Rio. With Rio pressing in the final minutes, they would trim the lead to six points (97-91) with 1:07 to play, and to four points (104-100) with 11 seconds remaining. Walsh spent most of the final two minutes at the foul line, with Jeremy Shardo hitting two free throws with 10 seconds to play to give the Cavs a 106-100 lead. Shardo would connect on 17-22 from the line and finish with 28 points. The NAIA's assists leader would hand out nine more today, giving him 174 for the season, a 7.9 per game average. Shardo handed out 21 assists in the Cavs two wins, against only two turnovers in 39 minutes this past week. Joe Shardo led Walsh with 26 points, Kyelce Cescato was 8-11 from the floor and finished with 16 points, Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 13 points and Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 12 points off the bench for the second straight game.

Walsh and Point Park University meet for the second time this season, in a non-conference game in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The Cavs won the AMC meeting, 86-68, at Walsh on January 13. Point Park is 10-11 overall and 2-5 in the AMC. They lost 73-68 at Malone on Saturday night. The all-time series is tied at 15.

Walsh and Ohio Dominican University (12-12, 5-4) meet for the only time in the regular season on Saturday in an AMC game. The Panthers are 8th in the AMC, and won 64-61 over Wilberforce last Saturday. They play at Northwestern Ohio in an AMC game on Tuesday. The Cavs lead the all-time series 61-20 and have won the last nine meetings.

The Cavs are averaging 88.6 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. After his 34-point explosion at Rio Roberts Wesleyan, Joe Shardo now leads the Cavs in scoring, with a 15.6 per game average. He is shooting .527 (6th AMC) from the field and .460 (3rd AMC) from three-point. He is also averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.7 points per game, with a team-leading 8.3 rebounds. He also leads the team, and AMC in field goal percentage (.638/4th NAIA). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.8 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 174 assists for a 7.9 per game average. Shardo is shooting .497 from the field, .453 from three-point and .805 (2nd AMC) from the line. Brandon Speck is averaging 11.6 points and is shooting .443 from three-point, and leads the team with 66 three's.

As a team, the Cavs are among the AMC and NAIA leaders. In scoring; 88.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), scoring defense 64.6 (AMC 2nd), scoring margin 24.0 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), free throw percentage .743 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), field goal percentage .519 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .441 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 12.5 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Saturday, January 31, 2009

"Cavs Win 7th Straight, Down Rio Grande 107-100"

NAIA No. 7 Walsh (19-3, 8-1 AMC) stretched its winning streak to a season-high seven games, by outscoring visiting University of Rio Grande (16-8, 3-4 AMC) 107-100 in an American Mideast Conference game at Alumni Arena today. The Cavs also remained perfect at home with a 9-0 mark. Walsh travels to Pittsburgh, PA for a non-conference game with Point Park on Tuesday (7 pm), then returns home for an AMC game with Ohio Dominican University on Saturday (4 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but took only a four-point lead (46-42) to the locker room at the half. Rio would score the first four points of the second half to tie the game at 46, when Walsh went on a 14-4 run to lead 60-50. Walsh led by as many as 16 points (83-67), with 6:38 to play, but could not completely put away Rio. With Rio pressing in the final minutes, they would trim the lead to six points (97-91) with 1:07 to play, and to four points (104-100) with 11 seconds remaining. Walsh spent most of the final two minutes at the foul line, with Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) hitting two frï¿½re throws with 10 seconds to play to give the Cavs a 106-100 lead. Shardo would connect on 17-22 from the line and finish with 28 points. The NAIA's assists leader would hand out nine more today, giving him 174 for the season, a 7.9 per game average.

Walsh's Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 26 points, Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) was 8-11 from the floor and finished with 16 points, Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 13 points and Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 12 points off the bench for the second straight game.

Rio Grande's Brandon Ivery led all scorers with 30 points, to go with 11 rebounds. Aaron Drakeford scored 22 second half points to finish with 25.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Big Second Half Leads to Win over Malone"

NAIA No. 7 Walsh University (18-3, 7-1) out scored Malone University 54-31 in the second half, on their way to a 86-62 American Mideast Conference win tonight. The win was the sixth straight for the Cavs and gives them a season sweep of the Pioneers (7-15, 3-3). Walsh is home on Saturday for an AMC game with the University of Rio Grande at 4pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh trailed 19-9 in the first half, but rebounded to take a 32-31 halftime lead. Brandon Speck's (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) three-pointer with 55 seconds left gave the Cavs the lead heading into the locker room. Speck finished with a game-high 21 points on 7-12 from the floor and 5-9 from three-point.

Walsh led 41-38 with 15:07 to play, when they quickly increased the lead to 49-39 with 13:32 left. Malone would cut the lead to 49-40 with 13:14 to play, but would trail by double digits the rest of the game. Walsh held its largest lead at 81-54 with 3:39 to play.

The Cavs balanced attack produced six players in double figures. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) had a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. LJ Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) added 13 points, Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 12 points off the bench and Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) each scored 10 points.

Jarrod Ferwerda led Malone with 15 points.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Joe Shardo Named AMC Player of the Week"

CEDARVILLE, Ohio - Walsh forward Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) has been selected the AMC Player of the Week in menï¿½s basketball for games played on Jan. 19-25. He averaged 20 points and 7.7 rebounds as the NAIA Division II No. 8 Cavs won three times on the road.

Shardoï¿½s highlight came in a 71-45 win at Houghton in which he fired in a career-high 34 points to go along with nine rebounds. He previously tallied 18 points and eight boards during an 85-69 decision at Roberts Wesleyan. He also had eight points, six rebounds, and four assists in a 91-57 romp at Wilberforce.

For the week, Shardo shot 50 percent from the field overall and hit 10-of-23 three-pointers for 43.5 percent. He made all six of his free throws and contributed six assists and three steals.

Walsh has won five straight to improve to 17-3 overall and 6-1 AMC. The Cavs are home to rival Malone University tonight at 8 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, January 26, 2009

"Cavs Move Into 7th Spot in NAIA Top 25"

NAIA Top 25: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/012609aac.html

Walsh (17-3, 6-1) moved into the number seven spot, up one spot from last week, in the NAIA's latest poll. The Cavs received 331 votes. Walsh, along with Oregon Tech, own the longest string of consecutive weeks in the top 25 at 46. American Mideast Conference foe Cedarville University vaulted into the NAIA's top spot. The Yellow Jackets handed the Cavs their only AMC loss, 70-66, on January 10.

The Cavs host rival Malone University at 8 pm tomorrow night. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, January 26, 2009

"Eighth Ranked Cavs (17-3, 6-1) Capture Four AMC Wins in Eight Days"

Walsh moved up two spots to number eight in the latest NAIA Top 25 last week, then improved to 17-3 overall and to 6-1 in the American Mideast Conference with three road victories. By winning four road games in the last eight days, the Cavs could move up again when the latest Top 25 is released later today. The Cavs have won their last five games.

This week, the Cavs return home for two key AMC games. On Tuesday, the Cavs host rival Malone University at 8 pm, and on Saturday welcome the University of Rio Grande at 4 pm. Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. The Cavs are behind only NAIA No. 3 Cedarville University (7-0) in the AMC. Cedarville handed the Cavs their only AMC loss, 70-66 on January 10.

Walsh opened their three-game week with a 91-57 win at Wilberforce University (9-10, 1-3) on Tuesday night. Walsh held the Bulldogs to 19 first half points in building a 42-19 halftime lead. They would not be challenged in the second half in outscoring the home team 49-38. Walsh's balanced attack placed five players in double figure scoring, led by Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) 15 points. Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) and Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) each added 13 points, with Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill HS) and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) each scoring 12 points. Speck also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds. The Cavs lost another player to injury, when Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) suffered a broken bone in his left foot in the first half. It is feared that he is lost for the season.

Walsh won its fourth straight game, defeating Roberts Wesleyan College (9-9, 0-4) 85-69 on Friday night. Walsh shot 50% from the field ,and 53% from three-point range in the first half in building a 48-40 lead. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 13 points first half points, on 5-6 from the floor and 3-4 from three-point. He finished with 18 points. Kyelce Cescato tallied 11 first half points and finished with a game-high 20 points and 14 rebounds. Walsh led by as many as 20 points in the second half. Brandon Speck was 6-10 from behind the arc and finished with 19 points. Jeremy Shardo handed out a game-high 11 assists to go with 12 points. Walsh shot 52% from the floor and 52% from behind the arc.

Walsh opened the second half at Houghton College (5-12, 1-5) with a 19-0 run, to help pave the way for a 71-45 win on Saturday. Walsh led 36-27 late in the first half, when Houghton's Billy Evans banked in a 40-foot shot at the buzzer to pull the Highlanders to within six points (36-30) at the half. Joe Shardo scored 20 first half points for the Cavs on 7-10 from the floor, including 3-5 from three-point. Shardo finished with a game and career-high 34 points. He was 12-22 from the floor, 5-10 from behind the arc and a perfect 5-5 from the foul line, and led all rebounders with nine. The second half was all Walsh. The Cavs opened the half with a 19-0 and held Houghton scoreless until the 11:19 mark. Brandon Speck was the only other Cavalier to reach double figures, nailing five three-pointers and finishing with 15 points. Jeremy Shardo, the NAIA assist leader, handed out a game-high six assists.

Walsh and rival Malone University (7-17, 3-2) meet for the second time this season, and 99th overall, on Tuesday. Walsh won the Mayor's Cup meeting, 85-47 at Malone on December 6. Malone brings a modest two-game win streak to Walsh, having won twice in New York State this past weekend. The Pioneers downed Roberts Wesleyan 68-58 on Saturday. Walsh leads the all-time series 59-39, and has won the last four meetings. Jeremy Shardo had a triple-double in the first meeting at Malone. Shardo scored 12 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out 11 assists. Walsh out scored Malone 53-26 in the second half.

The Cavs and the University of Rio Grande (16-7, 3-3) have their only regular season meeting at Walsh on Saturday. Rio fell 82-75 to Ohio Dominican last Saturday. They host Shawnee State on Tuesday. Walsh trails in the all-time series 43-37, but have won the last eight meetings.

The Cavs are averaging 87.8 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. After his 34-point explosion at Rio Roberts Wesleyan, Joe Shardo now leads the Cavs in scoring, with a 15.4 per game average. He is shooting 54% from the field and 47% (3rd AMC) from three-point. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.9 points per game, with a team-leading 8.4 rebounds. He also leads the team in field goal percentage (.628/2nd AMC/6th NAIA). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.1 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 153 assists for a 7.7 per game average. Shardo is shooting 50% from the field, 46% from three-point and 82% (2nd AMC) from the line. Brandon Speck is averaging 11.1 points and is shooting 44% from three-point. Greg Howard is scoring at a 10.1 clip and is shooting 53% from the field.

As a team, the Cavs are among the AMC and NAIA leaders. In scoring; 87.8 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), scoring defense 63.0 (AMC 2nd), scoring margin 24.8 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), free throw percentage .743 (AMC 1st, NAIA 6th), field goal percentage .515 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .436 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), rebound margin 13.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.6 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st).

Saturday, January 24, 2009

"19-0 Second Half Run Paves Way For 71-45 Road Win"

(Houghton, NY) NAIA No. 8 Walsh opened the second half at Houhgton College (5-12, 1-5) with a 19-0 run, to help pave the way for a 71-45 American Mideast Conference win tonight. The win was the fifth straight for the Cavs and improves their record to 17-3 overall and to 6-1 in the AMC. The Cavs are home on Tuesday, for an AMC game with rival Malone University at 8 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. Tickets go on sale in the PE Building lobby at 9 am on Monday.

Walsh led 36-27 late in the first half, when Houghton's Billy Evans banked in a 40-foot shot at the buzzer, to pull the Highlanders to within six points (36-30) at the half. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 20 first half points for the Cavs on 7-10 from the floor, including 3-5 from three-point. The second half was all Walsh. The Cavs opened the half with a 19-0 and held Houhgton scoreless until the 11:19 mark. Shardo finished with a game and career-high 34 points. He was 12-22 from the floor, 5-10 from behind the arc and a perfect 5-5 from the foul line. He also led all rebounders with nine and had two steals.

Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) was the only other Cavalier to reach double figures, nailing five three-pointers and finishing with 15 points. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), the NAIA assist leader, handed out a game-high six assists.

Friday, January 23, 2009

"Cavs Win 4th Straight, 85-69 at Roberts Wesleyan, Cescato Notches Double-Double"

(Rochester, NY) NAIA No. 8 Walsh won its fourth straight game, defeating Roberts Wesleyan College (9-9, 0-4) 85-69 in an American Mideast Conference game tonight. The win improves the Cavs to 16-3 overall and to 5-1 in the AMC. The Cavs conclude their four-game road trip at Houghton College tomorrow at 5 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 50% from the field ,and 53% from three-point range in the first half in building a 48-40 lead. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 13 points half points, on 5-6 from the floor and 3-4 from three-point. He finished with 18 points. Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) tallied 11 first half points and finished with a game-high 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Walsh led by as many as 20 points in the second half. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) was 6-10 from behind the arc and finished with 19 points. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles), the NAIA assist leader, handed out a game-high 11 assists to go with 12 points. Walsh shot 52% from the floor and 52 from behind the arc.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

"Cavs Run Rough-Shod over Wilberforce'

NAIA No. 8 Walsh improved to 15-3 overall and to 4-1 in the American Mideast Conference with a 91-57 win at Wilberforce University (9-10, 1-3) tonight. The Cavs continue their four-game road swing at Roberts Wesleyan University (8 pm) on Frdiay, and close the road trip at Houghton College on Saturday (5 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh held the Bulldogs to 19 first half points in building a 42-19 halftime time. They would not be challenged in the second half in outscoring the home team 49-38. Walsh's balanced attack placed five players in double figure scoring, led by Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) 15 points. Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) and Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) each added 13 points, with Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill HS) and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) each scoring 12 points. Speck also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.

Monday, January 19, 2009

"Cavs Continue Climb, 8th in Latest Poll"

NAIA Top 25:http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/011909aab.html

Walsh moved up two spots to number eight in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll. The Cavs received 379 votes. Last week, the Cavs were 10th receiving 265 votes. Walsh is 14-3 overall and 3-1 in the American Mideast Conference.

This week, the Cavs play three AMC road games in five days, beginning with Wilberforce University on Tuesday (7:30 pm). On Friday, the Cavs play at Roberts Wesleyan University (8 pm) and close the road trip at Houghton College on Saturday (5 pm). All games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Monday, January 19, 2009

"Cavs (14-3, 3-1) Rebound From Cedarville Loss with Two AMC Wins"

NAIA No. 10 Walsh (14-3, 2-1) started a new winning streak, with American Mideast Conference victories over Point Park University (86-68) and Shawnee State University (77-56) last week. This week, the Cavs play three AMC road games in five days, beginning with Wilberforce University on Tuesday (7:30 pm). On Friday, the Cavs play at Roberts Wesleyan University (8 pm) and close the road trip at Houghton College on Saturday (5 pm). All games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. The Cavs are behind only NAIA No. 5 Cedarville University (5-0) and Notre Dame College (4-0) in the AMC. Cedarville handed the Cavs their only AMC loss, and the Cavs and Notre Dame meet at Alumni Arena on February 14.

Walsh snapped a modest one-game losing streak, with a 86-68 win over Point Park University on Tuesday night at Alumni Arena. After trailing 6-5, Walsh ran off nine straight points and never looked back. L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) scored 13 of his career-high 16 points in the first half, as the Cavs took a 46-31 halftime lead. Walsh out scored Point Park 40-37 in the second half and led by as many as 26 points (81-55). Besides Sutton's career night, Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill HS) tallied a career-best 18 points off the bench to lead the Cavs. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) and Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) each had 10 points, with NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handing out nine on the night.

Walsh earned a 77-56 road AMC win at Shawnee State University on Saturday. After trailing 6-5 early in the first half, Walsh ran off nine straight points and never trailed again. The Cavs shot 52% in the first half and led 38-30 at halftime. Walsh led by as many as 11 points in the second half, when the Bears rallied and trimmed the lead to 54-49 with 7:24 to play. Joe Shardo then nailed back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead back to 11 points. Shardo would finish with a game-high 22 points, on 8-12 from the floor and 4-6 from three-point. He also added seven rebounds. Jeremy Shardo added 18 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Shardo was 9-10 from the foul line. Kyelce Cescato recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Speck added 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Walsh shot 47% from behind the arc on 7-15 and 79% from the line on 22-28.

The Cavs play at Wilberforce University on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are 9-9 overall and 1-2 in the AMC. The Cavs lead the all-time series 16-3 and have won the last nine meetings. Walsh then travels to New York State for the weekend. The Cavs play at Roberts Wesleyan on Friday. The Raiders are 9-8 overall and 0-3 in the AMC. Walsh leads the all-time series 5-2, and has won the last two meetings. The Cavs close their road trip of four games in eight days at Houghton College on Saturday. The Highlanders are 5-10 overall and 1-3 in the AMC. Walsh leads the all-time series 13-0.

The Cavs are averaging 88.8 points per game, tops in the AMC, with six players scoring in double figures. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 14.9 points per game, with a team-leading 8.2 rebounds. He also leads the team in field goal percentage (.624/2nd AMC). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.8 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 129 assists for a 7.6 per game average. Shardo is shooting 51% from the field, 48% from three-point and 82% (3rd AMC) from the line. Joe Shardo is averaging 14.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. He is shooting 54% from the field and 47% (3rd AMC) from three-point. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) is averaging 10.2 points and is shooting 45% from three-point. Greg Howard is scoring at a 10.3 clip and is shooting 53% from the field.

As a team, the Cavs are among the AMC and NAIA leaders. In scoring; 88.8 (AMC 1st, NAIA 5th), scoring defense 64.1 (AMC 3rd), scoring margin 24.7 (AMC 1st, NAIA 3rd), free throw percentage .753 (AMC 1st, NAIA 4th), field goal percentage .523 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), 3-PT FG percentage .441 (AMC 1st, NAIA 1st), rebound margin 14.5 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd), assist/turnover ratio 1.49 (AMC 1st, NAIA 2nd).

Saturday, January 17, 2009

"Tenth Ranked Cavs Win 14th Game"

(Portsmouth, OH) NAIA No. 10 Walsh improved to 14-3 overall and to 3-1 in the American Mideast Conference, with a 77-56 win over Shawnee State University (7-12, 1-3) today. The Cavs, who have won two straight games, are on the road at Wilberforce University on Tuesday for an AMC game at 7:30 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

After trailing 6-5 early in the first half, Walsh ran off nine straight points and never trailed again. The Cavs shot 52% in the first half and led 38-30 at halftime. Walsh led by as many as 11 points in the second half, when the Bears rallied and trimmed the lead to 54-49 with 7:24 to play. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) then nailed back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead back to 11 points. Shardo would finish with a game-high 22 points, on 8-12 from the floor and 4-6 from three-point. He also added seven rebounds. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 18 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Shardo was 9-10 from the foul line. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Walsh shot 47% from behind the arc on 7-15 and 79% from the line on 22-28.

Tuesday, January 12, 2009

"Cavs Back on Track in 86-68 Win Over Point Park

NAIA No. 10 Walsh snapped a modest one-game losing streak, with a 86-68 win over Point Park University (9-9, 1-3) tonight. The win improves the Cavs to 13-3 overall and to 2-1 in the American Mideast Conference. The Cavs are back in action on Saturday, with an AMC game at Shawnee State University. Tip-off is slated for 3 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

After trailing 6-5, Walsh ran off nine straight points and never looked back. L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) scored 13 of his career-high 16 points in the first half, as the Cavs took a 46-31 halftime lead. Walsh out scored Point Park 40-37 in the second half and led by as many as 26 points (81-55). Besides Sutton's career night, Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill HS) tallied a career-best 18 points off the bench to lead the Cavs. Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) added 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) and Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) each had 10 points, with NAIA assist leader Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handing out nine on the night.

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Monday, January 12, 2009

"Cavs 10th in Latest NAIA Poll"

NAIATOP25

Walsh (12-3, 1-1) moved into the 10th spot in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. The Cavs, who received 265 votes, moved up one spot despite falling to 5th ranked Cedarville University on the road last Saturday. The Yellow Jackets remained fifth in the NAIA's fourth poll of the season.

Walsh plays host to Point Park University tomorrow night at 8 pm in an American Mideast Conference game. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

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Monday, January 12, 2009

"Cavs (12-3, 1-1) Four-Game Win Streak Snapped at Cedarville"

Walsh's (12-3, 1-1) four-game winning streak was snapped at Cedarville University last Saturday night, when the 11th ranked Cavs fell 70-66 to the 5th ranked Yellow Jackets in an American Mideast Conference showdown. The win improved Cedarville to 3-0 in the AMC, while dropping the Cavs to 1-1. Walsh is back home on Tuesday, looking to snap a one game skid when they tangle with AMC foe Point Park University (8 pm). On Saturday, the Cavs head to Shawnee State University for an AMC contest at 3 pm. The Cavs have not lost back-to-back games since the 2006-07 season, when they lost to Malone (7-72) and Mount Vernon Nazarene (62-57). Both games this week will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

In a thrilling game before more than 2,700 fans, Cedarville extended their win streak to ten games in holding off the Cavs. The Yellow Jackets led by as many as ten points (18-8) in the first half, before taking a 33-26 lead into the locker room. The second half was thrilling for the big crowd, with ten lead changes, and with the outcome not being decided until the final seconds. Walsh trailed 63-61, when Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) connected on a three-pointer to give the Cavs their final lead at 64-63 with 1:44 to play. Cedarville's Ricardo Alliman then started a four-point run for the Jackets, that gave the home team a 67-64 lead. Walsh's final chance to tie the game came with 20 seconds, when Joe Shardo's long three-ball attempt fell short. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) led the Cavs with 20 points and four assists. Joe Shardo added 14 points and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 12 points and eight rebounds.

Walsh and Point Park (9-8, 1-2) meet for the 30th time on Tuesday. The Cavs lead the all-time series 15-14, and have won the last two meetings. Point Park snapped a two-game losing streak with a 70-58 win at Shawnee State University on Saturday. The Cavs travel to Portsmouth, Ohio for Saturdayï¿½s game with Shawnee State. The Bears (6-11, 0-2) have lost three straight, including a 70-58 decision to Point Park last Saturday. Walsh has won the last six meetings and lead the all-time series 26-13. The Bears host Houghton College in an AMC game on Friday night.

The Cavs are averaging 89.7 points per game, with six players scoring in double figures. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 15.5 points per game and a team leading 8.1 rebounds. He also leads the team in field goal percentage (.620). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 15.0 points and leads the AMC and NAIA with 112 assists (7.5) , against only 45 turnovers. Shardo is shooting 52% from the field, 49% from three-point and 82% from the line. Joe Shardo is averaging 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds. Joe is shooting 55% from the field and 47% from three-point. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) is averaging 10.5 points and is shooting 47% from three-point. Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) is scoring at a 10.4 clip and is shooting 58% from the field.

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

"Cavs Can't Pull Road Upset"

In a thriling game before more than 2,700 fans, the NAIA No. 11 Cavs (12-3, 1-1) fell 70-66 to the fifth ranked Cedarville University Yellow Jackets (18-1, 3-0) in an American Mideast Conference game. The win snapped the Cavs four-game winning streak and extended Cedarville's win streak to ten games. Under the AMC's new league schedule format, Saturday's game is the only regular season meeting between the two NAIA powers. Walsh returns to action on Tuesday, at home, with a an AMC contest with Point Park University at 8 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

Cedarville led by as many as ten points (18-8) in the first half, before taking a 33-26 lead into the locker room. The second half was thrilling for the big crowd, with ten lead changes and with the outcome not being decided until the final seconds. Walsh trailed 63-61, when Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) connected on a three-pointer to the Cavs their final lead at 64-63 with 1:44 to play. Cedarville's Ricardo Alliman then started a four-point run for the Jackets, that gave the home team a 67-64 lead. Walsh's final chance to tie the game came with 20 seconds, when Joe Shardo's long three-ball attempt fell short.

Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) led the Cavs with 20 points and four assists. Joe Shardo added 14 points and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) added 12 points and eight rebounds.

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Monday, January 5, 2009

"Cavs Jump Four Spots in NAIA's Third Poll"

Walsh (12-2, 1-0) moved up four spots to number 11 in the NAIA's third poll of the season. The Cavs received 237 votes. Cedarville University (16-1, 1-0), the Cavs next opponent is ranked fifth, moving up four spots. Tip-off on Saturday night at Cedarville in 7:30 pm. The game can be heard live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

Oregon Tech (15-1) has been ranked number one the entire season. American Mideast Conference member Daemen College, who defeated the Cavs in November, are ranked 14. The University of Rio Grande is tied for the 21st spot and Mount Vernon Nazarene University received votes.

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Monday, January 5, 2009

"Cavs (12-2) Take Four-Game Win Streak to Cedarville"

Walsh (12-2, 1-0) has its second American Mideast Conference showdown in eight days, when they travel to Cedarville University (16-1, 1-0) on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Both teams are sure to improve upon their current rankings (Walsh #15, Cedarville #9), when the latest NAIA Top 25 poll is released today. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

After falling to NAIA Division l California Baptist (80-73) on December 20, the Cavs reeled off four straight wins last week. The Cavs trounced Brock University (86-61), Ohio State University-Marion (111-48), Algoma University (85-55) and Mount Vernon Nazarene (85-68) in the AMC opener for both teams.

Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) combined for 49 points in the win over Brock. Shardo connected on four from behind the arc, while Cescato was 11-12 from the floor. Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) dished out a career-high 13 assists. Cescato shined again in the rout of OSU-Marion, hitting on 10-12 from the floor and leading the way with 20 points. The Cavs shot 66% from the floor and out rebounded OSU-Marion 51-21. Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 17 points off the bench and Jeremy Shardo handed out eight assists. Cescato and the Shardo's led the way in the win over Algoma. Cescato was again superb from the floor, hitting on 8-12 field goals for a game-high 18 points. Jeremy Shardo added 17 points and dished out six assists, while brother, Joe, tallied 16 points.

Walsh used an 18-2 second half run to put away Mount Vernon Nazarene 85-68. The Cavs snapped a 38-all second half tie with their big run. Jeremy Shardo led all scorers with 24 points, connecting on 8-11 from the floor and 4-5 from three-point. The NAIA assists leader (7.7) also handed out seven assists and had two steals. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) added 17 points on 9-9 from the foul line and helped hold MVNU's scoring leader, Ben Falkenberg, to 10 points, all in the second half. Walsh shot 59% from the floor and connected on 8-19 from three-point.

Walsh and red-hot Cedarville meet for the 75th time at the Callan Athletic Center in Cedarville on Saturday night. The Yellow Jackets have won eight straight, including a 66-64 win over NAIA No. 5 University of Rio Grande on Saturday. Walsh leads the all-time series 38-36 and has won the last three meetings.

The Cavs are averaging 91.4 points per game, with seven players scoring in double figures. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 15.8 points per game and a team leading 8.1 rebounds. He also leads the team in field goal percentage (.633). The Cavs lost the services of their second leading scorer; Lamar Skeeter (6-0, So., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmont), who suffered a broken leg at Malone during the Hoops 4 Healing Classic. Skeeter, who is lost for the season is averaging 15.1 points. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 14.6 points, with 108 assists, against only 42 turnovers. Shardo is shooting 52% from the field, 45% from three-point and 85% from the line. Joe Shardo is averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds. Joe is shooting 55% from the field and 46% from three-point. Brandon Speck is averaging 11.1 points and is shooting 49% from three-point. Greg Howard is scoring at a 10.6 clip and is shooting 58% from the field, and Bradley University transfer, Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill HS) has played in three games and is averaging 10.0 and is shooting 69% from the field.

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Saturday, January 3, 2008

"Second Half Run Leads to AMC Win"

NAIA No. 15 Walsh (12-2, 1-0) out-scored Mount Vernon Nazarene (10-5, 0-1) 49-35 in the second half, on their way to a 85-69 American Mideast Conference win at Walsh today. The win was the fourth straight for the Cavs, who travel to Cedarville University next Saturday night (7:30 pm).

Walsh held MVNU's Ben Falkenberg scoreless in the first half and led 36-33 at halftime. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) then scored at the start of the second half to give Walsh a 38-33 lead. Mount Vernon would answer with a five-point run to tie the game at 38 with 17:51 to play. From this point on it was all Walsh, as the Cavs used a 10-point run to take a 48-38 lead with 15:43 to play. Mount Vernon would cut the lead to eight points at 48-40, but would then trail by double digits the rest of the way. Walsh would post its largest lead at 74-54 with 5:50 to play.

Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) paced the Cavs' attack with 24 points, on 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three-point and the foul line. Shardo, the NAIA assist leader handed out seven on the day. Brandon Speck (6-0, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's), who handcuffed Falkenberg most of the day, connected on 9-9 from the foul line and added 17 points. Cescato added 12 points and Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) 11. Walsh shot 62% (18-29) in the second half and 59% (30-51) for the game. Falkenberg, who came averaging over 19 points a game, was held to two baskets and 10 points. Dan Borcherdt led MVNU with 19 points.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

"Cavs Close 2008 with Win"

NAIA No. 15 Walsh (11-2) closed out the 2008 portion of the season with a 85-55 rout of Algoma University (4-9) today. For the Cavs, it was their third straight win and third in four days. Walsh opens the American Mideast Conference season on Saturday, at home, against Mount Vernon Nazarene University at 4 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 50% (16-32) from the floor in the first half and led 45-27 at halftime. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec), Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Joe Shardo (6-5, Sr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) led the way for the Cavs. Cescato scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Jeremy Shardo finished with 17 points, six assists, six rebounds and three steals, while Joe Shardo scored 14 first half points and finished with 16. Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill/Bradley) scored in double figures for the third straight game, finishing with ten points off the bench and L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) pulled down a game-high ten rebounds off the bench in 19 minutes.

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

"Cavs Rout OSU Marion"

Everybody played and scored, as NAIA No. 15 Walsh (10-2) defeated Ohio State-Marion (3-14) 111-48 at Alumni Arena tonight. Walsh is back in action at 1 pm tomorrow, as they face Algoma University at 1 pm. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh shot 66% in the first half and led 47-19 at the break. The Cavs shot even better in the second half (67%), in out scoring the Scarlet Wave 64-49. Walsh placed six players in double figures, led by Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Jr., Barra Bonita, Brazil, Colmeia Entec) game-high 20 points. Eric Love (6-2, Sr., Concord, NC/Mt. Pleasant) added 17 points off the bench. Saihou Jassey (6-6, Jr., Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill/Bradley) and Greg Howard (6-4, So., Cincinnati, OH/Withrow/West Liberty) each tallied 12 points, L.J. Sutton (6-4, Fr., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) added 10 points and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, So., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) scored 11 points and handed out eight assists. Shardo leads the NAIA in assists.

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Sunday, December 28, 2008

"Cavs Win 9th Game"

NAIA No. 15 Walsh University