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Hope College

Scoreboard

#BeStrongBeTrue
Gabe Quillan and TJ McKenzie pose for portraits.
83
Rockford Rock 3-2,0-0 NACC
97
Winner Hope Hope 4-1,0-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
Rockford Rock
3-2,0-0 NACC
83
Final
97
Hope Hope
4-1,0-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Rockford Rock 42 41 83
Hope Hope 42 55 97

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Alan Babbitt

Men's Basketball Turns Away Rockford

The Flying Dutchmen improve to 4-1 with a 97-83 victory.

Down four early in the second half, the Hope College men's basketball team responded swiftly and strongly.

The Flying Dutchmen seized control against Rockford University (Ill.) and went on to win, 97-83, on Saturday at DeVos Fieldhouse by scoring on their next nine possessions.

In a matchup of 3-1 teams, Hope broke open the game with a 21-2 run that turned a 55-51 deficit at the 14-minute mark into a 72-57 lead 3 ½ minutes later.

Senior forward TJ McKenzie Jr., sophomore center Gabe Quillan and senior guard Clayton Dykhouse combined for all 21 points during the decisive burst. 

"It's a two-way street. We guarded harder. The ball moved better. It was complementary basketball," head coach Greg Mitchell said. "We found Gabe inside. TJ was very, very good. That run … was pretty good basketball."

Hope, which improved to 4-1, overcame losing a 27-10 first-half lead and settling for a 42-42 halftime lead. Rockford then scored the first five points of the second half.

Quillan (Ada, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS) finished with career-highs in points (31), rebounds (10) and assists (4). The 31 points marked the 12th time a Hope player reached the 30-point mark at DeVos Fieldhouse.

"It's awesome to see," Mitchell said. "He's put in a lot of hard work. This is kind of new for him: leading scorer, making big plays. He's not cocky, he's confident. He has confidence because his teammates believe in him and have poured so much into him."

The 6-9 Quillan set up McKenzie for the go-ahead 3-pointer from the wing. Quillan then followed with a 3 of his own on Hope's next possession.

McKenzie (North Muskegon, Michigan / North Muskegon) kept the Flying Dutchmen on a roll by burying a jumper in the paint and a 3-pointer. The 6-3 McKenzie scored a career-high 23 points on 69.2 percent shooting from the field (9-of-13) and 71.4 percent from 3-point range (5-7). 

Dykhouse (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) sank a 3 before Quillan finished the surge with a jumper and a layup.

The 5-11 Dykhouse set up Quillan on the layup and finished with a career-high eight assists.

Junior forward Eli Schoonveld (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) added 10 points and five assists, both career highs. The 6-3 Schoonveld equaled his career high with three blocks.

Hope shot 59.4 from the field during the second half (19-32), including 60 percent from 3-point range (9-15).

The Flying Dutchmen recorded a season-high 20 assists.

Rockford guard Mateo Fernandez Solari scored 16 points off the bench to lead four Regents in double figures. 

Hope's next game is Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. at Hanover College (Ind.).
 
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