Spring Break
Elegar, Dragons win Philly Classic
Shawn Gauby
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Sports
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With the victory, Drexel won the Liberty Bracket of the inaugural Philly Hoop Group Classic.
Drexel (5-1) trailed 27-20 after the Greyhounds (3-2) connected for the first bucket of the second half for Loyola's largest lead of the day. The Dragons responded by scoring the next 18 points. Elegar led the charge, scoring nine points in the run. Colds contributed six with two 3-pointers.
Gerald Brown and the Greyhounds responded with an 11-3 run of their own to pull within three with 2:36 to go. Brown, Loyola's leading scorer, hit a fade-away 3-pointer to cap the run, pulling within 47-44.
A few possessions later, Evan Neisler brought the Dragons faithful to their feet with a slam off of a Jamie Harris miss. Loyola kept missing opportunities to claw back until Harris fouled Brett Harvey on a three-point shot.
"We just couldn't seem to make a shot," Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos said. "That's why basketball is funny. Gerald Brown hits a three falling out-of-bounds in my lap, but we miss two wide open ones."
Elegar saved the Dragons down the stretch by hitting both free throws in a one-and-one situation with 13 seconds to go to give Drexel a 53-49 lead. He finished as the team's best free throw shooter, connecting on five of six.
"He's a potential pro," Patsos said. "That guy is a good player plus he made those two free throws at the end of the game."
Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint said he was happy with Elegar getting fouled at the end of the game because he had confidence in the Dragons' center to make the big free throws at the end of the game.
Elegar won MVP honors largely because of his efforts in this game. He finished with 21 points on 8-14 shooting. Unlike most teams, Loyola chose not to double team Elegar, and that decision often led to him to being open in the post.
"I guess they were picking their poison there," Flint said. "They single covered Frank so they can guard those guys on the perimeter."
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