Saints get much needed win, downing Saint Peter’s 56-54

[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”3″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_pro_horizontal_filmstrip” image_crop=”0″ image_pan=”1″ show_playback_controls=”0″ show_captions=”1″ caption_class=”caption_overlay_bottom” caption_height=”70″ aspect_ratio=”1.5″ width=”100″ width_unit=”%” transition=”fade” transition_speed=”1″ slideshow_speed=”5″ border_size=”0″ border_color=”#000000″ override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”120″ thumbnail_height=”90″ thumbnail_crop=”1″ ngg_triggers_display=”never” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]Albany, NY — Siena sophomore guard Nico Clareth hasn’t had the big board season many expected him to have this year, but the Baltimore, Maryland native put his team over the edge Saturday, at the Times Union Center, in front of a seasoned-best crowd of 6,738.

With 70 ticks left on the clock and the score locked at 51, Clareth came up big, delivering a jumper in the lane to put his team ahead for good.

“Finally. It feels great,” said Clareth with a smile the size of Texas.

The little big man credits his teammates for sticking with him through thick and thin. “I love my teammates. The way I play and stuff it can kind of get frustrating to play with me on the team, but they just keep trusting me and believing in me.”

Clareth wasn’t the only Saint to come in clutch down the stretch. Redshirt sophomore Kadeem Smithen nailed a pair of free throws to close out the 56-54 win over the Peacocks. 

“I couldn’t be more proud of Kadeem. He fell on his arm and hurt his shoulder, but all he did was keep playing,” said Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos. “He did a great job.”

Despite the thrill of ending their four-game losing streak, Smithen is full steam ahead.  “We’re just gonna build on this one, take tomorrow off and get ready for the next one.” 

47 of Siena’s 56 total points came from their senior core of players; Marquis Wright (16 points), Brett Bisping (13 points, (Lavon Long (7 points) and Javion Ogunyemi (11 points). 

“It’s just great to come out here and get a win,” said Ogunyemi, a product of Troy High School. “We’re glad we won this game, but we’re just gonna build and try to win two games in a row.” 

“I thought Javion did a really good job in the second half [scoring 7 points],” added Patsos. 

For Patsos, the win could not come at a better time with some fans calling for his head. 

#SienaSaints #trainwreck 2016-17 season pic.twitter.com/nemko3JXkV

— SienaMan88 (@Yankees1a) January 5, 2017

But Patsos welcomes the critics. “I know some people want to kill me and that’s ok, I understand. They want to win it’s ok; I’ll take it. It’s better than nobody caring.”  

The Saints will take Sunday off before preparing for Quinnipiac at home (Times Union Center), on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. 

-Dylan Rossiter(@ByDylanRossiter)

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