Sports

PRIDE WIN, GUN FOR 3RD TITLE IN ROW

Hofstra 58 Rutgers 52

Just a few years ago the words Norman Richardson uttered last night would have seemed incredible coming from a Hofstra basketball player.

“We don’t focus on this three-peat thing,” said Richardson. “Everyone’s been talking about the three-peat and we’re not really focused on it. I’m definitely not focused on it.”

“A third MVP,” continued Richardson. “That’s not what I’m here for. We’re here to take it one day at a time and one game at a time. We know it’s important to do it that way. That’s the only way to do it to be successful. I feel we have a really good program here, a legit program, and our program doesn’t consist of winning a championship. We consist of going through the regular season and playing game to game and trying our best to get better each game.”

Hofstra basketball has raised the bar. Three years ago winning the ECAC Holiday Festival was an unthinkable accomplishment. Now the Pride is poised to become the third program ever to win three straight Holiday Festival crowns and the players are focused, not freaked.

The Pride put itself in this lofty position by edging Rutgers 58-52 last night in a semifinal game at the Garden. Hofstra meets Penn State in tonight’s championship game.

Hofstra is one of just four schools to have won consecutive Holiday Festivals. St. John’s won four straight from 1984-87, but no other school has won as many as three straight.

As was the case the last two years when he was named the MVP of this tournament, Richardson is a big reason Hofstra is in this position.

He scored a game-high 21 points, including a crucial three-point play with 6:11 left that gave Hofstra a 46-41 lead – but more important, broke an 0-for-9 second-half foul-shooting fiasco by the Pride.

Hofstra (7-2), missed 13 of its first 20 free throws and shot just 40 percent from the field. But when the game was on the line, the Pride converted 7 of 8 free throws in the final 35 seconds.

“The thing about this team is it’s still learning to win without Speedy,” Hofstra coach Jay Wright, referring to Speedy Claxton. “Last year there was this security that no matter happened, Speedy would bail us out. Well, now these guys have to do it themselves. Each possession is crucial. Each guy has to do his part. It’s all part of taking the program to a higher level.”

How’s this for higher ground? Should Hofstra beat Penn State, which thumped Princeton 65-52 in its semifinal game, Richardson stands to become the first player ever to win three straight Holiday Festival MVP trophies.

Chris Mullin didn’t do it. Jimmy Walker didn’t do it. Tom Gola didn’t do it.

Not bad for a kid from Coney Island who grew up dreaming about one day playing in the Garden. A third MVP and he deserves a key to The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Rutgers (7-3), which lost to Hofstra in a semifinal game last year, made a run at revenge. The Scarlet Knights ran off seven straight points to take their first lead of the game at 48-46. Wright called a timeout.

“I just said, ‘We’ve been here before. We’re a veteran team. Now go out and play Hofstra basketball,'” Wright said.

Hofstra reclaimed the lead on a Roberto Gittens three-point play with 3:34 left.

The Pride then had three chances to pad its lead. But Richardson fired up an airball on a 3 after forcing Jeff Greer into a travel. Gittens then missed the front end of a one-and-one. And Eugene Dabney, who played a great game off the bench, made a clean block on a Gittens baseline layup.

But after Billet missed a 3 from the top of the key, Jason Hernandez grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 35 seconds left. He went to the line, where Hofstra had been atrocious. Hernandez drained two for a 51-48 lead.

Rutgers will meet Princeton (4-6) in the consolation game. It’s not where the Scarlet Knights, a Big East team, want to be.

“We didn’t play particularly well tonight,” said Rutgers coach Kevin Bannon. “It’s kind of disappointing. You have to give Hofstra credit.”

Yes, you have to give Hofstra credit. Not many programs can raise the bar and not be satisfied.