Lake Erie College - Athletics

2007-08 Men's Basketball
News

Storm Places Two on All-AMCC Team
GIBSONIA, PA. (March 4, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team placed two players on the 2008 All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Team.Junior forwards Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) and Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) were voted first and second-team, respectively.

Thornton, who started all 28 games for the 18-9 Storm, led the team in scoring (16.7), rebounding (6.3) and steals (2.4). Voted AMCC Player of the Week and D3Hoops.com Team of the Week during the regular season, he finished the year ranked in the top 10 of the AMCC in seven statistical categories. He was second in steals, field goal percentage (56.2%) and free throw percentage (81.3%). He was sixth in offensive rebounds (2.4) and seventh in defensive rebounds (3.9) and overall rebounds. Thornton has made the All-AMCC First-Team two consecutive seasons.

Campbell started in 23 games this season averaging 12.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as the second highest ranking Storm player in both categories. In the AMCC, he ranked 11th in scoring and 14th in rebounding. Additionally, he ranked among the top 15 players in five other categories, including fourth in field goal percentage (53.8%), ninth in free throw percentage (71.3%), ninth in blocks (0.6), 14th in offensive rebounds (1.5) and 15th in defensive rebounds (3.0). This is Campbell's second appearance on the All-AMCC Second-Team.

2008 Men's Basketball All-AMCC Team

Storm Lead Disappears with Time
ERIE, PA. (March 1, 2008) - In the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Tournament championship game, the Lake Erie College Storm led the majority of the 40 minutes, however, when the clock hit zero, it was regular-season leader Penn State-Behrend with the 57-54 advantage. The loss to the Lions was the Storm's third of the season, with Behrend being the team that ruined Lake Erie's three-peat as the AMCC regular season champion, the AMCC Tournament champion and the league's NCAA Tournament automatic bid recipient.

In the opening half, Behrend got on the board first, but both teams exchanged buckets on their first two possessions, knotting the score at four just three minutes into the game. Lake Erie took a 7-4 lead on a 3-pointer by Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) before a layup and a trey by Behrend put the hosts back on top at 9-7 with 15:02 on the clock. From there, the Storm outscored the Lions 11-5 then briefly relinquished its lead before taking a 5-point advantage into the break at 28-23.

Lake Erie shot 50 percent from the field in the half and were a perfect 2-for-2 from the line. Behrend shot 36 percent from the field and went 5-for-12 from the stripe.

In the second half, the Lions came out firing, cutting the Storm's lead to two after hitting one of its seven treys in the game. A jumper by Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) on the opposite end made the score 30-26 as the Storm remained ahead until the seven-minute mark. Behrend's one-point lead was quick as the Storm went back on top, but led by no more than three in the final minutes.

With the game tied at 54 with a minute to go, a missed Storm free throw was rebounded by Behrend who was fouled in the bonus. At the line shooting a 1-and-1, Behrend missed the solo attempt but rebounded the ball and was fouled again. This time the Lions made one to go up 55-54 with 33 seconds remaining. At the other end, the Storm's field goal attempt was blocked causing the Storm to foul after Behrend grabbed the rebound. The Lions sealed the win at the line, hitting two freebies in the final seconds with a last-chance three missing the mark for the Storm.

Lake Erie went to the stripe just eight times on the day, making five, as compared to Behrend's 14-for-24 effort from the same distance. Thornton finished with 19 points and eight rebounds and junior Darnell Campbell had 12 points and eight rebounds as the two combined for more than half of the team's field goals and boards. Junior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) had a team-high four assists.

Lake Erie (18-9; 13-5) is now in the hands of the selection committees as it awaits its fate in the NCAA and ECAC Tournaments. The team must earn an at-large bid from either organization in order for its season to continue.

Lake Erie Gets Third Shot at Behrend
ERIE, PA. (February 29, 2008) - With its 71-66 win against Medaille College in the Final Four of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) tournament, the Lake Erie College men's basketball team will again face Penn State-Behrend in the championship game. This will be the third meeting between these two teams this season with Behrend winning the last two. This is also Lake Erie's third consecutive trip to the AMCC Championship.

Against Medaille, the Storm struggled early, falling behind 16-2 at the 15:47 mark. But Lake Erie fought its way back and tied the game 30-30 with 49 seconds remaining in the half. This would be the score at halftime as both teams were unable to convert on some last second shots.

Out of halftime Lake Erie pulled to a four point lead. But for the next 14 minutes the game remained a close battle with neither team able to take full control. It was finally with 3:17 left in the game that the Storm started to put it out of reach. At this point Lake Erie took a seven point lead 61-54. The Storm finished strong hitting key free throws down the stretch to grab the win.

Although the Storm was out-shot from the floor for the game, with Medaille shooting 44.2 percent and Lake Erie 35.1 percent, it was from the line that Lake Erie kept the game in its control. The Storm was 28-for-33 for 84.8 percent at the stripe, compared to the Mavericks who were 11-for-18 for 61.1 percent. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line.

Thornton led the way for the Storm scoring 25 points, and along with junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) and senior Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls) pulled down six rebounds a piece.

The Storm hounded the Mavericks on defense creating 21 Medaille turnovers which Lake Erie converted into 23 points. For the game, the Storm had 15 steals while Medaille only came up with six. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) led the defense with four steals.

Lake Erie (18-8; 14-5) are the defending AMCC champs for the past two seasons. Tomorrow, March 1st, the Storm will put its title on the line taking on Penn State-Behrend at 3 pm. Lake Erie beat Behrend in last years championship game, 59-58.

Lake Erie Loses But Remains in Second
FROSTBURG, MD. (February 23, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team traveled to Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) rival Frostburg State and was unable to come away with a win, losing 96-87. Luckily for the Storm, the outcome of the game had no affect on the the team's standings in the AMCC. Lake Erie finishes in second place earning another conference tournament appearance as the second seed in the six-team event.

To begin the game, Lake Erie jumped out to a 7-0 start. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) scored the first five points for the Storm, hitting a field goal and three free throws. Lake Erie seemed to have the upper hand as junior Darnell Campbell put the team up 9-2 with a dunk. The Bobcats clawed their way back to tie the game at 11 with 14:48 remaining in the first half. For about a minute plus, the game went back-and-forth with both teams fighting for the lead, but Frostburg started to edge out the Storm and moved out to an 11-point lead. This sent the Bobcats into halftime ahead 53-45.

Frostburg remained dominant in the second half, leading by as many as 10 points. Lake Erie fought back and on two free throws by freshman Antonio Kidd (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood) brought the Storm within four. This was as close as Lake Erie would get as both teams shot evenly down the stretch allowing the Bobcats to keep their lead.

For the second straight game, Lake Erie's opponent remained deadly from behind the arc. The Bobcats shot 50 percent from 3-point range, as the Storm was only able to hit 17.6 percent. Both teams were exactly even on the boards, each pulling down 37 rebounds apiece. As the AMCC's number one and two teams in steals, with Lake Erie the former and Frostburg the latter, turnovers were abound. The Storm came away with nine steals and the Bobcats with 10.

The Storm had five big scorers for the game with each reaching double figures. Thornton led the team with 20 points, putting him past 400 for the season with 406 while Campbell finished with 16. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohip/Riverside) recorded his first double double of the season with a 15 point, 10 rebound performance. Kidd dished out a game high five assists to go along with 13 points and junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) scored 11 points.

Before this game, Lake Erie (17-8; 13-5) had already secured a first round AMCC tournament bye. The men's basketball team will travel to Penn State-Behrend on Friday, Feb. 29 for the AMCC semi-finals. The team plays the winner of a first-round game betweenthird-seeded La Roche and sixth-seeded Medaille.

Lake Erie Drops to Second
ERIE, PA. (February 20, 2008) - In a battle for the first place spot in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) and the right to host the tournament, the Lake Erie College men's basketball team ran out of time as their comeback fell just short in a 70-65 loss to Penn State-Behrend. The Storm now move into second place in the conference.

In the first half the two teams remained about even with Lake Erie shooting 45.5 percent and Behrend 50 percent. But the Lions took the lead into the halftime, as half of their field goals came from behind the arc. The Storm trailed by nine at the half, 32-23.

In the second half Lake Erie fell behind by as many as 14, but fought back with pressure defense to close the gap to within three. Lake Erie was able to force the Lions into 11 turnovers in the second half coming away with four steals. But defense was not enough as Behrend continued to have the hot hand from 3-point range. The Lions finished the game hitting 12 out of 22 behind the arc for 54.5 percent, where as Lake Erie only netted a total of four out of 15 attempts finishing at 26.7 percent.

The Storm finished with three players scoring in double figures. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) had a game high 17 points, and led Lake Erie pulling down seven rebounds. Juniors Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) and Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) each contributed 10 points to the Storm effort. Thornton also paced Lake Erie in assists (4) and steals (5).

Lake Erie (17-7; 13-4) will finish the regular season at Frostburg State this Saturday, February 23rd. The game tips-off at 3 pm.

Lake Erie Hits Century Mark for the Second Time This Season
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 16, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team put up over 100 points for the second time this season, defeating Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) foe Mount Aloysius, 104-56. The Storm's other triple digit performance came in its first game against the Mounties on January 19th. Lake Erie has broken the century-mark against Mount Aloysius in five of the teams' last six meetings.

In the easy victory for the Storm, Lake Erie put up big numbers. The team set season high stats for both rebounds (49) and assists (26). While almost every player contributed on the boards, junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) pulled down a game high six rebounds. Freshman Antonio Kidd (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood) kept everyone involved dishing out seven assists.

On a day where the temperature reached below 30 degrees outside, the Storm kept it hot in the gym shooting 52.9 percent from behind the arc, and hitting 57.5 percent of its field goals. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) paced the Storm going 5-for-7 from 3-point range for 71.4 percent. He finished with 20 points in the game. Three other players finished in double figures for the Storm, with senior day honoree Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls) matching his career high of 12 points. Two-time AMCC Player of the Week, Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) had 19 points, and junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) finished with 11 points.

Lake Erie (17-6; 13-3) remains tied with Penn State-Behrend for first place in the AMCC. The Storm travel to meet the Lions Wednesday, February 20th. In their last meeting Behrend edged out Lake Erie 58-42. So far the Storm has gotten revenge for each of its other two AMCC losses. The team will look to continue this trend and take sole possession of first place. The tip-off is scheduled for 8 pm and will be broadcast live on WELW 1330 AM.

Thornton Earns Additonal Player of the Week Honors
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 13, 2008) - Lake Erie College men's basketball player Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) has been named the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Region Player of the Week, as well as a D3Hoops.com Team of the Week member. The two honors come on the heel of his second consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Week honor.

For the ECAC, a maximum of two players are selected per region based on nominations from the conference commissioner. For D3hoops.com, only five players are honored per week based on nominations received by the institution's sports information director. Both awards are the first of their kind for any Storm player this season.

The junior forward earned the accolades after the Storm earned its fifth straight victory in a 2-0 week. He led the team in points (51), rebounds (15), steals (6), field goals made (20), field goal percentage (74.1 percent) and free throws made (11).

In a 73-63 victory at Medaille College, he led the team with 27 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six steals. He went 12-for-15 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. He also had two assists and the team's only block of the game.

In a 76-69 win at La Roche College, he had team-highs of 24 points and seven rebounds. He went 8-for-12 from the field and 8-for-10 from the stripe.

For the season, he ranks fifth in conference scoring at 15.9 points per game, sixth in rebounding (6.3), second in steals (2.4) and third in field goal percentage (55.2 percent) which is the highest among Storm players in each category.

This is the second time Thornton has earned ECAC recognition; the first time was during his sophomore season on Jan. 15, 2007. It is his first team of the week honor. He has been named AMCC Player of the Week three times in his career, including Feb. 11, 2008, Feb. 4, 2008 and Jan. 15, 2007.

Storm Continues to Avenge Losses
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 13, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team again made-up for an earlier season Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) loss, beating the Pitt-Bradford Panthers at home, 92-75. This win is Lake Erie's sixth consecutive and keeps the team tied for first place in the AMCC along with Penn State-Behrend.

The Storm jumped out right away, leading by nine only seven minutes into the game. Lake Erie went up by as many as 17 in the first half and led 48-34 at the half.

The Storm finished the game strong, never letting the Panthers come closer than 10 points. Lake Erie was a threat inside, as more than half of its points (48) came from inside the paint. The team also used its AMCC leading defense to create its offense. The Storm netted 31 points off of 23 Panther turnovers. Lake Erie had a complete game tonight, keeping Bradford off the glass, outrebounding them 43-31, and shooting 52.2 percent for the game.

Three of Lake Erie's players finished in double figures. Junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) led the way with a game high 22 points. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) finished with 16 and freshman Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) added 10 points. Thornton also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds for the Storm. Freshman Antonio Kidd (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood) was also big on the offensive end, dishing out a game-high five assists.

Lake Erie (16-6; 12-3) returns to action Saturday for its last regular season home game against Mount Aloysius. Tip-off is set for 3 pm.

Thornton Earns AMCC Player of Week Second Consecutive Week
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 11, 2008) - Lake Erie College men's basketball player Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) is the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Week for the week of February 11. The junior forward earned the honor for the second consecutive week after the Storm earned its fifth straight victory in a 2-0 week. He led the team in points (51), rebounds (15), steals (6), field goals made (20), field goal percentage (74.1 percent) and free throws made (11).

In a 76-69 win at La Roche College, he had team-highs of 24 points and seven rebounds. He went 8-for-12 from the field and 8-for-10 from the stripe.

For the season, he ranks fifth in conference scoring at 15.9 points per game, sixth in rebounding (6.2) and second in steals (2.3) which is the highest among Storm players.

This is the third time Thornton has been named conference player of the week in his career. He earned the honor just last week on Feb. 4, 2008. Additionally, he was named AMCC Player of the Week as a sophomore on Jan. 15, 2007, along with earning ECAC Division III South Region Player of the Week honors.

Team Takes Fifth Win in a Row
PITTSBURGH, PA. (February 9, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team remains at the top of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) standings with a 76-69 win at La Roche College Saturday afternoon. The win also marked the team's fifth consecutive victory, tying its longest winning streak this season.

In the opening period, the conference defending champion Storm cruised to a 10-point lead at 36-26 after shooting 58.3 percent from the field. With a comfortable lead in place, the Storm remained calm in the second half even when the host Redhawks came to within four at the 15-minute mark. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) quickly built the lead back up to eight with two 3-pointers, one from each side of the arc, accounting for the Storm's next two field goals. Lake Erie then pushed the lead to 14 before La Roche battled back to within six just under the six-minute mark. The Storm kept its composure at the line, going 6-for-7 in the final stretch.

AMCC Player of the Week Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/University Heights) turned in another solid performance with game-highs of 24 points and seven rebounds. He went 8-for-12 from the field and 8-for-10 from the line, helping Lake Erie shoot 52 percent and 65.5 percent from the respective distances. Junior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) totaled 12 points and four rebounds, while Leasure finished the day with 11 points - all scored in the second half.

Lake Erie (15-6; 11-3) is tied for first place in the AMCC along with Behrend with four league games left. The Storm hosts Pitt-Bradford on Wednesday at 8 p.m., which is the same day the first regional rankings of the season are expected to be released. Last year, Lake Erie remained at the top of the Great Lakes Region field the entire season.

AMCC Player of the Week Helps Storm Past Medaille
BUFFALO, NY. (February 6, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team extended its winning streak to four by defeating Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) foe Medaille College, 73-63. The Storm won the opening tip, scored the first basket and never looked back. Lake Erie lead by as many as 18, only allowing the Mavericks to bring it as close as two, and that was on the third basket of the game just over a minute into play.

AMCC Player of the Week and Lake Erie junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) put up big numbers for the Storm, showing why he earned that honor. He led all players in three categories, including points, rebounds and steals. His totals were 27 points, eight rebounds, and six steals. Four other players for the Storm registered eight points a piece. These were junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood), senior Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls), freshman Antonio Kidd (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood), and junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside). Kidd also dished out a game high four assists.

The Storm dominated on the statistics sheet. Lake Erie outshot its opponent, converting on 53.4 percent of its field goals, while Medaille only shot 43.2 percent. They outrebounded the Mavericks 29-25 and dished out more assists, 13-11. Lake Erie's defense hounded the Mavericks, grabbing nine steals and creating 22 turnovers.

Lake Erie (14-6; 10-3) who continues to share the top spot in the conference, travels to La Roche on Saturday. The tip-off is set for 4 pm.

Thornton Earns AMCC Player of the Week
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 4, 2008) - Lake Erie College men's basketball player Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) is the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Week for the week of February 4. The junior forward earned the honor in the Storm's two-win week after averaging 16.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He led the team in total points (32), rebounds (18), assists (9) and steals (5) as the Storm earned its third consecutive win and remained tied for the top spot in the conference.

The starter recorded his first double double of the season, the fifth of his career, with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 62-47 win against Penn State-Altoona.

In a 73-63 victory against Hilbert, he put up just 10 points, but made up the difference with team-leading totals of seven assists (a career-high), three steals and eight rebounds - all without committing a single turnover in 29 minutes of play.

For the season, he ranks sixth in conference scoring at 14.9 points per game, which is the highest among Storm players. He also ranks in the top 10 in five additional league statistical categories, including steals (2nd - 2.26), offensive rebounds (6th - 2.42), free throw percentage (6th - 75.6 percent), total rebounds (8th - 6.1) and field goal percentage (10th - 52 percent)

This is the second time Thornton has been named conference player of the week in his career. He earned the honor on Jan. 15, 2007, along with ECAC Division III South Region Player of the Week honors.

Lake Erie Gets Revenge
PAINESVILLE, OH. (February 2, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team got revenge for its early season road loss against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) foe Penn State-Altoona by defeating the Lions 62-47 at home. In the first half, it looked as if history might repeat itself when the Storm fell behind by as many as 10 and went into the break down 28-24. Lake Erie came out striking to start the second half and at 17:49 took the lead on a shot from inside the paint by junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East). From there the Storm continued its vicious attack on the way to the win.

To fuelits comeback, Lake Erie buckled down on both ends of the court. As the AMCC leader in steals, averaging 12.6 per game, Lake Erie forced Altoona into 11 more turnovers. The Lions finished with 22 for the game. On offense the Storm stepped up the attack from behind the arc. It increased its three-point percentage to 50 percent, up from 25 percent in the first half, while the Lions plummeted, only making 11.1 percent, down from their 54.5 percent performance in the first half.

Thornton recorded his first double-double of the season leading all scorers and rebounders with 22 points and 10 rebounds. John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) was the only other player for the Storm to finish in double figures with 11 points. Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) kept the Lions out of the paint recording a game high 4 blocks.

Lake Erie (13-6; 9-3) travels to Medaille College Wednesday February 6th. Tip-off is set for 8 pm and will be broadcast live on WELW 1330 AM.

Lake Erie Escapes With Win
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 30, 2008) - Just like Houdini wriggling out of a straight jacket, the Storm escaped a near-devastating outcome with a 73-63 come-from-behind win against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) opponent Hilbert College.

Trailing by 10 at the break, 44-34, Lake Erie hit only 21 percent of its long distance attempts going 3-for-14 in the first half as compared to its guest's 8-for-17 effort from the same distance. The second half saw a slight increase in Storm scoring, however it was the Storm defense that kept the Hawks to just 19 points in the period.

It wasn't until 5:36 remaining in the game that the Storm took its first lead of the night on an Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) layup in the middle of the paint to make it 57-56. Hilbert missed two free throws on the opposite end before allowing sophomore Ryan Benchwick (Salem, Ohio/Salem) to make another layup on the successive trip. A stop on the defensive end gave the ball back to the Storm where junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) nailed one of his three treys of the night to make it 62-56. Another defensive stop for the Storm and a foul on Hilbert put Benchwick at the line where he made one free throw to put Lake Erie up by seven with 3:36 to play.

Lake Erie concluded the night shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from three-point territory and 92.3 percent from the line. Moore led the team with 15 points and had six rebounds. Bradshaw totaled 14 points and junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) added 10 points and team-highs of eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Lake Erie (12-6; 8-3) remains tied for the lead in the AMCC heading into Saturday's home game against Penn State-Altoona at 3 p.m.

Lake Erie Regains First-Place AMCC Tie
GREENSBURG, PA. (January 26, 2008) - It's been a rollercoaster ride during the first half of Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) play for the Lake Erie College men's basketball team, and today the ride continued. After one of the Storm's poorest offensive showings of the season on Wednesday night, Lake Erie put together one of its strongest, defeating Pitt-Greensburg, 90-77 Saturday afternoon.

Trailing by as many as nine in the opening period, the Storm overtook its hosts with a 13-2 scoring run in a four-minute span to lead 32-24 at 4:24. Lake Erie added treys by juniors Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) and Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) to finish the half with a 41-35 advantage.

The Bobcats shot an outstanding 68 percent in the second half, making 17-of-25 field goal attempts, but the Storm put in 17 buckets of its own to go along with 12 free throws to maintan the lead. Thornton was just shy of perfect in the 40 minutes, going 5-for-6 from the field with a 3-for-3 performance from behind the arc. He also went 11-for-12 from the line to finish with a team-high 24 points and five rebounds. Leasure hit four treys in the game and ended with 16 points as sophomore Antonio Kidd (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood) and freshman Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. Kidd also passed for a career-high seven assists and totaled four of the team's 12 steals.

Lake Erie concluded the afternoon 30-for-59 from the field for 50.8 percent with a season-high 11-for-20 effort (55 percent) from three-point territory.

The Storm (11-6; 7-3) regained a share of the top spot in the AMCC with the win. They are at home twice next week. They host Hilbert at 8 p.m. Wednesday with the game being broadcast live on WELW 1330 and welw.com.

Strom Down, Not Out
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 24, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team slipped out of first place in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) after losing to Penn State-Behrend, 58-42 Thursday night. The Storm came into the game tied for first along with the Lions, who it was predicted to finish in a first place tie with according to the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

As expected, the Lions made every effort to control the ball on the offensive end while running down the shot clock. On the defensive side, Behrend went into a zone, forcing the Storm to shoot from long-range. Much to Lake Erie's dismay, the buckets didn't fall as the team finished the night just 3-for-22 for 13.6 percent from three-point territory. The Storm's overall field goal percentage was the lowest of the season at 25.8 percent.

Junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) was the only Storm player to end the night in double figures with 16 points. He also totaled a team-high eight rebounds and two steals. Campbell went a perfect 4-for-4 from the line, accounting for the majority of the Storm's trips to the stripe. Lake Erie went 5-for-7 from the line for the game.

Junior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) recorded eight points and three assists.

Lake Erie (10-6; 6-3) finishes the first half of AMCC play in a second place tie with Pitt-Greensburg which is where the Storm heads to on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Lake Erie and Sports 'n Sports Sponsor Go Green Night
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 23, 2008) - Lake Erie College, in partnership with Sports 'n Sports, is sponsoring Go Green Night this Thursday, Jan. 24 when the Storm basketball teams host Penn State-Behrend. The special event will not only support the Storm, but will bolster awareness for the environment.

The first 30 Lake Erie College students to present a nonalcoholic bottle or can at the door will receive a free Go Green t-shirt. All non-Lake Erie students to present a nonalcoholic bottle or can at the door the entire night will receive $1 off admission.

Fans are encouraged to wear green for the games to increase their chances of participating in special promotions throughout the evening that include recycling trivia, a paper airplane contest and more.

The women's game tips off at 6 p.m. followed by the men's game at 8 p.m.

Lake Erie Lands Easy Victory; Remains Undefeated at Home
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 21, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team continues to hold on to at least a postion of the top spot in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) with Saturday's 88-66 win against Frostburg State University. The victory also increases the team's home-game winning streak to six as the Storm remains undefeated in Athletic Center Arena this season.

The first half of the opening period had the Bobcats in control, leading by as many as six, however, the Storm forged ahead for good at 10:58 on a jumper by Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) that put the Storm up 17-15. The hosts held a five-point lead at the break, 34-29.

Lake Erie opened the second half on another jumper by Campbell to go up seven before hitting a scoring rut and allowing the Bobcats within one at 17:48 on the clock at 38-37. The Storm never relinquished the lead, however, and pulled away to the 22-point win.

For the second consecutive game, the Storm posted five players in double figures including junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) with a career-high 21 after going 7-for-8 from the field with three treys. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) added 15 points and team-leading totals of seven rebounds and five assists. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) totaled 13 in his first start of the season and Campbell and junior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Lake Erie (10-5; 6-2) hosts Penn State-Behrend at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Storm Surpasses 100
CRESSON, PA. (January 19, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team scored its greatest number of points this season with a 109-79 win against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) opponent Mount Aloysius Saturday afternoon. The Storm dominated the Mounties the entire forty minutes jumping out to a 65-32 lead after the opening half.

Coming off one of its worst shooting nights of the season this past Wednesday, the Storm showed why they are repeat contenders for the league title by putting up its strongest numbers of the year on Saturday. The team shot a season-best 60.6 percent from the field, making 40 of its 66 attempts. It also drained a season-high 10 three-pointers for a season-best 50 percent effort from long distance, while recording its second greatest performance this season from the line, missing just three of its 22 bonus chances.

A record five players scored in double figures, which before Saturday, had yet to happen this season, with junior forward Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) leading the way with 25 after going 11-for-13 from the field. Junior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) tossed in a Lake Erie career-high 23 points on an 8-for-11 performance that included five treys. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East), junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) and sophomore Jory Wilder (Akron, Ohio/Ellet) scored 10 points apiece.

Lake Erie (9-5; 5-2) hosts AMCC foe Frostburg State on Monday at 3 p.m.

Storm Stumbles Offensively
BRADFORD, PA. (January 16, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team had one of its worst shooting nights of the season and it cost them Wednesday night as they fell to Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) opponent Pitt-Bradford, 75-66.

Lake Erie went 25-for-59 from the field for 42.4 percent, including a 2-for-7 effort from 3-point land. The performance was its fourth lowest of the season overall and its most lacking from long distance. The Storm led just once the entire contest and that was on its opening possesion when freshman Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) pulled down an offensive rebound and put in the first jumper of the evening to make it 2-0.

In the first half, the team got 11 points from junior forward Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) and just 15 from the rest of the green and white as Lake Erie trailed 31-26 at the end of the period. The Storm was forced to sit two of its main contributors, sophomores Jory Wilder (Akron, Ohio/Ellet) and Ryan Benchwick (Salem, Ohio/Salem) who played for a combined 10 minutes after being saddled with three fouls apiece.

Lake Erie improved its offensive efforts in the second half, led by sophomore guard Antonio Kidd's (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood) 11 points. He went 5-for-8 from the field sparking the 14-point increase in scoring, however the Storm still came up short with the final buzzer. Lake Erie forced the Panthers into 21 turnovers for the game, but were outrebounded by its hosts, 38-25.

Thornton finished the night with 15 points, six rebounds and four steals. Bradshaw tallied 12 points and senior center Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls) led the team with seven rebounds.

Lake Erie (8-5; 4-2) dropped into a second place AMCC tie with the loss, while Behrend moved into the leader position. The Storm travel to Mount Aloysius at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Storm Weathers Foul Trouble to Win By Nine
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 12, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team overcame foul trouble and a first-half deficit to win 72-63 against La Roche College in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action Saturday afternoon.

The Storm's Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) was hit with two quick fouls, playing only six minutes of the first half and scoring no points. Team leading scorer junior forward Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) also remained scoreless in the half in 13 minutes of action, taking only one shot from the field. As a team, Lake Erie performed under its averages shooting just 33.3 percent from the floor (7-for-21), including a 2-for-8 performance from long range, and 55 percent from the line (11-for-20) in the opening 20-minute period. No player scored more than junior point guard John Dickinson's (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) six points, causing the team to trail 29-27 at intermission.

Lake Erie increased its scoring by 18 points in the second half mainly due to the efforts of Dickinson and Thornton. The two combined for 28 points, going 9-for-12 from the floor to finish the game as the team's top scorers. Dickinson had a career-high 18 points, as well as team-leading totals of four assists and five steals. Thonton ended with 16 points and six rebounds. Cambell recorded just four points on the night, but was solid in several other statistical categories, totaling five rebounds, four assists and four blocks.

Lake Erie (8-4; 4-1) remains in first place in the AMCC with its third consecutive win. It was also the team's fifth straight win at home as the Storm remains undefeated in Athletic Center Arena this season. Lake Erie travels to Pitt-Bradford on Wednesday. The 8 p.m. contest will be broadcast live on WELW 1330 AM and welw.com.

Storm Wins By 14
PAINESVILLE, OH. (January 9, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team defeated Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) foe Medaille College, 86-72 Wednesday evening.

Lake Erie controlled the lead all but once after Medaille hit a 3-pointer early on to go ahead 3-2 at 18:01. The Storm went on an 11-0 run at that point to regain the advantage, 13-3. The hosts led by as many as 18 in the half paced by junior forward Darnell Campbell's (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) nine points and junior forward Matt Moore's (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) eight. Lake Erie led at the conclusion of the period 36-27after connecting on 59.1 percent of its field goal attempts (13-for-22), including a 3-for-6 effort from 3-point land.

In the second period, the Storm scored 50 points - 14 more than in the opening half, while giving up 45 points - 18 more than in the first period. Lake Erie allowed the Mavs to come within four at 40-36 just under the 17-minute mark before putting significant distance between its opponent.

Campbell finished the game with 19 points and junior forward Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) tallied 15 points, five rebounds and three steals. Moore ended the night 5-for-6 from the field for 13 points, including a 3-for-3 performance from long range. Senior center Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Lake Erie (7-4; 3-1) remains just slightly less than perfect in the AMCC heading into Saturday's home league contest against La Roche at 4 p.m.

Storm Sneaks Past Bethany
BETHANY, W. VA. (January 2, 2008) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team scored the final three points in Wednesday's independent contest against Bethany to earn a 73-70 win on the road.

Leading by as many as 17 points with 11:31 to play, the Storm saw its double digit advantage dissipate as host Bethany's shooting heated up in the remaining time. The Bison went 7-for-11 from the field and 8-for-8 from the line to tie the game at 70 with 1:48 left on the clock. Lake Erie cooled off in the 10-minute span hitting just four of its 12 field goal attempts.

The Storm's Mark Skopal (Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls) rebounded a missed LEC jumper and was fouled on the putback with 1:10 to play. At the line, the senior hit 1-of-2 free throw attempts to put Lake Erie ahead 71-70. Bethany missed a 3-pointer on the opposite end before junior Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinewood) sank a jumper to put the green and white up by three. The Bison failed on its final field goal attempt and then missed two free throws to finish the game.

Campbell led all scorers with 15 points on a 7-for-9 effort from the floor. He also pulled down seven rebounds. Freshman Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) added 14 points and junior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) totaled 10 points and seven rebounds.

Lake Erie (6-4) returns to Athletic Center Arena on Wednesday for Allegheny Mounatin Collegiate Conference competition against Medaille at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WELW 1330 AM and welw.com.

DII CUP Clips Storm
CALIFORNIA, PA. (December 29, 2007) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team lost to Division II California University of Pennsylvania, 59-46 on the road Saturday afternoon.

With the game tied at 14 just under 12 minutes to play in the first half, the Storm went on a 9-0 run in a two-minute span to take a 23-14 lead. The green and white's momentum continued for two more minutes with Lake Erie holding its greatest command of 14 points after a Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) jumper to make the score 31-17 with 6:31 to go in the period. The Vulcans chipped away at the deficit, allowing the Storm to lead by only seven at the break, 36-29.

Lake Erie maintained the lead until 8:19 in the second half, but never went up by more than seven. Hanging by a three-point advantage, the Storm committed five turnovers and managed just one field goal attept before giving up the lead to host CUP (7-2). The Vulcans continued their surge, leading by as many as 15 in the period.

Lake Erie shot just 39 percent from the field (18-for-46) for the game, hitting only two of its 10 three-point attempts. The Storm outrebounded the Vulcans 35-27, but turned the ball over a total of 27 times. Junior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) led Lake Erie with nine points and eight rebounds. Junior Matt Moore (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) chipped in seven points, eight rebounds and three steals and Campbell added seven points and seven rebounds.

Lake Erie (5-4) remains on the road for an independent contest against Bethany on Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.

Stripe Strips Storm of Streak
ALTOONA, PA. (December 8, 2007) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team's five-game winning streak came to an end Saturday with an 80-64 loss to Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) foe Penn State-Altoona. The stripe that proved fateful for the Storm in the women's game haunted the men in the nightcap with Lake Erie going just 6-for-15 from the line and Altoona swishing 29-of-35 attempts from the same distance, including a 20-for-22 performance in the second half.

The Storm trailed by only one heading into the second half, 32-31, before being outscored 48-33. Lake Erie's only lead of the period came on an opening bucket by junior forward Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) who finished the night with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his first double double of the season. Junior forward Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) also chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds and five steals, while senior center Mark Skopal added 12 points.

Lake Erie shot 41-percent from the field (28-for-69) and was just 2-of-16 for treys. They outrebounded the Lions 36-27 while forcing the hosts into 21 turnovers.

Lake Erie (5-2; 2-1) will resume conference play on December 8. Its next game is on the road against Division II powerhouse Finday on Tuesday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Men Make it Five Straight
PAINESVILLE, OH. (December 1, 2007) - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team earned its fifth straight victory Saturday afternoon, defeating Pitt-Greensburg 77-54. The green and white maintains its lead of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) with the win that puts them at a perfect 2-0.

The Storm started slow in the game, falling behind early and staying behind until almost 13 minutes into the contest. It wasn't until 7:30 on the clock when the hosts tied the game at 14 on a three-point play by sophomore Antonio Kidd (Lakewo