John Cagianello
Freshman guard John Cagianello (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) had quite a week as the Dutchmen won two of three games, including both UCAA showdowns. Prior to last week's three games vs. Middlebury, Hamilton and Hobart, Cagianello had scored 132 points in 12 games (11.0 average) and had connected on 16-of-45 three-point field goals (35.5).
Last week Cagianello produced the following numbers:
| Middlebury | 7-15 field goals, | 3-8 three-point field goals, | 7-9 free throws, | 24 points |
| Hamilton | 9-11 field goals, | 7-8 three-point field goals, | 6-6 free throws, | 31 points |
| Hobart | 9-16 field goals, | 3-6 three-point field goals, | 0-0 free throws, | 21 points |
| Totals | 25-42 field goals, | 13-22 three-point field goals, | 13-15 free throws | 76 points |
| 59.5% | 59.1% | 86.6% | 25.3 average |
Now, after 15 games, the 6'0, political science major has scored 208 points, is 29-of 67 in three-point field goals (43.3), and moved from third to first on Union's scoring chart with an average of 13.9.
His performances earned him the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association's “Rookie of the Week” honor.
“When we recruited John we thought he would be a good college scorer,” said seventh-year head coach Bob Montana. “Earlier in the season, based on the number of minutes he had been playing (off the bench), he was contributing his share of points. Now that he has been starting (since the Union Invitational) and is averaging 25 minutes a game, his point production has increased.”
In the first seven games of the season, in which the Dutchmen went 3-4, Cagianello came off the bench to average 8.7 points in 16.1 minutes. Cagianello has started each of the last eight games since the Union Invitational on January 10 and is averaging 31.1 minutes and scoring 18.4 a game. The Dutchmen are 6-2, including 4-1 in the UCAA where they hold a one-half game lead over Hamilton and Hobart.
“We knew that John was a good shooter,” Montana continued. “He is a player who can put the ball on the floor and score or catch a pass and score. That is a rare combination for a Division III player. Usually at this level guys can do one or the other; John can do both.”
The Dutchmen are on the road the next two weeks, traveling to the North Country this weekend and then to Hobart and Hamilton on February 7 & 8. Union closes out the regular season with a six-game homestand from February 11 through the 22nd.
Please click below for this week's UCAA basketball standings and statistics.
http://ucaa.ecac.org/site/statistics/men's_basketball/2002-03_basketball_statistics