The AU men’s basketball team took the hardwood on Tuesday and beat the UMBC Retrievers 85-61. The game was never close as American took an early lead, which only grew as the game progressed.
With the comfort of this large lead, it was the perfect opportunity for the rotation to shine.
The seamless ball movement on the offensive end gave many of the Eagles the chance to contribute, including freshman guard Ben Lubarsky. In 11 solid minutes off the bench, Lubarsky turned in a 9-point performance, going 2-2 from a 3-point range.
He delivered one of the plays of the night when he stepped into a corner 3, calmly taking a foul and converting a free throw to finish off a 4-point play.
Although he has seen limited action this year, his minutes increased, and he started to step up in his role off the bench in his last two games.
“He can provide us [with] a lot of different things offensively and defensively,” AU head coach Mike Brennan said of his 6-foot-5 freshman.
Lubasrky said that he’s taking one game and opportunity at a time.
“I’ve been working really hard in practice, and it means a lot that coach is starting to trust me,” Lubarsky said.
With performances like these, it is only a matter of time before Lubarsky comes into his own.
His teammates certainly agree, as Brennan said that he thinks Lubarsky will improve as the year progresses.
“It’s just a matter of him being healthy and being able to practice, to get a better idea of what he’s doing out there,” Brennan said.
The Eagles will face George Mason on Saturday in their next match-up.
