Atherton, California- Despite a spirited second half rally Menlo Men's Basketball was unable to complete the comeback against the visiting Jessup Warriors. It was a tale of two halves for the Oaks, especially on offense. The first half of action saw Menlo only convert 38% of their field goal attempts and 17% of their shots from behind the arc. Yet, their refusal to quit was on full display. The Oaks shooting splits would rise to 47% from the field and 38% from three once the second half got underway. Unfortunately, it just was not enough.
As a team Menlo should walk away with some positives despite the unfortunate outcome. They competed on the glass, pulling down 12 offensive rebounds. They also were disruptive in passing lanes, particularly in the second half, coming away with 12 total steals.
The second unit was also critical in Menlo's comeback efforts. Evan Dirksen's shooting, particularly from three, was instrumental in getting the offense back on track. Dirksen would hit four of seven threes in the second. His shot with 13 seconds left on the clock would cut the lead to two and keep Menlo alive.
Yet, it would be another player coming off the bench that would have the narrative of the night for Oaks fans. Senior forward Corey Le'aupepe not only secured a double-double and a game high 14 rebounds; the New Zealand native officially joined the 1000 career points club. With 2:25 seconds remaining in the contest, Le'aupepe knocked down a contested layup at the rim officially scoring his 1000 and 1001 career points. Over his last two outings, Le'aupepe has averaged 12.5 PPG and 11 RPG while shooting 75% from the floor. The Oaks will need their veteran big man to continue to perform at a high level with the conference tournament looming.
Coach Rooney and the team are back on the floor Thursday, February 9th against the visiting OUAZ Spirit. The Oaks are currently 6th in the GSAC with a 7-7 record. The remaining four games of the season take on even more importance as they look to secure a tournament bid. Be sure to come out and support the squad over their final two home games this season!
