Aug. 23, 2001

The CSU Vikings wrapped up their 2001 preseason foreign exhibition tour on a thrilling note with a 79-75 upset win over the Italian Junior National team in the 13th San Marino Tournament Thursday night (August 23).

The Vikings jumped out to an early 8-2 lead but the Italians battled back to take the lead 16-11 at the end of the first period. CSU lost the lead at 23-21 and would not regain it until the fourth quarter. The Italian team led by three at the half (37-34) and by as many as nine (50-41) at the 5:00 minute mark in the third quarter. Then the Vikings came battling back, fueled by five three point goals in a seven minute stretch by sophomore guard Jermaine Robinson (Philadelphia/Simon Gratz). CSU trimmed the lead to three (50-47) on consecutive threes by Robinson with 3:30 to go in the third, but the Italians stretched the lead back to seven (61-54) by the end of the period. CSU finally regained the lead for good (63-62) on another Robinson three with 7:20 to go in the game. Robinson, who finished with 25 points including 5 of 8 from behind the arc, then hit his final two treys to put CSU up 68-63 with 6:00 to play.

The Vikings pushed the lead to eight (71-63) on a conventional three-point play by junior forward Andre Williams (Clayton, NJ/ Bishop Eustace). But the Italians rallied to within three (71-68) with 1:58 to play on the strength of two consecutive three-point goals and the raucous "I-tal-ia, I-tal-ia" chants of their partisan fans at the Palazetto Della Sport Flaminio in Rimini. But on the next possession, Viking senior guard Jamaal Harris (Cleveland Hts.) hit a long three as the shot clock expired to put CSU up 74-68.

Italia was not finished, however. A three point goal by Fabio Zanelli (21 points to lead Italia) cut the lead to two (74-72 with 33 seconds to play. On CSU's next possession, senior guard Theo Dixon hit a driving layup to put the Vikings ahead 76-72 with 17 seconds to play. The Italians would convert another basket and a free throw before Harris sealed the final margin of victory with two free throws with six seconds left in the game. Harris, who finished with 26 points on 8 of 15 shooting (including 5 of 7 from three), took home the game's MVP trophy.

Besides Robinson and Harris, CSU got key performances from Williams (14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals) and sophomore center Pape Badiane (Les Ulis, France) who snared every key rebound and finished with 15 boards, four blocks and four points. Led by Wiliams and Badiane, the Vikings won the battle of the boards 48-40. Both teams shot 40 percent from the field, with the Vikings winning the long-range battle 45 percent (10 of 22) to 29 percent (6 of 21) led by Robinson and Harris. The Vikings finished their tour of Switzerland and Italy at 2-4-1.