Bramah sparks victory
Ties school mark (20) for rebounds in a game
After its loss Saturday against Merrimack, Robert Morris was in need of a bounce-back.
Monday, the Colonials got it. They trailed Sacred Heart for just 55 seconds and held a lead of more than 10 points for a good portion of the game.
By the time the second half was winding down, sporadic runs by both teams had Robert Morris’ advantage between six and 15 points — just enough for the Colonials to
feel comfortable, but not quite enough to officially put the game to bed.
With 1:25 left, though, sophomore guard Jalen Hawkins stole the ball and fed junior forward AJ Bramah, who was all alone. The high-flying Bramah threw down an emphatic one-handed jam to remove any doubt about the outcome.
Behind 18 points and 20 rebounds from Bramah, who tied the 40-year-old school record for rebounds in one game and shot 9 for 9 from the field, Robert Morris (9-10 overall, 5-1 NEC) took care of business, 67-55.
“It feels great, but, to me, it’s not really a big deal,” Bramah said of the record. “Winning is big for me, so that’s what I focus on.”
Bramah credited his competition for fueling his success, as Sacred Heart forward E.J. Anosike entered the game Monday averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. Anosike compiled impressive stats Monday, too, finishing with 20 points and 17 rebounds, but Bramah was pleased that his own efforts came in a win.
“I’ll say E.J., you know, he’s a very physical player, and he knows how to rebound, so I knew I had to come out today and just, you know, own the glass, so that’s what I tried to do,” Bramah said.
From certain perspectives, the game Monday was somewhat similar to the one Saturday. Offensively, the Colonials struggled to find a rhythm from outside the arc, where they typically thrive, hitting just five of their 21 attempts from 3-point range.
Plus, the Colonials’ leading scorer, fifth-year senior guard Josh Williams, finished with less than 10 points for the second game in a row and the fifth time this season. The difference Monday was the Robert Morris bench. Thanks to Bramah and senior guard Sayveon McEwen, who added 12 points, the Colonials bench outscored its
Sacred Heart counterparts, 35-7.
“You just never know when your number’s called, so you’ve gotta be ready,” McEwen said. “That’s what [coach Andrew Toole] preaches every day, especially for guys like me, [Bramah] and [sophomore guard Jalen Hawkins], just be ready.”
It should be noted that, while the Pioneers (10-9, 3-3) are thought to be one of the better teams in the conference, they were without two starters Monday. Sophomore
guards Cameron Parker and Koreem Ozier were out with an injury and a suspension, respectively.
That, combined with Robert Morris’ inability to put Sacred Heart away earlier, actually led to some frustration for Toole. He mentioned missed opportunities, like when his team was up by 17 points in the first half, couldn’t stretch the lead further and settled for a nine-point lead at the break. Toole saw defensive lapses and silly turnovers that his team shouldn’t be making.
“I honestly thought that this game tonight might have been our worst performance in conference play, from an engagement standpoint, from an energy standpoint,” Toole said. “Seventeen turnovers today, so many of them careless. It just didn’t seem like there was the amount of urgency I would have liked throughout the entire game. I thought there was a lot of urgency early in the game, and then, again, I thought that we took a deep breath and exhaled instead of staying locked in and continuing to try and build on some of the success we had.”
Of course, Toole will take the win, and he was quick to credit Bramah’s performance. Even if the junior forward isn’t concerned with individual awards, it can’t be denied that he spurred the Colonials to a much-needed win, while simultaneously etching his name in the record books.