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‘Ice Men’ win it for LIU-Brooklyn

Hermannsson and Fridriksson Lift Blackbirds over UNH in OT

December 23, 2014 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Martin Hermannsson scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half and overtime Monday night as LIU held on for its fourth straight win. Photo courtesy of LIU-Brooklyn Athletics
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There was no way for LIU-Brooklyn head coach Jack Perri to replace Jason Brickman.

His former point guard led the nation in assists in each of the previous two seasons, served as the sparkplug for a unit that advanced to a Northeast Conference-record three consecutive NCAA Tournaments and shattered virtually every league passing record on his way out of Downtown Brooklyn last year. 

So rather than trying to find a player who could fill Brickman’s sneakers in the LIU backcourt, Perri found two – in Iceland, of all places. 

And after an 0-6 start to the season, the freshmen tandem of Martin Hermannsson and Elvar Fridriksson is beginning to give our borough’s Blackbird boosters the belief that their team can return to March Madness. 

Fridriksson scored a team-high 19 points and Hermannsson added 15, including the game-winning bank shot with six seconds left in overtime, as the Blackbirds pulled out their fourth consecutive win, 73-72, over New Hampshire on Monday night before a crowd of 532 at Lundholm Gymnasium in Durham, N.H. 

“[Hermannsson] is a talented combo guard with good size and a great ability to play with or without the ball in his hands,” Perri noted after announcing that Hermannsson would join fellow recruit Fridriksson in LIU’s All-Icelandic backcourt prior to the season.

“He can score in a variety of ways and his basketball IQ is off the charts,” added Perri. “He should have an immediate impact on our program.”

It may not have been immediate as the Blackbirds stumbled out of the gate, but as they gear up for the key part of their campaign, both first-year guards appear to be fitting right in with a program that expects to seriously compete for its fourth NEC title in five years come March. 

Hermannsson, one of three Blackbirds averaging 9.7 points per contest this season, drove the lane and fought through defenders on his way to the basket for a short banker that put LIU ahead to stay against UNH.

Last Thursday night, Fridrikkson played the hero in the Blackbirds’ 69-58 victory over Florida International at the Barclays Center. The point guard scored a team-high 17 points, including 10 in a row during a critical second-half run.

“I think we have a lot of experience playing with the [Icelandic] national team,” Hermannsson said when asked why he and Fridrikkson have been so quick to adapt to the NCAA, referring to the duo’s participation in World Championship competition for their nation. 

“Elvar is a great kid and has a high basketball IQ,” Perri said upon signing Fridrikkson. “He has tremendous speed in the open court, excels with the use of ballscreens, can really pass and has the ability to make shots equally as well. He should fit in really nicely with the way we play.”

Of course, the Blackbirds aren’t relying solely on their new talent. 

Senior Landon Atterberry added 16 points against UNH for LIU, which is unbeaten since its slow start and will try to close out 2014 on a winning note when it takes on Hofstra Sunday afternoon as part of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational tripleheader.

The Blackbirds squandered a 15-point first-half lead against UNH, but refused to buckle in the face of adversity during a game that featured six lead changes and four ties down the stretch and into overtime.

Atterberry, one of only two senior starters on Perri’s squad, hit a short jumper to put LIU in front on the first possession of overtime. He also drilled a 3-pointer and made a key put-back on his own miss later in the extra session to set up LIU’s fantastic finish.

Jacoby Armstrong, who led UNH with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, put the home team in front, 72-71, with 30 seconds left by muscling his way to the basket for a tip-in.

Perri opted not to call and timeout and let his offense head up court with the game on the line. 

Hermannsson did the rest.

* * * 

The LIU women are on the rise as they won their third in a row, 79-73, over Buffalo on Sunday at Downtown’s Steinberg Wellness Center. 

Junior Sophie Bhasin scored 14 points to pace five players in double figures for the Blackbirds (3-6), who also kicked off their campaign with six consecutive losses. 

LIU will be back in action this weekend on the West Coast as it travels to Long Beach State on Sunday and Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday. 

* * * 

Over on Remsen Street, senior forward Jalen Cannon scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season as St. Francis Brooklyn rallied past Florida Atlantic, 61-56, last Saturday.

Cannon, a candidate for NEC Player of the Year honors, sparked a key 24-15 game-ending run for the Terriers (4-7), who have won four of six since an 0-5 start. 

* * * 

The St. Francis women fought the good fight against Georgia Tech on Saturday, keeping the game tight until a late surge by the Yellow Jackets put them away, 69-55, at Remsen Street’s Pope Center. 

Senior Eilidh Simpson scored 19 points and fellow fourth-year starter Sarah Benedetti, who last week reached the 1,000-point plateau, added 15 for the Terriers, who dropped to 3-8 with their fourth straight loss despite staying within four points of their rivals from the ACC with just over a minute to play. 

SFC will wrap up its non-conference slate Dec. 30 at UMass Lowell.

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