New key players emerge as injuries hamper Lions in 2008-2009 season

Columbia began the 2008-2009 season with a very different starting lineup than in previous years, hoping to make its mark on the top of the Ivy League. Unfortunately for the Lions, injuries and inconsistent play hampered them all season, as they finished with a record of 12-16 overall and a 7-7 record in Ivy play for the third consecutive year.

Brian Grimes, who was projected to be a frontcourt starter went down with an ACL tear just five minutes into the first practice, and fellow starter Patrick Foley missed the season’s final two games with a recurring foot injury.

Freshman Noruwa Agho stepped in admirably in his first season for the Light Blue, averaging 9.1 points per game and earning the Ivy League Rookie of the Week title three times.

Despite an exciting opening night win against crosstown rival Fordham, the Lions struggled early in nonconference play, losing in the final of the Tyler Ugolyn Columbia Classic. Columbia played close in early losses to national powerhouses Virginia Tech and Seton Hall.

The early season struggles continued against eventual Ivy champion Cornell, as the Lions lost both contests against the Big Red, including a tough 83-72 loss in Ithaca. Head coach Joe Jones rallied his team, however, and the Lions went on a run that saw them win six out of seven Ivy contests, highlighted by a 60-59 victory over Harvard at home. Junior Kevin Bulger hit a runner with just 4.2 seconds left in the contest to give the Lions their most dramatic win of the season. The Lions stood at 6-3 in Ivy play, and looked primed for their best finish in recent memory.

Unfortunately, injuries began to hit the Lions hard as Foley and forward Asenso Ampim were limited in the team’s final six games due to injuries, and the Lions struggled in their absence.

The Lions faltered down the stretch, losing four of their final five games, and dropping a chance to finish above .500 in conference play. In its second-to-last game of the season, the Light Blue came back from a four-point deficit against Princeton, en route to a 58-44 win.

Despite promising beginnings, Columbia’s season finished the same way as the 2007-2008 season, with a heartbreaking loss to Penn on the final shot. The Lions controlled play throughout the game, but Penn’s Kevin Egee hit a long-range 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Quakers a 51-50 win at Levien Gymnasium.

Several Lions made their mark during the winter campaign. In particular, senior Jason Miller emerged as a post presence after three years of coming off the bench. Miller averaged 9.8 points per game and served as a team leader all season. Miller was named second team all-Ivy for his efforts.

In addition, Agho blossomed into one of the best players on the team, finishing third in both scoring and 3-point shooting for the Lions.

Agho was second on the team in minutes, averaging almost 28 minutes per game, an indication of the trust he earned from coach Jones.