Area freshmen playing roles at Westminster

By John Kovach

The Titans open conference tournament play tonight.

NEW WILMINGTON — Two area freshman on the Westminster College basketball team have been getting some playing time this season.

Anthony DeFelice (Poland) and Cameron McCleary (Newton Falls) have played in 24 of the Titans’ 25 games, averaging 15.5 and 12.0 minutes, respectively — with three starts each — including last Saturday’s 88-80 win over Geneva.

Both rookies are expected to crack the lineup again tonight when No. 3-seeded Westminster (9-16, 7-5) opens play in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament at home at 7 p.m. against Waynesburg (6-18, 2-10).

DeFelice and McCleary are among four area players on the Titans’ roster, joining starters Bobby Glass (Neshannock), a 6-foot-3 senior guard, and Dave Richards (New Castle), a 5-10 senior guard.

DeFelice is averaging 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game with 15 assists, while McCleary is averaging 2.5 points and is 14-for-16 at the foul line, with 29 assists.

Glass and Richards are two of the team leaders. Glass is the Titans’ No. 2 scorer (10.8) and is averaging 2.3 rebounds with 45 assists and 20 steals.

Richards leads the team in assists (86), is No. 2 in steals (33) and is averaging 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.

Westminster’s top player is Ryne Murray, a 6-4 junior forward from Pittsburgh, who leads the team in scoring (19.5), goals (167), 3-point goals (67), rebounding (10.2) and steals (53).

DeFelice had one of his best games in his second start of the season on Jan. 21 at Geneva in the 200th all-time game between the two schools.

He scored a career-high 11 points, including a pair of 3-point goals, helping the Titans to an 82-77 win.

DeFelice almost topped that showing last Saturday with 10 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 at the foul line, in the win over Geneva.

McCleary gave one of his top performances in Westminster’s home opener Nov. 18 against Pitt-Bradford.

He scored a career-high 13 points but the Titans were defeated, 81-74.

DeFelice is the son of Anthony and Tina Marie DeFelice, and is majoping in mathematics.

While at Poland, he was a three-year letterman, All-Ohio honorable mention and first-team All-Metro Athletic Conference and All-Northeast Ohio.

McCleary, the son of Ron and Glenda McCleary, is undecided on a major.

While at Newton Falls, he was a four-year letterman, captain and all-state honorable mention. He also made the All-Northeast Ohio team and was a first-team All-Trumbull Athletic Conference selection.

Glass is in his second year with Westminster after transferring from Grove City where he started two seasons.

He played in four games for the Titans last season before having to sit out the rest of the campaign to continue medical rehabilitation. He had open heart surgery in September 2006.

The son of Richard and Bobbette Glass, Bobby is majoring in business administration.

Richards is in his fourth year on the team.

He started 15 games last season and averaged a team-best 3.6 assists.

He also averaged 7.8 points and 2.1 rebounds.

The son of David and Doreen Richards, Dave is majoring in financial economics.

kovach@vindy.com