Adam Spengler has reached double figures in scoring six times this season, five of them in the past six games. Johns Hopkins athletics photo

Adam Spengler isn’t shooting lights out, but the junior guard for Johns Hopkins’ men’s basketball team is doing everything he can to put the Blue Jays in contention for a Centennial Conference championship.

He is averaging 9.8 points per game, which happens to be the best average on a team where six players are scoring five or more points per outing.

He has drilled 39 three-pointers, is shooting 47.8 percent from the field overall and has either led or tied for the team lead in scoring in three of the last six games the Blue Jays have played.

So what has been up with the recent scoring surge by Spengler?

“A lot of it is because my outside shot has been falling,” Spengler said. “However, being able to draw fouls and consistently knock down free throws has also been a key factor. I realize there are going to be nights when the outside shot isn’t falling, so getting as many free-throw attempts as possible is very important.”

The surge started with a 28-point outburst against Muhlenberg. Johns Hopkins won the game 75-56. He poured in 19 against Swarthmore in an 80-61 win and scored 11 in a tough 64-59 loss to Washington College. Spengler has scored 11 and 10, respectively, in the last two games for the Blue Jays, who entered the week at 10-7 overall and 6-4 in the conference.

His success shouldn’t catch everyone by surprise. Spengler spent a lot of time in the gym in the offseason, launching up shot after shot, striving to be as sharp as possible when it came time to knock down those shots in game situations.

“I went into the offseason with the main goal of becoming a more consistent shooter,” Spengler said. “Throughout my high school career, a lot of my offense came from knocking down three-point shots. However, once I got to Hopkins, I struggled and realized as a combo guard, I really needed to make it a goal of mine to become a consistent three-point threat.”

The effort has paid off. A year ago, Spengler was averaging only 5.4 points per outing and he hit seven three-pointers the entire season. That Blue Jays squad didn’t have much to play for either. They finished 7-18 overall and went 5-13 in the conference.

“Our team has seen both worlds, and we know how much more enjoyable it is to have a season where you are competing for a title,” Spengler said. “That being said, whether it’s grabbing a certain amount of rebounds, playing hard-nosed defense or being a go-to-guy for our offense, I am willing to do whatever it takes for Hopkins’ success to continue.”

Johns Hopkins is currently three games back in the conference standings. Yet, it still plays first-place Franklin and Marshall twice and will have one more shot at second-place Washington College.

Spengler is ready for the challenge of helping the Blue Jays achieve their goal. Sure, there was a time when life as a college basketball player was a struggle. Nothing came as easy as it did in high school when he was one of the top players in the state of New Jersey.

“I’m thankful for the learning experience because I feel like it has really helped me mature as a player, and I’ve also seen the maturation process with my fellow teammates,” Spengler said. “This could be deemed a major reason for our success this year. If we continue to work hard, the future is bright.”

Working hard shouldn’t be a problem. Where it all leads remains to be seen.

“My teammates and I, and our coaching staff, have put in countless hours this season, and in the offseason, on making improvements so that we can be in the position we are in today,” Spengler said. “We ultimately want to achieve our goal of winning the Centennial Conference.”

Noteworthy

SUNY-Old Westbury has won its last six games. Deslyn Applewhaite has played a pivotal role in that success. The sophomore guard came through with a double-double in the last three games for the Panthers, averaging 15.6 points and 14 rebounds per outing. Her best performance came in a 67-53 win over St. Joseph’s-Long Island last Tuesday. Applewhaite poured in 18 points and pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds in the victory.

She is averaging 13 points per outing, the third best average on the team, and is tied for the team lead in rebounds at 8.1 per game. Applewhaite has also dished out 48 assists and has tallied 30 steals.

Old Westbury is 11-6 after 17 games and owns a 6-2 record in the Skyline Conference.

Shoremen sink Mules again: For the first time Washington College has taken the season series from Muhlenberg. The two teams began playing twice during the regular season in 1993-94.

The Shoremen capped the sweep on Saturday with an 86-78 win at the Cain Athletic Center.

Kevin Breslin paved the way with a sizzling performance. He dropped in 22 points and also dished out six assists as he fueled the Shoremen to their third consecutive win. Breslin has been tough to stop all season as he is averaging 16.4 points per outin

Lucas reaches milestone: BriAnna Lucas is now the leader in steals at William Paterson.

Lucas came up with two steals in a 70-42 road win over New Jersey City last Wednesday, pushing her career total to 280. The old mark of 279 was held by Luci Custis, who played from 2003-07.

On the season, Lucas has 51 steals. She is also a viable scoring threat, averaging 14.5 points per outing. In the win over New Jersey City, Lucas dropped in nine points. She has led the team in scoring five times this season.

There is no question that Lucas has helped the Pioneers solidify themselves as one of the top teams in the nation. The Pioneers are averaging 78.1 points per outing and are giving up just 59.3 points per game. The fact that they have forced 463 turnovers, including 267 on steals, has played a major role in their success on the defensive end of the floor.

Frostburg stuns Mary Washington: Troy Dockett had a monster game and Bradley Nunn hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds as Frostburg State edged Mary Washington 76-75 in a Capital Athletic Conference showdown on Saturday.

Mary Washington came into the game with a perfect record in league play. But a three-pointer at the buzzer was missed as the Bobcats hung on for the thrilling win.

Frostburg State improved to 9-9 overall and to 6-3 in the league. Mary Washington dropped to 13-5 overall and to 8-1 in CAC action.

Troy Dockett played a vital role in the win. He carved up Mary Washington for 26 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. Dockett nailed three three-pointers in the win as well.

Teammate Maurice Williams wasn’t bad either. He clicked for 12 points in a game that featured eight lead changes and three ties.

Dockett and Williams have been leading the way offensively all season. In all but four games, either Dockett or Williams has led the Bobcats in scoring.

The duo has been dynamic for a Frostburg State team that is averaging 74.1 points per outing. Dockett is clicking for 16.4 points per outing and Williams is pouring in 16.1 points per game.

Quick Hits: Kean scored 23 straight points to rally for an 80-70 win over Rutgers-Newark on Saturday in the first game after coach Michele Sharp was fired. Naimah Clemons helped pave the way for the Cougars, scoring 21 of her 25 points in the second half. Kean, which is 16-3 overall and 7-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, trailed 39-30 at the break. ... Susquehana men’s basketball player Spenser Spencer has an interesting name. He can also shoot the ball well. The standout for the Crusaders lit up the scoreboard for 33 points to catapult his team to a 77-63 win over Scranton on Friday. J.T. Wilson added 20 points in the surprising win. The loss was the first of the season for the Royals in Landmark Conference play. ... The Hunter women’s basketball team doesn’t have a flashy record --- it’s 6-10 overall --- but it has found ways to win games lately, racking up its second consecutive win on Saturday with a 53-47 win over NYU-Poly. The Hawks shot only 34 percent but forced 14 turnovers to hold on for the victory. Megan McKenna and Nicole Lenard scored 10 points apiece. ... Eastern senior guard Martin Soaries reached a scoring milestone last week in an 84-62 win over FDU-Florham. Soaries hit the 1,000-point mark with a leaning jumper in the lane in the first half. He finished the night with 21 points and 10 rebounds. He entered the game needing only six points to become the 27th player in school history to score at least 1,000 points.