MHERST, Mass. — The University of Massachusetts men’s basketball team wrapped up the 1999-2000 exhibition season with an overtime victory, downing the Converse All-Stars 97-88 in an exhibition game at the Mullins Center. Senior forward Chris Kirkland (Timmonsville, S.C.) led the Minutemen with 23 points and eight rebounds, while junior center Kitwana Rhymer (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) added 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Shannon Crooks gets crafty in the lane.

UMass trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half before cutting the defecit to seven at the half. The Minutemen registered their first lead with 3:59 left in regulation when junior JoVann Johnson (Johnson City, Tenn.) hit both of his free throws to put UMass up 71-70. After 40 minutes of play the game was knotted at 78 a piece.

In overtime UMass jumped out to an early lead but fell behind by two after five consecutive points by Converse. The Minutemen put the game away with a 12-2 run in the final 2:16 of play for the nine point victory.

Junior Jonathan DePina (Boston, Mass.) posted one of the best games of his UMass career with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Also scoring in double figures was sophomore Shannon Crooks (Everett, Mass.) with 17 points and Johnson with 15 points and seven rebounds.

The Minutemen will return to action on November 20, when they open the regular season at Iona. The home opener is November 29, when UMass plays host to Marshall at the Mullins Center at 6:45 p.m.

MHERST — By Thanksgiving Day, almost everyone forgets about it, but somehow, the Converse All-Stars give the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team a pretty challenging preseason test almost every November.

Shannon Crooks didn't shoot the lights out at 6-23, but he did chip in a valuable 17 points.

And last night, that's just what the evolving Minutemen needed.

In 1995, Converse beat a UMass team that later went on to the Final Four. And last night at the Mullins Center, the Minutemen were forced to raise their intensity level after a sluggish start before claiming a 97-88 overtime victory.

After beating the California All-Stars in a game devoid of much defense at either end last week, UMass needed more tenacious competition. Converse coach Mickey Walker, who said he puts his team together with an eye on players who can defend, cooperated with a request by UMass coach Bruiser Flint to show the Minutemen some zone defense, and UMass had to fight back from a 15-point first-half deficit to force a 78-78 tie.

"We didn't come out ready to play, but after the first 15 minutes, we came together," said Chris Kirkland, who scored 23 points and nearly won the game with a desperation 3-point shot at the end of regulation.

Shannon Crooks scored 17 for UMass, but shot only 6 for 23, and Flint said his first-year guard learned a lesson.

"I didn't think he was ready to play, but after the game, I told him those things happen, that basketball is as much mental as physical," Flint said.

Jon DePina came alive with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the most encouraging performance of all may have come from point guard Jonathan DePina, the 5-foot-9 junior who played 41 minutes and scored 17 points, including a 3-point shot for an 88-86 with 2:01 left in overtime. Kit Rhymer followed with a slam off an offensive rebound, Kirkland hit a jumper to make it 92-86, and the crowd of 3,718 reacted as if Temple had just been beaten.

"Jonathan has been as surprising as some of these other (new) guys," Flint said. "I thought he played better defense, and he played with a confidence level that he didn't have last year."

Rhymer (15 points, 17 rebounds, two blocks in 30 minutes) and junior college transfer JoVann Johnson 15 points, seven rebounds) were stellar for UMass, which scored 19 points in overtime.

Last night, UMass didn't lead until Johnson's two free throws made it 71-70 with 3:59 left in regulation.

"Getting this early challenge, and learning how to fight back and win has to help us as a team," said Johnson, a junior college player in Illinois last year.

The Converse lineup included Daimon Beathea of Michigan State, who scored 22 points. It didn't include former UMass guard Charlton Clarke, who is now playing with a different Converse team that offers him a chance to play more minutes.

UMass guard Monty Mack (stress fracture in his left foot) and forward Mike Babul (strained back muscle) remain sidelined, and did not play last night. Their status for the season opener Nov. 20 at Iona is uncertain.

LAMB SIGNS:

As expected, Boston English 6-6 senior Raheim Lamb signed his letter of intent with UMass yesterday. Lamb, a small forward, had verbally committed to the Minutemen months ago.

MHERST - Despite a lackluster start and sloppy game throughout, the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team made key shots down the stretch Wednesday to erase a 15-point deficit and escape with a 97-88 win over the Converse All-Stars in overtime in front of 3,718 fans at the Mullins Center.

Big-man Micah Brand rejects it.

The Minutemen hope playing in the tight-game scenario helps them down the road.

"It was good to play in this game," said UMass coach Bruiser Flint. "We had to make plays at the end and I think guys did a good job. Guys came out and played better in the second half."

UMass forward Chris Kirkland said, "We never really work on situations in tight games like that and I think we did a good job."

Converse was expected to feature former UMass guard Charlton Clarke, but the ex-Minuteman was with one of Converse's other two squads playing on Tobacco Road.

"Charlton is playing with us," said Converse coach Mickey Walker. "He played against UNC-Greensboro today and there were two games on that trip, so he made more money. He's a little bit out of shape and he can play more minutes with that group to get back into shape."

Shannon Crooks and Jonathan DePina made back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 2:31 put UMass ahead to stay.

Despite a few impressive plays, Crooks came back to earth a bit after his 24-point effort against the California All-Stars a week ago. He finished with 17 points but he made only six of 23 shots from the field and wasn't on the floor during key stretches late in the game.

"You have to teach him a lesson," Flint said of his sophomore transfer point guard. "I didn't think Shannon was ready to play from the opening bell and I told him that. He's like a freshman. Everyone grabbed him and hugged him and told him how great he was last week. So he comes out and says 'I'm gonna be cool.' But we needed the big shot and he knocked the three down.

"He was frustrated after the game and I told him, 'hey, those things happen,' and now he knows it's just as much mental as it is physical," Flint continued. "He knows that you have to be ready at all times."

The game might have been the best ever for junior center Kitwana Rhymer. He finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds (nine offensive), which included 14 points and 15 boards after intermission.

"In the second half, one of the reasons we came back is that he got every rebound," Flint said. "Not only did he get them on the defensive end, but he followed up on the offensive end. He made foul shots and he played better in the post in the second half. He's getting better every time out."

Led by Rhymer, the Minutemen turned a 25-24 deficit on the glass in the first half to a 59-44 rebounding advantage by game's end.

JoVann Johnson muscles in to the basket.

In addition to Crooks and Rhymer, three other Minutemen finished in double figures in scoring. Kirkland led all scorers with 23 points, along with eight rebounds. DePina had 17 points and seven rebounds, while JoVann Johnson had 15 points and seven boards.

"JoVann played well," Flint said. "The kid plays hard. He takes it to the basket. He's quick, fast. You can play him at a couple of positions. He's fearless out there. He dove on the floor."

Duffy Samuels opened the game with a 3-pointer for Converse, setting the tone for a long first half for UMass. A 3-pointer by Fred Cofield put the barnstorming crew ahead, 27-12, with 6:27 left in the first half, before the Minutemen battled back.

DePina made two consecutive pull-up jumpers to end the half with UMass trailing, 38-31.

The Converse lead fluctuated between two and six points before DePina knocked down a jumper to knot the game at 57-57 with 8:48 left, the first deadlock since the opening tipoff.

Converse surged back ahead, but the Minutemen kept it close. An 8-2 run late gave UMass its first lead, 71-70, when Johnson made two free throws with 3:59 left.

After that the two teams went back and forth before Kirkland had a chance to give UMass the win in regulation. But after hitting the first free throw with 29 seconds left to tie the game at 78-78, he missed the second, sending the game to overtime.

After last week's game against the California All-Stars, the Minutemen emphasized the need to play better defense. Last night, they felt they'd improved in that department.

"We did do a better job defensively," Flint said. "It's still something we have to work on."

The win closed UMass' exhibition season. The Minutemen open their regular season Nov. 20 when they travel to New Rochelle, N.Y., to play Iona.

JoVann Johnson goes up for the jumper.

Johnson splits the D and makes a crisp pass.

Shannon Crooks goes baseline.