The host Mariners (1-1) got three points apiece from seniors Sky Holm and Josh Buck (conventional 3-point play) in their first two possessions of the night, and junior point guard Lou DeCarlo's jumper with 17:27 put his team up by a 10-0 count. Medgar Evers (1-3) closed to within six soon thereafter, but that's as close as it would get for the rest of the night, as the Blue and Gray put forth an 18-7 run and led 28-11 with 5:35 to go in the half.
The Cougars opened the second half with a 9-1 run to get back to within single-digits at 38-30 with less than 15 minutes to go in the game. However, a 19-6 run by USMMA ended any hopes of a comeback, as the Mariners were up 63-42 with 6:22 to go after a pair of Jonathan Fassnacht free throws -- the Blue and Gray were 17-for-20 from the charity stripe on the night.
Buck led the Mariners with the team's first double-double of the season, setting game-highs with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Holm was 5-for-10 from the floor in scoring 12 points, while the USMMA bench, which outscored Medgar Evers' reserves by a 32-7 margin, were led by eight points apiece from Kelly and junior Zach Wyatte (nine rebounds). DeCarlo dished out four assists and swiped two steals in his first start of the season.
The Cougars were led by a 17-point effort from Jamaal Jessimy, while Verdayne Townsend (six rebounds) and Keegan Garcia (team-high eight rebounds) chipped in with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Head coach Chris Carideo's USMMA squad kicks off Skyline Conference action Thursday night (Dec. 2), when the Mariners play host to Mount Saint Vincent at Liebertz Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
At Kings Point, N.Y. - Liebertz Gymnasium USMMA-KINGS POINT 76, MEDGAR EVERS 56 MEDGAR EVERS (1-3) Jessimy, Jamaal 4-15 6-6 17; Townsend, Verdayne 6-9 2-5 14; Griffin, Kenneth 5-11 0-1 10; Garcia, Keegan 3-12 0-0 6; Millar, Devon 1-4 1-2 3; Jackman, Henderson 1-6 1-1 3; Hunter, Peter 0-5 2-4 2; Allen, Ian 0-1 1-2 1; Pearson, Robert 0-2 0-0 0; Culpepper, Jonathan 0-0 0-0 0; Gill, John-Lloyd 0-0 0-0 0; Arosemena, Benu 0-0 0-0 0; Knight Jr., Rogelio 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-65 13-21 56. USMMA-KINGS POINT (1-1) Buck, Josh 5-14 7-8 17; Holm, Sky 5-10 1-2 12; Wyatte, Zach 3-7 2-2 8; Kelly, Brian 3-7 0-0 8; Hart, Joe 3-10 1-2 8; Icke, Eric 2-2 0-0 5; Hanson, Eric 1-2 2-2 5; DeCarlo, Lou 1-5 2-2 4; Fassnacht, Jonathan 1-4 2-2 4; Sanders, Jimmy 1-4 0-0 3; McDade, Stephen 1-1 0-0 2; Gavis, Tyler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-67 17-20 76. Medgar Evers.................. 21 35 - 56 USMMA-Kings Point............. 37 39 - 76 3-point goals-Medgar Evers 3-12 (Jessimy, Jamaal 3-9; Millar, Devon 0-1; Jackman, Henderson 0-1; Allen, Ian 0-1), USMMA-Kings Point 7-25 (Kelly, Brian 2-3; Hart, Joe 1-5; Sanders, Jimmy 1-4; Holm, Sky 1-2; Hanson, Eric 1-2; Icke, Eric 1-1; Fassnacht, Jonathan 0-2; DeCarlo, Lou 0-2; Wyatte, Zach 0-1; Buck, Josh 0-3). Fouled out--Medgar Evers-None, USMMA-Kings Point-None. Rebounds-Medgar Evers 38 (Griffin, Kenneth 8), USMMA-Kings Point 46 (Buck, Josh 13). Assists-Medgar Evers 8 (Griffin, Kenneth 2; Jessimy, Jamaal 2; Garcia, Keegan 2), USMMA-Kings Point 15 (DeCarlo, Lou 4; Holm, Sky 4). Total fouls-Medgar Evers 20, USMMA-Kings Point 22.