Dec 5, 2008

ALL AROUND EFFORT GIVES MUSTANGS FIFTH VICTORY

Trailing by 12 with 17:47 remaining in the game, freshman Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/Masters School) drained two consecutive three pointers to pull within four after a Johrone Bunch (Meriden, CT/F.T. Maloney) lay-up giving Mount Ida men's basketball the momentum to mount a big comeback. The Mustangs shifted into overdrive, going on a 19-0 run, and halted visiting Fisher College, cruising to a 62-51 victory in non-conference action this Friday night. Mount Ida netted their second consecutive victory and now stand at 5-1 overall, 0-1 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play while the Falcons drop to 6-4 on the year.

The first half was a physical battle on both sides of the floor with the visitors taking the early eight point lead capped off by a Casey Parsell (Seattle, Washington) three making it 10-2 Falcons. The Mustangs answered quickly off a 10-2 run that erased the advantage making it 12-12.

Both teams exchanged basket for the next three minutes while Mount Ida maintained a small margin of five points with 10:31 to play before the break. Eventually the hosts caught a cold streak and let the competition get back into the action taking the one point Fisher lead with 1:28 to go. The horn sounded and the Falcons headed into the locker room with a three point lead at 30-27.

For the opening three and a half minutes, the visitors heated up and went on a 7-0 run to take the 12 point advantage up 39-27. The tandem of Benjamin and Bunch along with two Matt Bennett (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) free throws and a lay-up wiped out the margin tying it at 39-39 at the 14 minute mark. The hosts eventually went on a 19-0 run taking over the game and the momentum with no answer for the competition.

The Mustangs would not trail at any point for the remainder of the contest after the lead exchange. The free throw shooting had been suspect the past few games, but they held their nerves and drained many key shots from the charity stripe. Mount Ida started to pull away by as many as nine with seven minutes to go on a Bennett lay-up, leading 54-45.

The hosts ultimately sealed the victory taking a game high 13 point advantage capped off on two free throws by Bunch up 62-49. The Mustangs took out the starters and that was all she wrote for the Falcons with the hosts capturing the 62-51 victory, their fifth of the season. Mount Ida, who only managed to net seven wins last season, is well on their way to a stellar year at 5-1.

It was an all around effort for the entire game with Benjamin netting a career high 12 points along with two steals and two rebounds. Bunch was a huge factor on offensive scoring a team high 16 points with 10 caroms good for his first double-double of the season. Bennett also shined as usual with 14 points and six boards along with three assists. Senior Otis Thompson (Gardner, MA/Gardner) and junior Darren Martinez (Mattapan, MA/Brookline) also contributed in a big way combining for 13 rebounds and 14 points.

Leading for the Falcons was senior Brandon Hamilton (Sarasota, Florida) with a game high 17 points and 10 caroms while Pursell, junior Ryan Henry (Westwood, New Jersey), and freshman Dennis Norford (New Haven, Connecticut) added eight a piece.

The Mustangs will head to division I Stony Brook University this coming Sunday in Long Island, New York with tip-off coming at 1:00 p.m.



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