Balanced Offense, Defense Powers Men's Basketball Past Holy Family, 97-59
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 22, 2008)- Five players scored in double figures as ninth-ranked C.W. Post captured a 97-59 win over Holy Family University in a non-conference men's basketball clash Monday evening at the Pratt Recreation Center.
C.W. Post, ranked seventh in this week's NABC poll, improves to 6-0 overall while Holy Family falls to 1-11 overall. The win is the first victory against Holy Family since 2001. The Tigers edged out the Pioneers, 68-67, last season on Nov. 24, 2007.
C.W. Post completed the game shooting .524 (33 of 63) from field goal range and converted a season high 23 free throws (23-29). The Pioneers were able to score 39 points off 26 Tiger miscues and held a 44-18 advantage in points scored in the paint. Holy Family shot .317 from field goal range. Both teams grabbed 41 rebounds off the glass.
Junior guard Kevin Spann (West Babylon, N.Y.) led the Pioneers with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting and contributed three assists and two steals. Senior guard Nicholas Carter (Huntington Station, N.Y.) put forth a strong effort with 10 points, nine rebounds along with eight assists and six steals for C.W. Post.
For Holy Family, senior guard Ceazer Johnson registered a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds while dishing out five assists.
Senior guard Kenny Burkes (Suitland, Md.) was the first to score for the Pioneers less than two minutes into the game with a layup following a steal from Holy Family's Trenton Epps. He was followed shortly after by a layup from Spann at 17:53.
Holy Family got on the board with a layup from junior forward Jawara Stephenson at the 17:48 mark, making the score 4-2. The two-point deficit was the closest the Tigers would come, as the Pioneers then went on a 19-2 run that culminated with a free throw from junior guard Roberto Macklin (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) at 11:19.
Carter hit his first of two three-pointers halfway through the first half to bring C.W. Post up to an 18 point lead (27-9). C.W. Post continued shooting well and built its lead up to 27 (48-21) after a jumper from sophomore guard Gilbert Montalvo (Astoria, N.Y.) with four seconds remaining in the half.
C.W. Post started off the second half with a pair of free throws from senior guard Jonathan Schmidt (Centereach, N.Y.) that sparked an 8-1 spurt (57-22) with 18:12 on the clock. The lead climbed to 34 (71-37) after a 16-1 run that began with a free throw from junior forward Lyndon Daniel (St. Georges, Grenada) at 12:20 and was capped off with a three-point field goal from Spann at 9:05.
The Pioneers held their highest lead in the game – a 45-point advantage – after a short jumper from Carter with 6:17 remaining in regulation.
Daniel played a great defensive game for the Pioneers, grabbing seven rebounds along with two blocks and a steal while tallying six points. Macklinadded to C.W. Post's triumph with five points and four rebounds while freshman forward Russell Holloway (Budd Lake, N.J.) added two rebounds to the Pioneers total of 41 for the evening.
Freshman guard Keith Whittington added 15 points for Holy Family.
C.W. Post is back in action Monday, Dec. 29 as host of the annual C.W. Post Holiday Tournament. The Pioneers are set to take on the College of Saint Rose at 5 p.m.