THROGGS NECK, NY– After a slow start, the RIT mens basketball team (1-0) went on an incredible 42-9 run, spanning 15:22 over the first and second halves to take down Merchant Marine Academy (0-1), 70-49, in its 2013-14 season opener on a cold Friday evening, just outside New York City. It was a complete team effort for the Tigers, which featured 10 different players score throughout the evening.
Senior captain #
Jameel Balenton (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers) dropped a team high 17 points while adding five rebounds and four assists in the win. (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker)Kamron Davis (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham)# also scored in double figures for the Tigers with a career-high 11 points. After missing all of the 2012-13 season to injury, guard #
Gabe Nicasio (Essex Junction, VT/Essex)# did not miss a beat in his return, racking up 10 points and a team high six rebounds.
The game began with Merchant Marine quickly mounting a 10-0 lead on the Tigers after just five minutes of play, forcing RIT to showcase their resiliency early. With 7:21 remaining in the first half the and the Tigers trailing the Mariners 26-13, they would begin a rally that would get them back into the game, sparked by a Nicasio three pointer cut the lead to 26-16. After a 15-0 run by RIT over the next five mintues RIT would earn their first lead of the game with a #
Miguel Lopez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/St. Francis)# three-point play making it 28-26. For the remainder of the half the two squads would toss the lead back and forth before two Nicasio free throws capped off the 20-7 run that would even it up at 33-33 heading into the break
The second half belonged to the Tigers, who opened on a 22-2 run that put them up 55-35 with 11:59 remaining in the game. They would never look back as the closest the Mariners would get the rest of the game was 18 points, when they trailed 61-43 with 6:48 left on the clock. RIT would take care of business from there to earn the 70-49 win to begin their season.
RIT's defense forced 21 turnovers and pulled down 12 offensive rebounds. The Tigers shot 88.6 percent (16-for-18) from the foul line and drilled 10 3-pointers.
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Sheldon Clay (Detroit, MI/University of Detroit Jesuit)#, #
Joe Stortini (Red Hook, NY/Loomis Chaffee)#, #
Casey Evans (Cicero, NY/Bishop Grimes)#, and #
Mitch Herman (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder)# all made their RIT debuts.
The Tigers are back on the hardwood tomorrow, Nov. 16, to take on tournament host Maritime College to close out there weekend. Tip off will be at 1 p.m. as RIT looks to start 2-0 for the second time in the last three seasons.
