Offense Paces Men's Basketball Past St. Thomas Aquinas, 87-42
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Jan. 9, 2010) – C.W. Post used a 21-0 run early in the first half to open the game up and cruise to an 87-42 win over St. Thomas Aquinas during a Saturday matinee of East Coast Conference men's basketball at the Pratt Recreation Center.
C.W. Post keeps its home win streak alive at 35 and improves to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in ECC action. The loss drops St. Thomas Aquinas to 3-8 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Senior forward Nemanja Jokic (Bronx, N.Y.) led the Pioneers, scoring a game-high of 20 points and pulled seven rebounds off the glass.
The Spartans grabbed an early lead when freshman guard Justin Brown (Uniondale, N.Y.) scored on a short jumper from the left side at 19:38. The Pioneers responded when Jokic poured in a 3-pointer from the left wing at 19:25.
Brown tied the game with a free throw at 19:16 to tie the game before C.W. Post's Jonathan Kohler (Bordentown, N.Y.) converted a free throw at the 19-minute mark followed by a breakaway layup from junior guard Gilbert Montalvo (Astoria, N.Y.) at 18:52.
The Spartans tied the game again (6-6) when sophomore guard Ra'Shad James (White Plains, N.Y.) completed a traditional three-point play after a foul was called on C.W. Post's Aaron Hall (Syracuse, N.Y.) at 17:16. Kohler answered with a short jumper from the right post that put the Pioneers ahead, 8-6.
The game saw several lead changes as Ra'Shad swished in a long three from the right wing at 16:41 to put the Spartans ahead, 9-8, before Jokic poured in a three from the top of the key on the next possession. Ra'Shad reached back and scored another basketball from the behind the arc that gave STAC a 12-11 lead.
The Pioneers took control of the game via a 21-0 run that started when senior guard Roberto Macklin (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) scored on a tipped in the ball on a missed three from Montalvo at 15:28. Macklin scored on another basket during the drive with an alley oop dunk that increased the home team's lead to 30-12. The run was capped off with a layup underneath from Kohler at 6:02 as the Pioneers led the game, 32-12.
St. Thomas Aquinas ended its scoring drought when freshman guard Flynn McFadden (West Nyack, N.Y.) scored on a long three from the left wing at 5:45.
The Pioneers' offense remained steady for the rest of the half and they built their lead as high as 25 (42-17) with 1:50 left to play.
Jokic and Kohler each tallied 13 points in the half as C.W. Post shot .581 (18 of 31) from the field.
The Spartans opened up the second half on a 5-0 run courtesy of a pair of jumpers from freshman forward Jamie Blanchard (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Daniel Skinner (Bronx, N.Y.) and a free throw from sophomore guard Vincent Johnson (Teaneck, N.J.).
The Pioneers responded with nine unanswered points to push their lead to 53-27 with 15:29 left to play.
The offensive drives came often throughout the half for the Pioneers, including an 8-0 spurt during the last five minutes of the game.
Ra'Shad scored the final point for STAC with a made free throw at 2:20.
C.W. Post closed out the game with a pair of baskets from senior forward James Tchana (Douala, Cameroon) and Macklin.
C.W. Post registered a season-high in field goal percentage, shooting .632 (36 of 57), and was 7-for-16 from behind the arc. The Pioneers held a 42-25 advantage on the glass and outscored the Spartans, 50-14, in the paint. C.W. Post got help with 39 points scored off the bench.
Kohler finished the game with 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Macklin and senior guard Stephen Mears (Middle Island, N.Y.) each chipped in 12 points.
Ra'Shad led the Spartans in scoring with 15 points, including three 3-point field goals.
C.W. Post returns to action January 11 when it tips off at Queens College at 7:30 p.m.