Mustangs Big 2nd Half Propels them over Bucks 107-91
By: Oliver Griffin
The Montco Men's Basketball team defeated the Bucks County Community College Centurions in a thrilling Thursday night matchup. While the final score of 107-91 might suggest a blowout, this was a hard-fought win by the Mustangs players and coaching staff alike, against a tough Bucks County team.
The Mustangs had no problem scoring throughout the game, but they were simply outmatched on the three-point line early in the first half. After going down 13 points, the Mustangs made defensive adjustments and made a quick burst to even the score up. Each Montco player bought into the defensive scheme, picking up the Centurions' guards full-court and hounding the perimeter, forcing quick decisions from Bucks County's offense, often leading to bad shots and turnovers. A 40-39 halftime lead by Montco after being down 27-13 in the first half showed the defensive resilience, as well as patience on the offensive end, that the Montco players have embodied throughout the season – the Mustangs never seem nervous, never phased. Montco and Bucks went back-and-forth in a tight second half, with big plays on both ends for the Mustangs keeping the momentum swinging in their direction. Ultimately, their defense tired out the Centurions' players, who were unable to keep up with the fast pace. Montco pulled away at the end, putting on a dunk-contest in the last 5 minutes, and winning the game in exciting fashion.
Efficiency was key for the Mustangs tonight, shooting 54% from the field for the match, and connecting on 22 of 25 free throw attempts. Will Anderson led the Mustangs in scoring, with 22 points (9-12 FG, 4-4 FT) and 5 rebounds. Matt Compas dominated the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds, and dropping in 17 points of his own (7-16 FG) to go along with 2 blocks. The backcourt duo of Khalid Johnson and Naim Walker combined for 25 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals. Malachi Owens dropped in 10 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, to cap off the stats for Montco's stellar starters.
It would be an injustice to not mention how valuable the Mustangs' bench pieces showed to be against the Centurions, especially on the defensive end. Anthony Carpenter came into the game early, in order to help contain Bucks County's big men, and – although the stats might not show it – he ultimately forced key misses in his 18 minutes. He finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds. Ty Jones, as always, was phenomenal on the defensive end on Thursday. However, Jones' usually patient style on the offensive end shifted into aggression against the Centurions. Jones was finding open lanes all game, allowing for him to display his finishing abilities, especially in the second half. He ended the game with 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Finally, Cris Dinolfi was brought into the game early, and tasked with defending Bucks County's quickest and shiftiest guard, and Dinolfi rose to the occasion. He was a pest on defense, relentless in his efforts to tire out the Bucks County guard tandem, and his offensive game flowed naturally with the rest of the Mustangs offense. Dinolfi had his best game of the season, with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Montco, now 6-2, will look to further their momentum from this matchup in a Saturday, December 3 matchup against Lehigh Carbon Community College (1-7). Tip-off is at 2:00 P.M.