Buffalo, NY - The D'Youville Men's Basketball Team was defeated by the visiting rival Medaille Mavericks Wednesday evening by the final score of 77-63 in the College Center Gym.
Medaille jumped out to a 6-2 lead with 2:34 ticked off the clock in the first half. A three-pointer followed by a layup from Jon Gemerek (Cheektowaga, NY/Depew) in addition to a Matt Insley (Wellsville, NY/Wellsville) three-pointer got D'Youville back into the game with a 10-6 lead. The Mavericks scored 10 points without an answer from D'Youville, holding a 6 point lead with 12:48 remaining in the first half. Zach Blask (Portville, NY/Portville) pulled the game within 4 just 4 minutes later, but Medaille then held D'Youville without a basket for the next 3 minutes. Two Gemerek baskets plus a Nate Sweetman (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) layup sent D'Youville into the half trailing 40-26.
After being held without a basket in the first half, senior Julian Reed (Cheektowaga, NY/Union-Endicott) scored 8 points in the first 6 minutes of the second half. Three-pointers from Blask and Marcus Clarke (Olean, NY/Archbishop Walsh Academy) left the Spartans down by 10 with 12:36 remaining in the game. D'Youville closed the gap to 4, their closest deficit of the half, after a three-pointer from Steve Kunelius (Oswego, NY/Oswego) and a layup from Reed.
Over the next 5 minutes, Medaille would outscore D'Youville 14-4 taking a 70-56 lead into the final 3 minutes of the game. The Mavericks would close out the game with the final score in favor of the guests, 77-63.
"We let them take it to us in the first half and our lack of aggression got us behind by 14," said fourth year Head Coach Earl Schunk.
"We played with much more energy in the second half and had the ball, down by 4. We had some loose possessions at that point and we never got another really good chance."
Julian Reed led D'Youville in scoring with 17 points. Reed also led the team in rebound with 6 and had 4 blocks, also to lead the team. Jon Gemerek had 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Zach Blask had 11 points to lead the bench. Blask also had 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Matt Insely had 8 points and an assist.
Nate Sweetman had 4 points and 4 rebounds off the bench, contributing 3 assists and 3 steals. Adam Ibrahim (New Port Richey, FL/Ridgewood) had 2 points with an assist. Steve Kunelius had 3 points and a rebound. Conor Gallivan (Elma, NY/Iroquois) scored 2 points with 3 assists, 2 steals and a rebound. Anthony Malone (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep) added a rebound and an assist. Bayani Salinas (Antioch, NY/Antioch) was second on the team with 5 rebounds. Salinas also had 2 assists and a steal.
Coach Schunk knew that tonight was a big game for the team, but is looking ahead to Saturday to get a crucial win against a team that is right with them in the standings.
"As important as tonight's game was, Saturday's game is more important to our chances of reaching playoffs."
D'Youville was defeated by Mount Aloysius earlier this season and the Mounties currently are directly ahead of the Spartans in the AMCC standings. The two will play Saturday.
Heading into Saturday's game, Schunk knows that his team will be ready for the big game.
"I have high character guys who will bounce back from this."
D'Youville's game against the Mounties on Saturday, February 7th begins at 3pm in the College Center Gym and is the AMCC Game of the Week.