THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Basketball team closed out its stay in the 2015 Admiral's Classic on Saturday afternoon with a loss to the Maine Maritime Mariners by the score of 65-58 at Riesenberg Hall.
 
The Privateers were led by sophomore Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) with a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double in his first three games of the season. MacDonald also led the team with a pair of blocks and was tied for the team lead in steals with two.
 
Sophomore John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) was second on the team with nine points along with a team-high six assists, followed by freshman Pat Conway (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) with eight points. Rookie Michael Walker (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) had seven points off the bench, while junior Isaiah Hayes (Jamaica, N.Y./Queens Teaching) also had six in reserve.
 
Junior Brendon Halligan (Durham, N.Y./Cairo-Durham) had nine points with three assists, while sophomores Tim McQuail(Middle Village, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) and Kevin Blessington (Lynbrook, N.Y./East Rockaway) each recorded a basket.
 
The game began with the Mariners putting up five straight points; MacDonald ended the run with a layup to trim the early lead to 5-2. After regaining its five-point lead, McQuail dropped back for a three-point basket, followed by a MacDonald layup to knot the score at seven.
 
Maritime was able to tie the game at 10, and took its first lead of the contest at 13-10 as Conway drained his first of two three-pointers on the night. The lead exchanged hand, or was tied on numerous occasions during the first half as the teams went into the locker room break tied at 31 apiece.
 
Maine Maritime started the second half with back-to-back free throws, but Maritime responded with a Liccese layup. After a Mariner basket, Conway gave the Privateers another lead at 36-35 with another clutch three-point hoop. The Privateers fell behind by six at 44-38, but chipped away and tied the contest at 44, and then tied the game again at 46.
 
The Mariners continued to make the most of its possessions, as the Privateer defense was unable to get the key defensive stop needed to take back the lead. Maritime trimmed the deficit to one as Hayes sank a pair from the line to make the score 56-55. Maritime got the lead to within one again at 58-57, but the Mariners sank its shots down the stretch of the game to seal the victory for the Mariners.
 
Maritime (0-3) will look ahead to its second home contest of the season when the Privateers will welcome in the Vassar Brewers for a 6 p.m. start inside Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium
 
Maine Maritime (1-1) will look to clinch the 2015 Admiral's Cup with a victory over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.