Senior Giovanni Hurley (Brooklyn, N.Y./Middle College High) hit a three-pointer as time ran off the clock to lead the Maritime men's basketball team to a 66-65 victory over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy-Kings Point Wednesday night at the Riesenberg Hall Gym. The Privateers overcame a 19-point halftime deficit to win their season-opener and drop the Mariners' record to 1-1.
"Fans might remember the last-second three point shot, but what impresses me more is the way we battled back to get into the position to have Gio hit that great shot," said head coach Dick Hack. "The players seemed a little nervous in the first half, but we started to do the things we know we have to do to win the game in the second half. It showed that the players didn't quit."
Hurley recorded a double-double, tying the game-high with 22 points and bringing down 11 rebounds to lead all players. Senior Quamel Lyerly (Inwood, N.Y./Lawrence) registered 15 points and seven boards, while junior Mike McSloy (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) had 12 points. Junior Sam Porte (Harlem, N.Y./H.S. for Math, Science & Engineering) scored nine points for the Privateers in the win.
In the opening half, Kings Point jumped out to nine-point lead, 13-4, just 4:33 into action. Maritime fought back within five, 18-13, after a three-pointer by Hurley at 11:44, However, the Mariners built 20-point lead, 43-23, with 1:22 remaining in the period. Merchant Marine shot an impressive 57.6-percent in the first half (19-for-33), while holding the Privateers to 39.3-percent (11-for-28).
Maritime came out strong in the second half, cutting the lead down to 10 points, 50-40, when Hurley scored a layup just 4:30 into the second half. A three-pointer by senior Paul Saurino (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) brought the Privateers to within four points, 54-50, with 9:22 remaining. Play was even from that point until a fast-break dunk by Hurley brought the game to 63-61 with 43 seconds left.
On the ensuing USMMA possession they scored on a layup to take a four-point lead with 19 seconds remaining. Off an inbound pass, with six seconds left, McSloy hit a jumper to bring the game back to two, 65-63. Maritime fouled Kings Point senior Tom Izzo and he went to the line for a 1-and-1 with 4.3 seconds remaining. He missed the shot. Hurley gathered the rebound, raced down the court and let off a three-point shot from 35-feet out as time expired to give the home team its first lead of the night and the victory.
For Kings Point, senior Matt Hueber had 22 points and nine boards, while junior Kevin Kerr scored 20 points and had seven rebounds.
Maritime returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 20, when the team travels to Ramapo College to take part in the Ramapo Tip-Off Tournament. The Privateers will square off against Salve Regina at 5:30 p.m.