The Maritime men's basketball team lost to the defending Skyline Champion Purchase Panthers, 90-72, Saturday afternoon at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium. The loss drops the Privateers' record to 4-2 overall on the season (2-1 Skyline), while Purchase improves to an undefeated 7-0 (4-0 Skyline).
Senior Giovanni Hurley (Brooklyn, N.Y./Middle College High) recorded a team-high 26 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the young season. Hurley also registered five assists. He now needs just 66 points to reach 1,000. Junior Mike McSloy (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) was Maritime's other double-digit scorer with 14 points and a game-high six assists. Seniors Paul Saurino (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) and Quamel Lyerly (Inwood, N.Y./Lawrence) each scored nine points for the Privateers.
Purchase built up a double-digit lead in less than ten minutes, when senior Angel Gonzalez hit two free throws to make the score 23-12. Play was even for the next six minutes until the Panthers ended the first half on a 14-6 run to extend their lead to 18 points, 47-29, a lead they took into halftime. Maritime was outrebounded 26-13 in the opening stanza.
In the second half, Purchase got the lead up to 21 points twice, before Maritime slowly started to chip away at it. From 10:55 to 5:58, the Privateers went on their own 14-6 run and brought the score to within nine points, 74-65, after two free throws by Hurley. After that, however, the Panthers responded with a 14-1 run to open up their biggest lead of the game, a 22-point advantage, 88-66, with 2:16 to play.
For Purchase, 2009-10 Skyline Player of the Year senior Marvin Billups scored a game-high 30 points, while classmate Corey Orgias recorded 20 points with eight rebounds and four assists. Senior Justin Walters had 12 points and a team-high five assists, while senior Michael McNair rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
Maritime returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 7, when the Privateers travel to Skyline-foe Old Westbury. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Panthers' Clark Athletic Center.