Nov 23, 2013
SPOKANE, WA (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - The SUNY College at Old Westbury men's basketball team wrapped up play at the Quality Inn Oakwood Invitational Saturday evening with an 82-81 victory over the Puget Sound Loggers from Whitworth Fieldhouse. The win improved Old Westbury to 3-2 on the season while Puget Sound dropped to 2-3.
In a tightly played first half, neither team led by more than five points in an opening half which featured 15 lead changes. Al Alexander knocked down a jumper to break the scoring ice for Old Westbury 1:32 into the contest. Trailing 28-27 just over midway into the half, Tyrik Tucker and Anton Morris both converted on successful trips to the free throw line to take a three point Old Westbury lead with 8:30 remaining. Kohl Meyer answered with a Puget Sound layup before Ray Parker drilled a three pointer to give Old Westbury a 34-30 lead with 7:55 left for its largest advantage of the game. Trailing 36-33, Meyer sank a pair of free throws to spark a 6:12 an 8-0 run to put Puget Sound ahead by five points with 3:07 showing on the first half clock. PJ Page dropped in a layup just as time expired to slice the deficit as the Loggers held a 43-40 lead at intermission.
Puget Sound opened the second half with a 4-0 spurt to go up 50-43 with 17:45 remaining. Parker connected on a trey to cap a 6-0 Panther run from 13:42 to 12:58 to close within one point, 56-55. Tucker dropped in a layup to put Old Westbury back on top, 59-58, and a triple by Parker made it a four point game with 10:31 left. Puget Sound went up 74-69 with five unanswered points and moments later Parker converted on a three point play to knot the game at 76-all with 5:49 remaining. With 2:40 left, Alexander drove to the hoop for two points to put Old Westbury on top, 82-80. Rex Nelson hit the back end free throw on a trip to the line to make it one point game with 2:16 showing on the clock. Both teams closed out the final two minutes with a combined 0-for-7 shooting from the field, which included a missed Logger jumper and layup in the final four seconds as the Panthers held on for the victory.
Parker poured in a game high 24 points (5-10 3FG) in 27 minutes off the bench while Tucker followed with 23 to go along with nine rebounds and two steals. Mark Gjonlekaj added eight points and two blocked shots.
AJ Maw's 19 points paced the Loggers while Nelson (16 points) and Nick Holden (12 points) scored double digit points. Holden and Meyer both pulled down 10 boards.
Puget Sound outshot Old Westbury from the field, 54 percent (27-50 FG) to 42.5 percent (31-73 FG), three point territory 53.3 percent (8-15 3FG) to 30.4 percent (7-23 3FG) while the Panthers connected on 92.9 percent from the free throw line (13-14 FT) compared to the Loggers' 65.5 percent (19-29 FT). Puget Sound won the boards battle, 37-34, while Old Westbury scored 12 second chance points off 14 offensive boards. The Panthers committed a season best six turnovers while scoring 11 points off 10 Puget Sound miscues.
YESHIVA MACCABEES UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: Old Westbury returns to the hardwood on the east coast for a Skyline Conference opener on the road against the Yeshiva Maccabees on Monday (Dec. 2) in New York, New York. Opening tip is set for 8 p.m. from Max Stern Athletic Center.
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