THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime basketball team held on to defeat the Bears of St. Joseph's (Bklyn), 63-54, in a Skyline matchup at Riesenberg Hall Gym on Tuesday night.
 
Senior center Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius)led the Privateers with 26 points and 17 rebounds, becoming the modern-day career rebounding leader with 751 for his career. MacDonald also set the modern-day career offensive and defensive records. He now has 298 career offensive rebounds and 453 career defensive rebounds. The 17 rebounds were also the fifth highest total in program single-game history, giving him his fourth double-double of the season.
 
Senior forward Isaiah Hayes (Jamaica, N.Y./Queens Teaching) also had a double-double scoring 13 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. Senior guard John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) tallied nine points while dishing out four assists and snagging three steals to give him over 100 steals for his career.

Maritime took a 4-0 lead in the opening minutes after a basket from Hayes and two free throws from MacDonald. The Privateers kept it going as they lead the entire first half. St. Joseph's (Bklyn) was trailing by as much as eight with under two minutes left in the opening half and cut it to two with an 8-2 run making the score, 28-26 Maritime going in to the break.
 
To start the second half St. Joseph's (Bklyn) scored a basket to tie the game at 28. The Privateers took the lead right back after a free throw from freshman guard Brennan Whelan (Northport, N.Y./Northport) and a basket from MacDonald to go up, 31-28. With the score tied again at 31, Maritime responded with an 8-0 run thanks to a pair of layups from MacDonald and one layup a piece from Hayes and Liccese to make the score 39-31. The Privateers extended the lead to 10 with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
 
St. Joseph's (Bklyn) answered with a 15-7 run of their own to cut the Maritime lead to two points. That was as close as they could get as the Privateers pulled away to win 63-54.
 
Maritime (3-3, 1-2 Skyline) will return to action on Thursday, December 7th when they visit Old Westbury for a Skyline Conference matchup beginning at 6 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center.
 
St. Joseph's (Bklyn) (3-4, 2-2 Skyline) will be back this Thursday, December 7th when they host Sarah Lawrence at the Hill Center starting at 7 p.m.