Gulls show no rust in 2011 opening victory over McDaniel
Boxscore
King’s Point, N.Y. – Following a three-week hiatus from game competition, the Endicott men’s basketball squad returned to the hard court to win 73-62 over McDaniel College at the King’s Point Tournament, hosted by the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Four players hit double figures and the Gulls converted McDaniel turnovers into scoring opportunities as Endicott improved to 5-4 on the season. McDaniel dropped to 4-6 following the loss.
Endicott freshman Lachlan Magee (Melbourne, Australia) led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Magee’s efficient shooting was just part of an impressive overall performance by the Blue and Green. Endicott shot 46.3% (25-of-54) from the field and 53.8% (7-of-13) from long range. Magee added seven rebounds and three assists in the win.
Sophomore guard Lance Greene (Dorchester, Mass.) and junior center Erik Callo (Southington, Conn.) each scored double-digit points in the starting lineup with 17 and 14 points, respectively. Greene also had five rebounds, two steals and an assist while Callo grabbed nine rebounds, including six offensive boards, and blocked three shots. Freshman Bennett Knowlton (Shrewsbury, Mass.) came off the bench to score 11 points, nine of which came from three-pointers.
The Green Terror held an early advantage in the first half with an 10-5 lead 5:11 into the game. The Gulls, however, went onto to score 13 straight points to take a lead they would not relinquish. Endicott stretched their first half lead to as large as 11 points before a three-pointer by Devon Lesniak (Westminster, Md.) and two dunks by Woody Butler (Smithsburg, Md.) helped cut the deficit to six points for a 36-30 halftime score.
In the second half, two early three-pointers by Magee and two layups by Callo helped push the Endicott lead to double digits. The Gulls would manage to hold at least a 10-point lead for much of the second half en route to victory.
McDaniel was led by Evan Pupelis (Manhasset, N.Y.) who scored a team-high 12 points and nine rebounds. Lesniak and Christopher Cowles (West Chester, Pa.) each added 11 points while Michael Jarboe (Monrovia, Md.) dished out four assists.
Gulls guard Jordan Lewis (Windsor, Conn.) had a game-high five assists in 25 minutes off the bench.
Endicott forced 16 McDaniel turnovers into 23 points while the Green Terror managed to score only four points from 13 Gulls miscues. Endicott controlled the paint, outscoring the opponent 32 to 18. McDaniel’s bench was a presence with 28 points compared to 17 Endicott bench points. The Gulls were effective on fast break opportunities with 15 points.
Endicott will next face the Merchant Marine Academy tomorrow at 6:00 pm. McDaniel plays Vaughn College at 4:00 pm.