Norfolk, NE—A 13-point halftime lead was not enough for the Marshalltown Community College men's basketball team Wednesday night. Taking on Northeast Community College on the road, the Tigers dropped an 84-77 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) contest. Merdic Green (Levittown, PA/Harry S. Truman) scored a career-high 29 points.
The Hawks outscored the Tigers 55-35 in the second frame to steal the conference win, dropping the Tigers to 0-4 in league play and 16-8 overall. MCC has now lost five straight games.
Green's attempt to carry the Tigers came up short, but the sophomore's performance was duly noted. Green scored 13 points in the first half and finished the game 11-16 from the floor, including a perfect 3-3 from three-point range to reach a personal-best mark. After going just 1-10 from three-point range to start the season, Green has now made his last four treys, spanning the last three games.
The Tigers held a minimal two-point lead, 13-11 early on, but the Tiger front court came alive as Christal Malalu ('s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands / Koning Willem 1) and Amir Maddred (Camden, NJ/Camden) provided dunks on assists from Mike Rodriguez (Boston, MA/Redemption Christian Academy) and Paulius Sakinis (Nebraska City, NE/Lourdes Central Catholic) scored six points early on.
Thanks to a span of 8:27 without a field goal from the Hawks, the Tigers were able to pull away in the first half, taking a commanding 36-20 lead and went into intermission leading 42-29.
Northeast came out energized in the second half, scoring from all areas of the floor, but primarily from long-range as a series of three-point shots cut the Tigers lead to just four. Eventually the Hawks took their first lead since the opening minute of play with a 66-65 edge at the 4:30 mark. The Tigers were never able to bounce back, falling behind by as many as 10 down the stretch to drop their fifth straight game.
Sakinis recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Rodriguez produced 16 points and five assists in the loss.
The Tigers open up their second round of conference play, hosting Southeastern Community College at 7:00 PM on Jan. 28.
