Marshalltown, IA—Five different players reached double-figures as the Marshalltown Community College men's basketball team routed Clarke University JV 97-57 at the Student Activity Center on Friday night. The Tigers improve to 2-0 on the year with the win.
Freshman BJ Millard (Dunwoody, GA/Dunwoody) posted a team-high 13 points while Mohamed Thiam (Dekar, Senegal/Canarias) recorded his first-career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jamir Coleman (San Antonio, TX/Pro Vision) came off the bench to score 13 points in 12 minutes of action. Juan Coffi (Barcelona, Spain/Canarias) and Brandon Simmons (Harlem, NY/Teaneck) each chipped in 11 points for the Tigers. Berk Karadan (Izmir, Turkey/Izmir Zubeyde) added nine points and five rebounds off the bench.
The MCC bench played a big role in the Tigers' victory, scoring 47 points on the night as 13 different players scored. The Tigers shot 50.7 percent from the floor, compared to just 34.5 percent for the Crusaders.
Sophomore Souf Mensah (Nantes, France/Canarias) and freshman Danny Mozee (Louisville, KY/Louisville Male) each distributed six assists or MCC while Mensah corralled seven rebounds from the guard spot.
Clarke JV surprised the Tigers in the opening minutes, taking a 12-8 lead at the 13:19 mark of the first half. Sophomore Reggie Gradwell (Marshalltown, IA/West Marshall) silenced Clarke with a three-point shot to ignite a 21-0 run for the Tigers. Three different players connected on a three-point shot during the run as MCC took a 43-25 lead into halftime.
The Tigers scored the first eight points of the second half, including five from Thiam, to maintain control. Freshman Aaron Hauser (Marshalltown, IA/Marshalltown) knocked down consecutive three-point shots to increase MCC's lead to 38 with under 13 to play and the Tigers cruised the rest of the way.
MCC outrebounded the Crusaders 51-27 as 13 different players grabbed a rebound. The Tiger defense also forced 25 turnovers while grabbing 10 steals in the victory.
Next up for MCC is the Meskwaki Classic at the Student Activity Center. The three-day event tips-off on Thursday evening as the Tigers host Graceland JV at 7:00 PM.
