EMERSON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
Marshalltown, IA – The Marshalltown Community College men's basketball team pulled away in the second half to drop St. John's Northwestern Military Academy 80-63 on the opening night of the Emerson Classic at the Student Activity Center.
Freshman Mohamed Thiam (Dekar, Senegal/Canarias) was once again a dominant force for the Tigers, record a first half double-double, his fourth-straight game with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds. Thiam finished the night with 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead MCC in both categories.
Freshman Jamir Coleman (San Antonio, TX/Pro Vision) reached double-figures for the fifth-straight game, totaling 18 points. Coleman's 15.8 points per game this year lead the Tigers.
MCC controlled the rebounding battle once again, taking a 51-32 advantage. MCC has a 21.7 rebound margin per game this season.
The Lancers made MCC work early on and took a 16-10 lead with 11:54 to play in the first half. Sophomore Reggie Gradwell (Marshalltown, IA/West Marshall) scored five points during a 9-0 run for the Tigers. MCC closed out the half on a 13-5 run for a 36-27 halftime advantage.
The offense continued to roll in the second half as BJ Millard (Dunwoody, IA/Dunwoody) drained a three on the team's first possession. Sophomore Souf Mensah (Nantes, France/Canarias) scored 12 of his 14 points in the final frame as the Tigers led by as many as 22 to pull away for the win.
Along with Mensah's point total, the sophomore added eight rebounds and seven assists with just one turnover on the night. Millard finished the game with 11 points on 4-6 shooting.
MCC's strong free throw shooting on the year continued Friday night as the Tigers shot 16-21 at the charity stripe. Thiam delivered on all seven of his attempts while Coleman knocked down all four. Coleman is shooting a scorching 92.3 percent (24-26) from the line this year.
The Tigers host Highland Community College (IL) at 7:00 PM Saturday, the final night of the Emerson Classic. The Cougars defeated Quakerdale Prep 112-71 in Friday's opener.
For full coverage of the Emerson Classic, including scores, stats, and more, visit: EMERSON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
