EMERSON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
Marshalltown, IA- The second half proved to be the difference maker for the Marshalltown Community College men's basketball team as the Tigers ran away with a 98-81 victory over Highland Community College (IL) on the final night of the Emerson Classic. Sophomore Brandon Simmons (Harlem, NY/Teaneck) posted a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds for MCC.
Trailing 61-60 with 10:33 to play in the game, the Tiger offense erupted for a 16-0 run to pull away. A series of defensive stops paired with clutch shooting carried the Tigers (5-1) to its second win of the two-day Emerson Classic.
Simmons played a crucial role up and down the court throughout the night for the Tigers. The sophomore blocked a season-best five shots, aiding in the Tiger defense that limited the Cougars (3-1) to just 37.1 shooting in the final frame.
Joining Simmons in double-figures was Souf Mensah (Nantes, France/Canarias) and Jamir Coleman (San Antonio, TX/Pro Vision with 19 points each. Freshman Aaron Hauser (Marshalltown, IA/Marshalltown) came off the bench to score 11 of his career-high 15 points in the second half.
Saturday's contest pitted the two winners from Friday's opening night of the Emerson Classic. Highland built a 16-9 lead midway through the first half, but it was Simmons that sparked the Tiger offense. The sophomore converted a three-point play to give MCC a 19-18. Both sides kept the score within reach, but the Cougars scored 10 of the final 15 points for a 40-35 halftime advantage.
Coleman tallied eight of 10 points in a three-minute spurt to give MCC a 53-45 lead with under 14 to play. The Cougars clawed their way back to take the 61-60 edge just over halfway through the frame. Coleman ignited the first points of the 16-0 run with a three-point play for a 63-61 edge.
In a 24-second span, Hauser forced a turnover on the defensive end and buried a three-pointer and followed up with a pair of layups, including a steal on the defensive end for a 70-61 lead. The MCC run led to a pair of technical fouls against the Cougars and the Tigers were able to build off of the momentum to run away with the victory.
MCC connectedon 50 percent (36-72) of its shots on the night and knocked down 70 percent (21-30) of its free throws in the win. Freshman Juan Coffi (Barcelona, Spain/Canarias) was a contributing factor in the Tigers' second half spurt and finished the night with nine points, four assists, three rebounds, and a pair of steals.
MCC finishes its eight-game home-stand with a 7:00 PM match against Ellsworth Community College on Nov. 22 as part of a doubleheader with the women's team.
For complete results of the Emerson Classic, vist: EMERSON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
