Ottumwa, IA: The MCC Tiger Men's Basketball team opened their season strong at the Financial Partners Classic hosted by Indian Hills Community College. The Tigers faced Independence Community College on Friday and Butler Community College on Saturday, winning both games by double figures.
In the opening game of the season, the Tigers would get off to a quick start and never look back against the Pirates. They led Indy 44-32 at the break, the game would end with the Tigers falling just six points shy of the century mark, prevailing 94-73.
Paced by good all-around shooting, the Tigers would end the game 50% from beyond the arc, and with a 51.7% field goal percentage. They were also an impressive 75.8% from the charity stripe. Sophomores Goran Vidovic and Kelton Edwards led the Tiger offensive game, they ended the game with 19 points each. Freshman Nicholas Fleming started his Tiger career on the right foot with 15 points and four assists at the point guard position. The game also saw the return of red shirt sophomore Juan Coffi, who finished with 14 points.
Saturday would follow a similar theme as the Tigers jumped out front of the Grizzlies, dominating the first half which would end at 41-27. The Tigers used the second half to get spread the ball around, and get some other players involved en route to their 77-59 victory.
Vidovic and Edwards would again lead the way for the Tigers, with 20 and 19 points respectively. Coffi and Fleming would tally double digit point efforts with 16, and 13 points. The Tigers would again use above average shooting, with a 53.4% from the floor to pace the offense and remain tough on the glass, hauling in 28 rebounds.
The Tigers return to action Tuesday, November 6th as they travel to Fort Dodge, IA to take on the Iowa Central Tritons. The Tritons sit at 1-0 after a victory against Mounth Mercy College JV over the weekend. The game is set to tip at 7:00PM at Hodges Fieldhouse.
