Posted: Dec 02, 2024
By ROSS THEDE, TIMES-REPUBLICAN
MOBERLY, Mo. — The second half plagued the Marshalltown Community College men's basketball team again as the Tigers suffered their fourth-straight loss, falling 81-61 to Moberly Area CC on Saturday night in the finale of the Moberly Thanksgiving Classic.
For the second time in as many nights, the Tigers (6-5) led at halftime against an NJCAA Division I program but couldn't lock it down. State Fair CC outscored MCC 40-15 in the second half of Friday's 21-point Tiger loss, and Marshalltown's three-point halftime lead on Saturday succumbed to another second-half struggle.
Moberly (7-3) topped the Tigers 44-21 after intermission to turn a 40-37 deficit into a 20-point triumph.
Ade Popoola starred for the host Greyhounds, piling up 26 points, 10 steals, eight rebounds and five assists in Moberly's fifth consecutive victory. DaJuan Bates got 18 points off the bench and KJ Vasser finished with 13 points, five assists and four steals.
Jayden Hill led MCC in scoring again with 19 points. Ahmed Ibrahim pitched in 14 points and a team-high eight boards off the bench, and Justice Small contributed 10 points and five boards.
The Tigers couldn't overcome a whopping 28 turnovers in their third loss to a D-I program in the last four games.
MCC is back at home this weekend, entertaining D-II No. 6 DMACC for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon at the Student Activity Center. The Tigers beat the Bears 85-67 on Nov. 19 in Boone.
