By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — The challenge was simple: stop dribble penetration.
After struggling for the first 10 minutes to keep opposing ballhandlers out of the lane, the Tribunes went with a small lineup.
The result was obvious.
Defensive pressure contributed to a decisive run in the opening minutes of the second half as the Monroe Community College Men’s Basketball team (15-5/4-0) defeated the Genesee Community College Cougars (15-4/1-2), 96-75 in Western New York Athletic Conference action on George Monagan Court, Saturday afternoon.
“Our goal every game is to give up dribble penetration only 18 times,” Monroe head coach Jerry Burns said. “In the first 10, 12 minutes they had 14 of them. Once we stopped giving up dribble penetration and kept the ball in front of us, we could close down on the shooters.”
With Genesee’s offense in check, Monroe took charge.
With a return to the starting lineup, Isaiah Davis (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) netted 10 as Monroe outscored Genesee 23-11 in the first 7:30 of the second stanza.
“He responded well to starting again,” Burns noted. “Most of them were good shots, what we call rhythm shots within our offense.”
Davis grabbed a Dykweil Bryan (Brooklyn, NY/Queens Academy) lead in transition and drilled a 3-pointer. After Elijah Tillman (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) connected on a free throw line jumper, Davis drilled another trey, and the Tribunes were off and running.
Davis took an inbound and found the measure from the left corner, the freshman guard followed with a layup on the break, and Monroe led 52-42 with 16:27 remaining in the game.
“If you’re a good shooter, and you’re taking good shots, those are two positives,” Burns said of Davis.
Bryan hit a pair of free throws. Manny Joseph (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) stole an inbound pass and scored. Tashawn Desir (Brooklyn, NY/NIA School) hit for three, and TJ Davis (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) used an upfake to setup a trifecta. Monroe led 67-43 and never looked back.
“For a good amount of that second half we went with two smalls with “Tay” (Tashawn Desir) and “DyDy” (Bryan), Burns explained. “It’s creates some matchup problems…It helps our defensive pressure, but it also helps our scoring.”
Trailing by as many as seven in the first half, Monroe put together a pair of runs to grab the lead before the break.
The Tribunes converted a pair of Damon Miraud (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) steals into baskets. Miraud went end-to-end for a layup on his first swipe. On the next trip, the freshman guard led Isaiah Davis into the open court where Desir finished the two on one at the rim. Anthony Hemingway (Brooklyn, NY/NIA School) drove the lane for a bucket. Desir hit two of three from the free throw line, and Davis drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to Monroe its first lead of the afternoon at 22-21 with 8:45 to go in the first twenty.
Genesee responded. Alex Morris (Ashford, AL/Ashford Academy) scored in the lane. Naquil Jones (Philadelphia, PA/West Philadelphia) hit a pull-up jumper and converted a pair of free throws one trip later. Alastair Cole (Pickering, ON/Pine Ridge) hit two from the stripe, and Morris finished a drive in the lane to give GCC a 33-28 advantage.
The lead was short-lived.
Isaiah Davis converted a traditional three-point play. Bryan made a steal and went the length of the floor for a bucket. Ervin Mitchell (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Collegiate) gave the Cougars a brief lead. Bryan answered with a trey at the buzzer for a 40-38 lead at half, and the Tribunes did not trail for the remainder of the game.
Isaiah Davis led all scorers with 20 on 7 of 12 shooting. The freshman lead the Tribs with 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds a game.
Tillman scored 13 and corralled a game-high eight rebounds.
Bryan chipped in 15 and led all with four assists.
Desir added 16 for the Black and Gold.
MCC controlled the boards 54-33 and forced 17 GCC turnovers. Monroe hit 12 of 23 (52.2 percent) from behind the arc.
Nine Tribunes played 15 or more minutes.
“I feel we can go ten deep every game,” Burns stated. “It really just depends upon the game and what we’re trying to accomplish as a team. You have to be ready to make adjustments.”
Genesee jumped to an early lead. Mitchell converted a rebound putback. Jones connected on a pull-up jumper inside the arc. Cole used an upfake to create space for a 3-pointer, and Mitchell hit a pair from the charity stripe for a 16-9 GCC lead.
Ervin Mitchell paced the Cougars with 17. Jones added 15.
After winning 14 straight the Cougars have dropped two in a row. Genesee hosts Erie Community College on Thursday.
Monroe has won eight consecutive. The Tribunes host Niagara County Community College next Saturday. Tip time at Monagan Court Court is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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