The William Paterson Men’s Basketball team defeated York College last night with a 20-point lead to extend its win streak to two, beginning their season strong.
The game began with starters Jianni Moran, Nashir Merrick, Jack Gobel, Cam Reyes, and Delani Hyde for William Paterson.
For York College: Christopher Smith, Benjamin Grant, Jonte Walace, Joshua Jackman, and Oke Okrokoto.
The games’ tip-off went to York and sparked the battle of the first half of who could score and gain the lead for the match. Sophomore guard Jack Gobel scored the first points of the game for William Paterson early on and continued to stack points for the Pioneers.
York College managed to add some points to the board, tying the game, but a jump shot from Gobel gained the Pioneers the lead once again.
Throughout the first half, both teams’ defense seemed pretty equal to each other, but the Pioneers played a solid offense the other team couldn’t seem to keep up with. Although they had quick turnovers, their production and accuracy were lacking.
With 11:36 on the clock, junior guard Josiah Carey knocked down a jumper, which then sparked a 19-8 run for William Paterson that put them ahead by double figures.
The energy from the stands seemed to seep into the Pioneers’ play, allowing seven different players to get points on the board within the first half. The team made 8 of 15 (.533) over a stretch of just under nine minutes.
The second half began with the Pioneers tallying four fouls to York’s six fouls on the board. The Pioneers seemed to be producing even more offensively, extending their lead and going on a 22-9 run.
Senior forward Ethan Paul played consistently throughout the game, drawing fouls and making free throws and layups in times when the other players struggled to score, helping William Paterson gain a 20-point lead. The senior logged 13 points on 5-of-8 (.625) shooting to pair with four rebounds.
The Pioneers went 8-of-11 (.727) from the floor during the 22-9 run, which lasted until the 11:11 mark.
York College began to pick up the offense, managing to outscore the Pioneers this half, but the extended lead of 20 created a gap that was too large for them to come back from.
Senior Guard Christopher Smith of York managed a team-high 11 points, followed by Freshman Center, Oke Okrokoto, who put ten on the board.
The last five minutes, William Paterson seemed to be playing clumsier, but with their lead they were able to keep York College below them, ending the game with a score of 71-55 and nine fouls to York’s ten.
Sophomore guard Jack Gobel led the team and recorded a team-high 18 points, shooting 7-of-13 (.538) from the floor with an added three rebounds and three steals.
The Pioneers will be back on Friday, November 14, in a non-conference match against Cairn University in the Rec Center at 7PM.
