The Mount Ida College men's basketball team opened the 2012/2013 season with a runner up finish at the annual Mitchell College tournament with a 102-72 victory Friday evening over the Johnson State College. On Saturday the Mustangs competed in the championship against visiting Green Mountain College in a back-and-forth battle falling 105-102.
Mount Ida comes home after falling in an exhibition match last weekend at Division I Stony Brook University with an overall record of 1-1 and has yet to play in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.
In game one in the opening round, Mount Ida was paced by five players scoring in double figures led by 23 points from John Fortes (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford). Fortes would eventually go on to be honored to the All-Tournament team as the only Mustang selected.
In a contest that featured 23 lead changes and 11 ties, Green Mountain came out on top thanks to a frenetic comeback in the final six minutes in the final game of the event. Trailing 90-79 with 6:16 to play, the Eagles turned up the defensive pressure and scored 12 straight points to take the lead with 3:14 to go on a bucket by Jakerion Ales (Batesville, MI/South Panola). Green Mountain used full-court pressure to force five turnovers during the stretch.
Mount Ida didn't back down, however, and the lead changed hands five more times before a three-pointer by Strong put the Eagles up 98-97 with 1:44 left. The Mustangs tied the game seconds later on a free throw by Jeff McNair (Brockton, MA/Brockton), but Green Mountain scored the next seven points—all from the free throw line—to seal the victory.
Strong scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half while Carnelius Green (Oviedo, FL./Oviedo) netted all 16 of his points in the final stanza. He also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds and handed out five assists. Cardell Speights (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) shot 10-for-16 from the floor and finished with 23 points while Ales and Haneef Scott (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) added 12 and 11, respectively. The Eagles shot 48 percent as a squad and forced 25 turnovers.
Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) led Mount Ida with 23 points and shot 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) added 22 points while Fortes finished with 20. McNair recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards and Brandon Castro (Dorchester, Mass./Arlington) rounded out the Mustangs in double figures with 13 points.
Mount Ida returns to action at home against the University of New England on Tuesday, November 20 at 6 p.m.
Some Content Courtesy of Mitchell College Sports Information