Tuesday, November 20, 2012 (Newton, Massachusetts) - Five Mount Ida men's basketball players scored in double figures building a commanding 20-4 advantage through the first six minutes of play never looking back en route to a 90-52 non-league home opening win over the University of New England Tuesday evening at the Mount Ida Athletic Center. The Mustangs were spectacular offensively shooting over 50 percent from the floor (55.6%) and beyond the arc (50.0%) cruising to their second victory of the season under the direction of 22nd year Head Coach Rico Cabral.
The hosts improve to an overall record of 2-1 and have yet to compete in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest. The visitors are still searching for their first win in 2012 falling to 0-3.
Mount Ida, who led from wire-to-wire, never let off the gas offensively building a 20-4 lead early in the first half finished off on a trifecta from freshman forward Jerry Ellis-Williams (Dorchester, MA/Reading Memorial) who would add eight points for the contest going 2-3 from downtown.
The Mustang defense was also a key factor swarming around the court swiping 18 steals for the game. Host freshman guard John Fortes (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) put the lead at 20 with 3:43 on the clock stealing a Nor'Easter pass and throwing down an impressive dunk making it 43-23. Fortes would add 15 points for the Mustangs going 7-10 from the floor.
The Mount Ida advantage went as high as 23 heading into the midway point finished off on a successful lay-in by Fortes heading into the locker room with a commanding 49-26 lead.
It was all about the Mustangs high powered offense in the second half going ahead in the first six minutes by 35. Freshman guard Evens St. Juste (Hartford, CT/Bulkeley) fueled the scoring for Mount Ida draining three trifecta's during the six minute stretch. St. Juste would lead his team with 18 points on 4-5 shooting from beyond the arc adding four assists respectively.
The host advantage grew to a game-high 47 points with 10 minutes to go up 82-35 finished off on a jumper by St. Juste. Head Coach Cabral emptied his bench at this point eventually cruising to a 90-52 non-conference victory.
Along with solid performances from St. Juste, Fortes and Ellis-Williams, the Mustangs saw 14 points and a team-high six rebounds on 5-8 shooting from freshman Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) while sophomore guard Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) scored 12 points adding three assists and a game-high four steals. Mount Ida senior center and Captain Jeffrey McNair (Brockton, MA/Brockton) added 10 points on perfect shooting from the floor (3-3) and the line (4-4). Senior point guard and Captain Brett Heimann (Miami, FL/LaSalle) chipped in three steals and three assists as well.
The visitors saw two players in double-figures led by junior guard Charles Fenner III (Bronx, NY/Rice) with 12 points on 5-13 shooting while freshman forward Jesse Dykstra (Douglas, MA/Whitinsville Christian) went 5-6 from the paint with 11 points and three boards respectively.
Mount Ida men's basketball won't play until after Thanksgiving break hosting non-league Wheaton College on Tuesday, November 27th with tip-off slated for 6:00 p.m. The University of New England will head into the annual Harbor Invitational starting this Friday hosted by non-league UMASS-Boston with game time at 5:30 p.m.
