BUFFALO, NY - Stifling defense and offensive execution helped lead the Villa Maria College men's basketball team to a convincing 97-66 victory over the Fisher College Falcons on Friday evening. The Vikings held Fisher to just 32.4 percent shooting as Villa picked up it's third season-opening win in four years as they hosted day one of the Villa Tip-Off Classic.
"It was nice to see us execute on both ends of the floor and open our season with a victory," said Head Coach
Don Silveri. "A lot of guys saw action and we had 11 players play double-digit minutes. We rallied for one another and pulled for each other. We'll enjoy this tonight and get ready for a quick turnaround against a very talented Maine Fort Kent team on Saturday."
The Vikings will take on the University of Maine at Fort Kent on Saturday at 6 p.m. in day two of the Classic. The Bengals defeated the Bryant & Stratton Rochester Bobcats 85-67 in the first game on Friday.
Leading the way offensively for the Vikings was sophomore
Lonnie Taylor, who scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Seniors
DeJaun Owens and
Dominic Douglas each netted 15.
Villa shot 46.1 percent from the game and never trailed. Villa outscored the Falcons 47-29 in the first half before extending the lead and winning the second half as well, 50-37. 13 different players scored for Villa as all 15 players saw action.
Junior
Daniel Thompson came off the bench to score nine points on three made triples. Senior
Kwanique Martin scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds while fellow senior
Jonathan Pozo scored seven on 3-of-5 shooting off the bench as well. Villa's bench out-scored that of Fishers, 43-13.
Junior
Jabari Hibbert led the Vikings in assists, dishing out six helpers, all in the first half. Junior
Stanley Foster led the way rebounding, securing a game-high 10 boards.
Gerald Bibbs and
Trayvon Holt each added six points as well.
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